DI/Preamp that provides phantom power

[ColdEye]

So I have been out of the music world for a while. Before my preamp of choice with phantom power was either a headway edb2 or the zoom A3. Are there any other options now out there that I can look at? I will also be using this for violin and double bass, but majority is for my parlor guitar. I use a AKG C411 to amplify with an amp/record them all so phantom power is necessary. I am not really a techie when it comes to these so if there is an obvious work around please do tell me. Thank you.

[Doug Young]

I don't know that mic, but I'm assuming it has an XLR plug and requires balanced phantom power. But I'm confused about you mentioning the headway and Zoom A3 that don't provide that. If you need XLR 48 volts, there's the Grace Felix, Pendulum SPS-1 and DTar Solstice (no longer made, but can be found used). I'm probably forgetting something, but those would be a start.
if the mic takes unbalanced 9 volt bias power, like most guitar mics, then those will also work, but there are a number of other possibilities.

[Spook]

Appears the AKG 411 will work on 9V - 52V. Interesting.

Don't know why they had to stop making the DTAR Solstice. Had my issues with the design in some areas but it worked well enough. Has 15V phantom power the would drive your AKG. Like Doug said, they are still available out there.

Of course the Grace Design Felix is as good as it gets. I use mine for various guitar pickup types as well as phantom powered mic's. It has 48V but you can also select 12V for an electret. Don't know which the AKG is happier with. You can also select input impedance if you have a variety of pickups on your varied instruments. Costs $1K but worth it.

You can also use a small mixer and many do. Isn't perfect but not as expensive. Some in the forum like the Bose T1 Tonematch though I've no experience with it.

[ColdEye]

Any advice on what mixer? Did not even think about that. The zoom a3 and headway provides phantom power. The zoom provides 48v and for the headway I think it is less. The Grace would be nice, really nice but out of budget.

I am in the hunt for the DTAR, so far only saw two in the web.

[JayBee1404]

I might be missing something here, but why do you need a DI/Pre-amp if you mic your instruments? Surely you would run the mic straight in to the amp/pa?

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

I might be missing something here, but why do you need a DI/Pre-amp if you mic your instruments? Surely you would run the mic straight in to the amp/pa?

Not if he wanted some control over tone/volume close by.

HE

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by ColdEye

So I have been out of the music world for a while. Before my preamp of choice with phantom power was either a headway edb2 or the zoom A3. Are there any other options now out there that I can look at? I will also be using this for violin and double bass, but majority is for my parlor guitar. I use a AKG C411 to amplify with an amp/record them all so phantom power is necessary. I am not really a techie when it comes to these so if there is an obvious work around please do tell me. Thank you.

I have a pair of Dtar Solstice units, and they do exactly what you require. They have excellent tone circuits, and combination 1/4”/xlr inputs with phantom power.
I saw 2 on Reverb.com a few minutes ago.

HE

[ColdEye]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

I might be missing something here, but why do you need a DI/Pre-amp if you mic your instruments? Surely you would run the mic straight in to the amp/pa?

During those occasions, yes I would just run to the PA The places I have been playing on for a while now have no PA systems. I usually bring an Amp (sadly no mic input on the amps) and whatever instrument I will play.

I was browsing about the web doing research and it seems the radial stage bug 48UB fits the bill. Mic input that provides phantom and outputs can be used on any regular Amp. Are there any other devices like this? So the chain would be guitar/bass/violin -> AKG C411 mic/other condenser -> stagebug -> Pre Amp or even directly into an Amp.

[sdelsolray]

The AKG 411 is a boundary condenser mic. To use it with balanced phantom power requires an AKG adapter (or equivalent) which changes the balanced phantom power to unbalanced bias power and steps the voltage down to 6.5v. I doubt running 9v bias power would hurt the mic, but I have no experience with that. Years ago I had an AKG 411 and powered it from a Rane AP13, which has a choice of 6v or 9v bias power for a condenser mic. I chose the 6v setting.

[ColdEye]

Mine has the adaptor stuck at the end, it's a normal sized XLR, unlike my first C411 which had the mini XLR.

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by ColdEye

Mine has the adaptor stuck at the end, it's a normal sized XLR, unlike my first C411 which had the mini XLR.

That XLR needs to be connected to 48v balanced phantom power, although it should (may?) also work with 12v or 24v balanced phantom power sources.

[agedhorse]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

That XLR needs to be connected to 48v balanced phantom power, although it should (may?) also work with 12v or 24v balanced phantom power sources.

It does work with P-12 phantom power (12V)