Ribbon mic problem

LARRYROSE · 25th October 2011

So i went to plug in a ribbon mic and the phantom power was on on the preamp. Stayed on for 2 or 3 minutes before i noticed. What now????

JonMiller · 25th October 2011

does the mic still work?

Frost · 25th October 2011

Now nothing. Your mic is most likely just fine.

LARRYROSE · 25th October 2011

I just assumed it was fried and did not want to do any more damage by plugging it in to the pre. What is normally the deal. Everyone cautions so much about not putting phantom power on these, what can happen?

tINY · 25th October 2011

If you have a modern ribbon mic and your cables are in good condition, you're fine...

-tINY

Fletcher · 25th October 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by LARRYROSE

So i went to plug in a ribbon mic and the phantom power was on on the preamp. Stayed on for 2 or 3 minutes before i noticed. What now????

Now you learn that phantom power doesn't injure ribbon mics when the wiring is correct and you connect via an XLR connector [rather than a TRS patch cable].

Back in the 60's when phantom power was first starting to be used there were some problems with ribbon mics when the center tap on the mic's output transformer was connected to "pin 1". Over the last 45-50 years that problem has been addressed.

psycho_monkey · 25th October 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by LARRYROSE

I just assumed it was fried and did not want to do any more damage by plugging it in to the pre. What is normally the deal. Everyone cautions so much about not putting phantom power on these, what can happen?

Just turning on phantom won't hurt it.

If you plug into a trs style patch bay, you'll short tip and ring together, you'll put a voltage across it (?) and fry the ribbon.

Trakworx · 25th October 2011

This:

Ribbon Microphones and Phantom Power - YouTube

demonstrates all you need to know.

J~

Jazz Noise · 25th October 2011

Your microphones are fine, it's very unusual that there's any damage done. Hell, some ribbons even use the transformers on their outputs to block the DC outright!

LARRYROSE · 27th October 2011

Thanks guys, tested the mic and it is fine. really thought I blew it up with Phantom power. I guess this is one of those audio urban legends. HAHA! Larry

fenikner · 27th October 2011

Yeah, as long as your cables are in good repair, you should be fine- but it's not exactly an urban legend, and you should still definitely exercise caution with ribbons and phantom power.
Basically, the ribbon has wires attached to both ends, let's call them positive and negative. When phantom power is applied, the positive and negative cancel each other out, and the ribbon is none the wiser. However, if there's a temporary imbalance for even just for a second, the ribbon will see voltage from either end, causing it to physically jump and stretch, which will kill it. This can be caused either by patching through TRS, as Fletcher said, or worse, just by a short in the cable.
One great tool to give you peace of mind and really enhance the performance of your ribbons is the Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter- it's a little phantom powered JFET preamp that not only adds about 25 db of clean, quiet gain to your mic's signal, but prevents phantom power from getting through to the mic as well.
Full disclosure: I used to work for Cloud. But I don't anymore, and I still think it's a great, useful little box.

25th October 2011	#1
LARRYROSE Gear nut Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 113 Thread Starter	Ribbon mic problem So i went to plug in a ribbon mic and the phantom power was on on the preamp. Stayed on for 2 or 3 minutes before i noticed. What now????

25th October 2011	#4
LARRYROSE Gear nut Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 113 Thread Starter	Ribbon mic I just assumed it was fried and did not want to do any more damage by plugging it in to the pre. What is normally the deal. Everyone cautions so much about not putting phantom power on these, what can happen?

27th October 2011	#10
LARRYROSE Gear nut Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 113 Thread Starter	Ribbon mic Thanks guys, tested the mic and it is fine. really thought I blew it up with Phantom power. I guess this is one of those audio urban legends. HAHA! Larry

27th October 2011	#11
fenikner Gear interested Joined: Aug 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 23	Yeah, as long as your cables are in good repair, you should be fine- but it's not exactly an urban legend, and you should still definitely exercise caution with ribbons and phantom power. Basically, the ribbon has wires attached to both ends, let's call them positive and negative. When phantom power is applied, the positive and negative cancel each other out, and the ribbon is none the wiser. However, if there's a temporary imbalance for even just for a second, the ribbon will see voltage from either end, causing it to physically jump and stretch, which will kill it. This can be caused either by patching through TRS, as Fletcher said, or worse, just by a short in the cable. One great tool to give you peace of mind and really enhance the performance of your ribbons is the Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter- it's a little phantom powered JFET preamp that not only adds about 25 db of clean, quiet gain to your mic's signal, but prevents phantom power from getting through to the mic as well. Full disclosure: I used to work for Cloud. But I don't anymore, and I still think it's a great, useful little box. __________________ www.fenikner.com Musician, producer, engineer, man about town.

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25th October 2011	#2
JonMiller Gear maniac Joined: Oct 2009 Posts: 182	does the mic still work?

25th October 2011	#3
Frost Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 711	Now nothing. Your mic is most likely just fine.

25th October 2011	#5
tINY Gear Guru Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 10,230	If you have a modern ribbon mic and your cables are in good condition, you're fine... -tINY

25th October 2011	#8
Trakworx Gear Whisperer Joined: Apr 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 1,829 3 Reviews written	This: Ribbon Microphones and Phantom Power - YouTube demonstrates all you need to know. J~

25th October 2011	#9
Jazz Noise Would-Be-Teaboy Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Ireland Posts: 320	Your microphones are fine, it's very unusual that there's any damage done. Hell, some ribbons even use the transformers on their outputs to block the DC outright!