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Author Topic: AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test  (Read 8540 times)

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Offline Idle Wind

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AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test
« on: June 03, 2017, 06:21:46 PM »
OK, so I have these AT 8531 Power Modules, designed to power Audio Technica Mics, including the 853's. 

The Power Module takes an AA, or you can feed it Phantom Power and it converts it to a usable voltage for the 853s - I thought the AA supplied 1.5V, and people generally felt that was underpowering them, they needed 9V, and that if you fed the Module P48, it would convert the 48V to 9V.

I also read here somewhere, that if you (hacked it, and) connected a different battery to the AA leads, it would supply whatever voltage that battery supplied - i.e., if you connected a 9V to the AA leads, it would supply 9V to the mic, rather than 1.5V.  So, I was wondering if I could connect a 12V battery, if it would supply 12V (which is what I need for my AKG ck1x's).

EDIT:  this thread got me started:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=143933.15

SO......I broke out the Multimeter, my Sound Devices MP2, the AT8531 Module, a 9V with leads, and a 12V with leads.  Here is what I found.

A Duracell AA Battery (nominal 1.5V)  measured 1.593V at the power switch (before the circuit) and 1.385V at the mic xlr.
A Duracell 9V Battery (nominal 9V) measured 9.58V at the switch, and 9.06V at the mic xlr
A Duracell MN21/23 (12V nominal) measured 11.36V at the switch, and 10.51V at the mic xlr.

AND.....the most surprising (to me anyway....)

connecting my Sound Devices MP2 and feeding the module P48 Phantom Power (nominal 48V), it measured 41.01V at the switch, and 1.755V at the mic XLR.

so, unless I'm doing something wrong here (entirely possible), supplying P48 to this thing isn't much different from using the 1.5V AA battery.   ???

connecting a 9V or a 12V will pass that voltage through to the XLR, with a slight loss of voltage.

I have not done any recording or listening tests, didn't connect a microphone to this, and don't know if supplying it 9V or 12V through the battery leads is appropriate, or would cause any damage to the module or the microphone (I'm guessing no, but don't blame me if it does).

Any comments?
« Last Edit: June 03, 2017, 06:46:09 PM by EvilEye »
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Offline lsd2525

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Re: AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2018, 04:31:56 PM »
EvilEye, I can't answer your questions, but I've tried in vain to get some info about these, as well as other powering options, and this is my real world experience:

These boxes will make the 853's work like they should. The AA batts will last forever.

I have a couple of sets of 2 mini-xlr>1/8 cables; one with the "4.7 mod" and one without. I've tried powering them with a Church UBB (9 v) and a Sound Professionals preamp that supplies 9 v (https://www.soundprofessionals.com/instructions/SP-PREAMP-5.html)

I can't get either one to sound right even though they are supposedly supplying 9v to the mics. But using the 8531's, outputting 1.5 v, sound great every time. All I can figure is that the power modules do something other than supply power.

I'm glad you posted pics, I've been wondering how hard it would be to take the guts out of two and put them into one plastic case for 007 work as toting two of those past a metal detector is a non-starter.

I guess what I'm saying is, as far as I can tell, nothing is to be gained by upping the voltage to the 8531's beyond the voltage that it requires.

Also, if anyone can shed any light on why the I'm not having any luck with the UBB or SP-Preamp, I'm all ears.
Mics: SKM184's; ADK A51s; AT4041; Superlux S502; CK91 active w/homebrew BB; AT853; Naiant X-X; Nak 300's
Recorders: M10; DR-60D; DR-701D

Offline Neilyboy

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Re: AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2018, 09:22:25 AM »
The AT853/933/943 can only handle 10v. The AT8534/8531 power modules [impedance converter] is dropping you to 10v. I am pretty sure I read somewhere that if you try to supply 48v you will toast your at853's
Neil
Mic's: AKG C214's, Line Audio CM3, AT4041SP, AT853 (C, SC, O), AT943 (C, H)
Pre's: Sound Devices MixPre 2
Rec's: Sony PCM-M10, Edirol R-44, Tascam DR60D MKii, Tascam DR70D x 2

Offline Neilyboy

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Re: AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2018, 09:23:48 AM »
Here I found it. Chris Church referenced this way back when.

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=84079.msg1116032#msg1116032

Neil
Mic's: AKG C214's, Line Audio CM3, AT4041SP, AT853 (C, SC, O), AT943 (C, H)
Pre's: Sound Devices MixPre 2
Rec's: Sony PCM-M10, Edirol R-44, Tascam DR60D MKii, Tascam DR70D x 2

Offline lsd2525

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Re: AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2018, 10:58:53 AM »
Thanks
Mics: SKM184's; ADK A51s; AT4041; Superlux S502; CK91 active w/homebrew BB; AT853; Naiant X-X; Nak 300's
Recorders: M10; DR-60D; DR-701D

Offline Hypnocracy

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Re: AT 8531 Power Module Voltage Test
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2018, 06:52:45 AM »
iGene made some mods on these back in the day...he put a 9v in place of the AA and got 9v at the microphone...the photo's are toast but the documentation is there.
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