XLR Phantom Powered Microphones
A range of condenser microphones purpose built for use on phantom power XLR 3 pin microphone inputs. For use on pre-amps/ amplifiers / PA system / Mixer desk / Professional Video Camera and digital voice recorders. These microphones operate on Phantom Power between 12v and 52v. Most phantom power systems use 24v or 48v for its operating power and these microphones work on both. All our microphones are built to high quality with balanced audio output, built in pre-amp and premium microphone cable in different lengths from 3 metre to 15 metre.
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How to use phantom power XLR microphones. In most instances all you need to do is turn phantom power on to XLR microphone input used for microphone & plug it in. Its recommended to turn down gain/volume before plugging condenser microphone into XLR input as they are more sensitive than dynamic handheld microphone. Then adjust gain/volume up to suitable level & that’s all it needs. Do not use this microphone with extension cables or adapters as we can not guarantee it will work. Different cables / adapters can be wired differently for different purposes. We only guarantee microphone works when connected direct to phantom powered pre-amp / amplifier / mixer XLR 3 pin female microphone input.
Why is the microphone not working? The most common problem using phantom powered condenser microphone is not having the phantom power switched on or system does not provide it. Dynamic microphones that you hold in hand do not require phantom power to work. Customers often say my other microphone works fine why not yours? Reason its not working this microphone requires phantom power between 11v-52v to work (48v being the standard phantom power voltage). Check your system specifications or look at front / back of system to find phantom power switch normally labeled P+/15v/25v/48v/phantom or similar. If not found your system most likely does not have phantom power. We have phantom power supplies for sale on our website www.micronic.co.uk that you can use to power microphone.
When should you turn on phantom power? Phantom power is a power supply used to provide power to active electronic devices. Condenser microphones require phantom power to operate, while dynamic microphones do not. If you are using a condenser microphone, make sure phantom power is enabled on the device you are using it with.
Why is my phantom power not working? Most phantom power problems are caused by faulty inputs or cables, which you can identify either with a cable tester / volt meter or by swapping out the cable for another that you know to be OK.
Can I leave phantom power on all the time? It will not hurt anything to leave your phantom power on.
What is the 48V button? This method is referred to as phantom power. The worldwide standard for phantom power is 11 to 52 volts of DC (typical studio mics run on 48v). Your preamp will typically have a button labelled 48v, which allows you to turn this on/off. However, some older mixers & cheaper audio interfaces may not have phantom power.
How to safely use phantom power? If your audio interface/mixer/amp has a dedicated phantom power button for each input channel, make sure they are turned on only on inputs that require it. The safest way to go about it is to turn down the input gain, connect your microphone, turn phantom power on & start adjusting the channel's gain level.
What not to do with phantom power? Phantom power shouldn't be used when using any other kind of microphone. It's important to check the specifications of your microphone if you're unsure. Phantom power should not be used on Dynamic or Ribbon microphones.
Do all XLR cables support phantom power? No. 3 pin XLR cables that are constructed with twisted pair shielded wire will work with phantom power. They must have a 3 pin XLR connector on each end. Some mic cables have a XLR connector on one end & 2 conductor 1/4” inch Jack plug connector on other end & will not work.
What needs 48V phantom power? Most professional phantom powered microphones need 48 volts. (A few brands can work with 9-52 volts). When you have a P48 microphone, it may still work at lower voltage. However, the typical result is that the microphone's performance is affected, reducing the max SPL handling and increasing distortion.
How to tell if a mic needs phantom power? Put simply, condenser microphones have active electronics that need an external power source, while dynamic mics are passive and therefore do not need phantom power. Because of the way condenser mics work, their output is very high impedance, and therefore requires a powered circuit to reduce that impedance.
How to use phantom 48V? The [PHANTOM +48V] switch turns the phantom power ON/OFF. Switch it ON to use condenser microphones. Doing so will switch the phantom power ON for all XLR microphone input terminals.
