Halo of Flies Records Audio equipment What is Phantom Power & Why Do I Need It?

What is Phantom Power & Why Do I Need It?

Do you make music or record voices? If yes, then this is the article for you in which you will come to know about the mics with phantom power. There are many kinds of them but before discussing them some of the basics should be considered like the phantom power is considered as the power between 12 volts to 48 volts DC. It is as simple as that and dynamic microphone phantom power is not required in order to run those.

On the other hand, if we talk about condenser microphone phantom power then it does require running this kind of mic. This is the basic difference you need to keep in mind if you want to understand phantom power in a much better way. The power source of the phantom power is also visible because it goes through the same chord.

Reasons behind condenser mics need phantom power

Condenser mic is the one which requires phantom power to run and there are reasons for this as number one is that it consists of active electronics. If we consider dynamic mics then they do not require phantom power because they are passive. So this is the main and number one reason that condenser mics require phantom power to work.

What about dynamic mics with phantom power?

It is possible to run a dynamic mic with phantom power but in a technical way. It won’t make any different in the output if you are using the mic for live sound. In the case of recording, you will notice some difference like additional hum sound and that is because of the phantom power. It is the reason that dynamic mics are not meant for phantom power. In addition, it can damage your mic so keep this thing in mind and make sure that you are using normal power to run this for better results.

Disconnect the mic carefully

If you are running a mic with phantom power then you need to turn off the phantom power before disconnecting. It is because if you disconnect without powering off then you will notice the loud pop noise that can easily damage your equipment in no time. So you need to be very careful at the time of using phantom power mics. They are good in producing results but not all of the mics are supported.

In the end, it is stated that condenser microphone is the one that can run on the phantom power. Yes, it is possible to run other mics with this power but there will be risk all the time because this kind of power can easily destroy the mic without even letting you know. Also on the other hand you will notice some changes in the output too. Make sure that you are using the suitable mic for the phantom power.

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