• Ulrich
  • S/Mux specialist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-05-31
  • Posts: 316

Topic: Octamic XTC phantom power

The XTC manual states (p.22):

"Connecting and disconnecting microphones while phantom power is active causes a high
voltage surge, which can destroy the microphone input stage! Switch phantom power off
before connecting/disconnecting any external device."

Do you really think you run into trouble in case of "hot-plugging"? I really don't believe that it's realistic to expect that in case of changing microphones phantom power is always sitched off, switched on by the users. What is the experience like in real world with the XTC?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,806

Re: Octamic XTC phantom power

No other user's "real world experience" will help you in case something does happen for some reason. It is always safest to have P48 off when plugging - beyond that, it is all at your own risk.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar05/a … sers.htm#3


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2014-04-07
  • Posts: 11

Re: Octamic XTC phantom power

Yes you can. Im pretty sure i blew the XLR part (DAD4099) of my DPA 4099 connecting it to a XTC with phantom on. First time for everything, never ever happened before.

But yeah, its been warned in the manual. Luckily the DAD4099 is the least expensive part of the mic.

Antti

4 Reply by anttipohjola (edited by anttipohjola 2014-04-10 15:50:39)

  • Registered: 2014-04-07
  • Posts: 11

Re: Octamic XTC phantom power

Hello,

May I ask what is the reason there are high voltage peaks from the XTC if you hot plug a microphone? Some kind of circuit design that has this byproduct?

Is there anything you can do about it?

In a real life production situation it means you cannot use the phantom from XTC. If there is danger of destroying the mics. Sure the phantom should be turned off before plugging anything.  Things just dont work that way. Sooner or later someone is going to connect or disconnect a condencer mic with phantom on.

In a slow paced recording, maybe you can avoid it if you are carefull. A live concert, allmost 100% possibility. And the thing is, its not allways just your own mics. These days musicians have high quality mics of their own they want to use on stage. Things are not allways under the sound guys control.

I like the XTC. Sounds clean and its remote controllable. Has a Madi output. Great. Can you please tell, is there something different from other mic pres, that makes its phantom dangerous? This is the first time ever a mic actually breaks down on me due to phantom.

Antti

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,806

Re: Octamic XTC phantom power

This is not something that is specific to the XTC at all. See the above linked SOS article. Also see e.g. http://www.royerlabs.com/phantompower.html
Therefore, no reason to consider the XTC and its phantom power supply any more dangerous than other similar gear.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website