FetHead Phantom vs regular FetHead

[lkingston]

I was thinking of ordering another FetHead for use with my Zoom H6 and am wondering whether I should order a regular FetHead or a FetHead Phantom. I don’t have any ribbon mics that would be damaged by the FetHead passing phantom, but even though I would mainly use it with dynamic mics, I would like to also be able to use it with a couple of condenser mics I have that need phantom power.

Has anyone used a FetHead Phantom with a Shure SM7B? It seems like the SM7B would just ignore the phantom power and it would be exactly the same as using a regular FetHead. Maybe there is something I am not thinking about. Maybe it would go through batteries quicker. Does anyone here have experience with this?

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I was thinking of ordering another FetHead for use with my Zoom H6 and am wondering whether I should order a regular FetHead or a FetHead Phantom. I don’t have any ribbon mics that would be damaged by the FetHead passing phantom, but even though I would mainly use it with dynamic mics, I would like to also be able to use it with a couple of condenser mics I have that need phantom power.

Has anyone used a FetHead Phantom with a Shure SM7B? It seems like the SM7B would just ignore the phantom power and it would be exactly the same as using a regular FetHead. Maybe there is something I am not thinking about. Maybe it would go through batteries quicker. Does anyone here have experience with this?

The FetHeads aren't battery powered. They use phantom power from other devices (mic pres, consoles, outboard supplies; etc.,) to power itself and in the case of the FetHead Phantom, also a condenser mic. I wouldn't advise using the Phantom version with anything other than condensers.

[lkingston]

Yes, I realize they are phantom powered. I have been using them for quite some time. The only difference with the FetHead Phantom is that it uses the phantom power increase the gain, but also passes it to power a condenser. I know that the average condenser mic only uses a little phantom power, so there should be plenty there for both.

If you are using a ribbon mic, this could damage the mic, but if you are using a dynamic like the SM7B, it seems to me like the mic would just ignore the phantom power and function exactly the same as a regular FetHead. The advantage to me would be that I could also use it on condensers. The reason I am thinking about this is because I believe it would also improve the signal to noise on my condensers when using them with the noisy preamps of the Zoom H6.

I have no experience with the FetHead Phantom. That is why I am asking.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by lkingston

Yes, I realize they are phantom powered. I have been using them for quite some time. The only difference with the FetHead Phantom is that it uses the phantom power increase the gain, but also passes it to power a condenser. I know that the average condenser mic only uses a little phantom power, so there should be plenty there for both.

If you are using a ribbon mic, this could damage the mic, but if you are using a dynamic like the SM7B, it seems to me like the mic would just ignore the phantom power and function exactly the same as a regular FetHead. The advantage to me would be that I could also use it on condensers. The reason I am thinking about this is because I believe it would also improve the signal to noise on my condensers when using them with the noisy preamps of the Zoom H6.

I have no experience with the FetHead Phantom. That is why I am asking.

According to Wes Dooley of AEA Micsrophones, phantom on dynamic mics is ok provided that you never connect/disconnect with it on. The risk is the possibility of magnetizing the the mic's output transformer which can compromise performance.

[lkingston]

I know that when you unplug a dynamic mic with phantom power on, it makes a horrendous pop. I never thought that it did any damage to the mic, though I have worried about my tweeters...

I also remember that many audio boards used to just have a single phantom power on/off switch that affected all the channels at once. The only issue I was ever aware of was that you had to avoid any unbalanced cables that simply wired pins 2 & 3 together. That would do damage to the board.

I can’t imagine there being any ill effect of using a FetHead Phantom instead of a regular FetHead with my Shure SM7B or Audix OM-5 (which are my two most used dynamic mics).

The advantage would only be in not having to buy separate FetHead and FetHead Phantom preamps.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I know that when you unplug a dynamic mic with phantom power on, it makes a horrendous pop. I never thought that it did any damage to the mic, though I have worried about my tweeters...

I also remember that many audio boards used to just have a single phantom power on/off switch that affected all the channels at once. The only issue I was ever aware of was that you had to avoid any unbalanced cables that simply wired pins 2 & 3 together. That would do damage to the board.

I can’t imagine there being any ill effect of using a FetHead Phantom instead of a regular FetHead with my Shure SM7B or Audix OM-5 (which are my two most used dynamic mics).

The advantage would only be in not having to buy separate FetHead and FetHead Phantom preamps.

It's a question of not what usually happens but rather what can happen should something go amiss. I for one, won't put any of my mics at risk no matter how small that risk might be.