• Registered: 2011-10-16
  • Posts: 4

Topic: HDSPe AIO Outputs protected against phantom power?

Hi,

I have an HDSPe AIO, and I use it for live performance.  Although I know that it is best to avoid plugging the outputs of the card into a mixing board with phantom power on, I'd like to know definitively if this particular card is protected from damage should it happen.  I always ask the sound man to turn off phantom on my channels, but inevitably, some forget.  I would like to know what will happen to the sound card should this happen.

Thanks,

-Mike

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,777

Re: HDSPe AIO Outputs protected against phantom power?

Main outs - nothing. Phones out - might destroy the output amp, as these are DC-coupled.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-10-16
  • Posts: 4

Re: HDSPe AIO Outputs protected against phantom power?

Tanks Matthias.  So, do I need to even worry about whether phantom power is on or off on the mixer board, provided it's the main outs I'm plugging in to it (and not the headphone out)?  I will continue to try to ensure phantom is off, I just want to know how worried I need to be about it.  Is the situation such that phantom for a moment or two is no problem, but prolonged exposure to phantom is a problem?  Or is it a case where the AIO outputs are designed so that, should they be plugged into a board with phantom power on, they are designed so that no damage will occur, regardless of duration?

Thanks,

-Mike

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,777

Re: HDSPe AIO Outputs protected against phantom power?

You NEVER should plug/unplug whatsoever as long as there is a big voltage difference present. The spike from that could damage the electronics on any device. Therefore make sure phantom is off while connecting.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-10-16
  • Posts: 4

Re: HDSPe AIO Outputs protected against phantom power?

Understood I should not plug or unplug with the voltage present.  My question, though, is, assuming when I plug, voltage is NOT present, I just want to confirm that if, for whatever reason, the sound man turns on phantom power later, and leaves it on for the entire evening, say 4 hours, will that damage the main outputs of the AIO?  I think the answer is it will not cause any damage, I just want to make sure.

Thanks,

-Mike

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,198

Re: HDSPe AIO Outputs protected against phantom power?

Transformer isolation would be some nice insurance and kill any ground loop potentials between the two seperate systems (an all-too-common issue with different systems on different power with varying ground potentials)...

cool

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