Lengthy Microphone Usage

[NeoHippy]

Hi,

is the question: Is it dangerous to use a mic for many hours? Oo

well...then the answer is no!

Why should it? Mics are built to be used!

cheers

[Lotus 7]

Originally Posted by deathtomayo

I recently got a Samsom C01 large diaphragm condenser microphone for recording purposes and have also used it for Skype. I'm wondering if there is any danger to my mic, or my audio interface, in using them for long periods of time. I was chatting with a friend for hours and it just occurred to me that it may be a problem as far as I know. Silly question, I know.

Keeping your LDC mic powered up may actually be a good for it. The 200 to 250 mW of power dissipated in the mic electronics actually may help drive out any moisture absorbed in the mic capsule when left on for hours (by raising the mic internal temperature by a degree or two above ambient). Leaving both a [phantom powered] mic and your interface electronics on for long periods of time is "easier" on the components than turning them "on and off" repeatedly creating current surges as capacitors charge and discharge.

The only danger in chatting on Skype for hours is boring your contact to death.

[deathtomayo]

Haha I must have been tired when I wrote that. It's worded so poorly. Yeah I suspected it would be okay but figured I'd get a few opinions on whether it would add to any kind of wear. Thanks guys.

[jimdrake]

Some studios used to keep their mics patched in and powered 24/7 to keep them healthy.

[Sir Chris]

Originally Posted by Lotus 7

Keeping your LDC mic powered up may actually be a good for it. The 200 to 250 mW of power dissipated in the mic electronics actually may help drive out any moisture absorbed in the mic capsule when left on for hours (by raising the mic internal temperature by a degree or two above ambient). Leaving both a [phantom powered] mic and your interface electronics on for long periods of time is "easier" on the components than turning them "on and off" repeatedly creating current surges as capacitors charge and discharge.

The only danger in chatting on Skype for hours is boring your contact to death.

Now this is why I like GS. Learn something new everyday.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

[Lotus 7]

I should add that like any "rule of thumb" there are always exceptions. For contemporary mics using modern materials, leaving a mic powered up will cause no harm. The exceptions are vintage vacuum tube condenser mics with PVC diaphragms. Early vacuum tube mics made by Neumann (U47, U-67 and others) and AKG (C 12 and M 251) originally used cast PVC diaphragms.

Those diaphragms could be damaged by the excessive heat produced by the vacuum tube and its related circuitry (which consume much more power than a contemporary phantom powered, solid state mic). Those early condenser mics benefited from being shut off when not in use. Also, because of the heat produced by the vacuum tubes, the prefered mounting was/is hanging the mic "upside- down" with the grill (and diaphragm(s) at the lowest position, so the tube-produced heat rose away from the "business-end" of the mic.

With the change from PVC or MCF plastics to the more stable polyester (Mylar) diaphragms now commonly used in LDC's, and the use of much lower power dissipation electronics, diaphragm heat aging is not considered to be a problem anymore.

[S21]

Originally Posted by Lotus 7

Leaving both a [phantom powered] mic and your interface electronics on for long periods of time is "easier" on the components than turning them "on and off" repeatedly creating current surges as capacitors charge and discharge.

Maybe one day someone will build a capacitor where charging and discharging repeatedly is part of the design criteria... :^(