Is my microphone phantom power safe?

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Soundtech98

25 posts

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#126979 25-Jul-2013 18:01

Hey there,
a few months ago I purchased a YOGA DM-515 Uni-Directional dynamic microphone from
jaycar.

I was wondering if this microphone is Phantom Power safe and isn't being damaged when phantom power is active.

knoydart

904 posts

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#866072 25-Jul-2013 18:13

Dynamic mics should just ignore the phantom power that is applied. Possibly they might include a small capacitor to block any DC coming up the line, but the microphone element itself should be a capacitive element if I remember correctly from my training so should block the DC in any case

Goosey

2829 posts

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#866089 25-Jul-2013 18:34

Did any small print / instructions come with the mic?
I see its the entry level from this manufacturer. As the poster above said 'but' .... you get what you pay for with microphones unfortuantley therefore even if it does what it's susposed to when 48V is pumped into it, the mic will no doubt fail quicker than a higher priced / quality built mic. Save up for a SURE or AKG or somthing similar.

Edit: whats your intended purpose for the mic you have? (Just curious).

Soundtech98

25 posts

Geek

#866102 25-Jul-2013 18:52

The mic did not come with any instructions, only the information about the frequency response, impedance, sensitivity.

I wanted to use it as a talkback microphone.

So would phantom power affect the mic or not?

Goosey

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#866109 25-Jul-2013 19:08

In principal all condenser (capacitor) / cardoid mics can use phantom...but be careful and dont willy nilly turn the phantom on and off all the time.

You cant use phantom on ribbon mics.

Have a google... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microphone

Where are you? Ive got a few good books on audio or can point you to some good reads.

kiwirock

685 posts

Ultimate Geek

#866111 25-Jul-2013 19:22

After working in radio and helping design/setup studios once upon time, my opinion is I would never plug a dynamic mic in to +48 phantom power.

But then the Mic's I used were hundreds of bucks. A cheap $60 karaoke mic you could see what happens. You're dissipating up to around 700mW of power in to heat in the coil of a dynamic mic.

I don't know if the current (around 14mW if shorted) is high enough, but DC if not removed could pull the coil in one direction like a solenoid and ruin the quality of the sound from a mic.

Cheers,
Gavin.

cyril7

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#866116 25-Jul-2013 19:33

Hi, if it has not let a small puff of smoke from its pickup coil by now then my guess is its fine. For a number of reasons most dynamic mics will include a series cap for both blocking phantom power and low pass roll off.

Cyril