Topic: Phantom Adapters for AT853's

[paulbaptiste]

What are my options here-
8532's 
Nady CMB 40T(do these work and where do I find em)
just curioius if there were any other options out there or a good place to find them, ideally spending less money

And if anybody uses phantom adaptors what's your opinion on the sound quality/performance as opposed to what i run now

853's terminated min xlr into CA9100 pre-

I'm interested as in this could give me the option to run them through a UA5 and am curious if it's worth it, or to just leave it alone-

Thank you

[nameloc01]

Soundpro sells phantom adaptors.(Nady and AT models too I believe) They work great,used in conjuntion with a phantom power unit, the UNMODDED mics do not clip at high spls,and the response is sick.

[JasonSobel]

Jon at Naiant Studios also makes an adaptor to run these kinds of mics off of phantom power.

it's called the PFA adaptor, and is discussed a little here:
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,98599.0.html
http://www.naiant.com/studiostore/cleverdevices.html

[paulbaptiste]

thanks for the responses +T

[paulbaptiste]

Jon at Naiant Studios also makes an adaptor to run these kinds of mics off of phantom power.

it's called the PFA adaptor, and is discussed a little here:
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,98599.0.html
http://www.naiant.com/studiostore/cleverdevices.html

I didn't see anything there.  My mics are terminated into mini xlr (ta3)not 3.5mm plugs.  But Thank you.  I'm curious if there are any other models/makes that do the job, and is it entirely worth it.  Will I gain that much for the 140 dollar investment to get adapters.  As I type this, I'm leaning no.  THanks, if anybody knows any cheaper source of if anybody would possibly loan me a pair to try it, i'd appreciate it.


PART#: AT8533 - AUDIO TECHNICA - AT8533 PHANTOM POWER ADAPTER FOR BALANCED ELECTRET CONDENSER MICROPHONES
Retail: $99.00    Your Price: $69.00  You Save: 30.30%

PART#: NADY-CBM-40T - NADY SYSTEMS - PHANTOM POWER ADAPTER - USED TO CONVERT PHANTOM POWER (9-52V) TO PROPER POWER FOR SOME AUDIO TECHNICA AND SAMSON MINI MICS
Retail: $69.00    Your Price: $39.00  You Save: 43.48%

[Will_S]

You really don't gain much IMO.  You get the option to run directly into the UA5, but if unmodded I doubt it will sound any better than the Church preamp.  So you're adding a lot of bulk to your rig with no real return.

[paulbaptiste]

You really don't gain much IMO.  You get the option to run directly into the UA5, but if unmodded I doubt it will sound any better than the Church preamp.  So you're adding a lot of bulk to your rig with no real return.

Thanks Will-  THat's what I'm thinking better to invest it in something else, maybe somebody can come through with some 853 modded bodies for me - hint hint .  Or just use that money to save towards getting some open mics.

[nameloc01]

Actually what you gain,..is not losing gain, all the while being able to handle maximum spls. The "bulk" isn't really an issue for me at all. The phantom power/adaptors is the best way to run the 853s...hands down.

[paulbaptiste]

Actually what you gain,..is not losing gain, all the while being able to handle maximum spls. The "bulk" isn't really an issue for me at all. The phantom power/adaptors is the best way to run the 853s...hands down.

How I'm currently wired I haven't lost any gain either.  I was just curious if it'd be worth it, what the upgrade would be from me running 3 wire now with the CA9100 to getting the phantom adapters and running through another pre.  i.e. my non flavor modded UA5.  $140 on some adapters if their isn't that noticable of a difference doesn't seem worth it. 

edit:  I'd like to try them out but droppin that money just to "see" the difference w/ my UA5 seems a little too much. 

[Javier Cinakowski]

Actually what you gain,..is not losing gain, all the while being able to handle maximum spls. The "bulk" isn't really an issue for me at all. The phantom power/adaptors is the best way to run the 853s...hands down.

He is not losing any gain, nor is he losing any SPL capability.  3-wire into a battery box is identical in performance to a phantom adaptor.  The phantom adapter might be your best way to run the 853's, but they are not "hands down" for many of us.  You continue to blabber about the phantom adapter like you own stock in Nady. 
 
The CA9100 will out perform a non-modified UA5.

[paulbaptiste]

Actually what you gain,..is not losing gain, all the while being able to handle maximum spls. The "bulk" isn't really an issue for me at all. The phantom power/adaptors is the best way to run the 853s...hands down.

He is not losing any gain, nor is he losing any SPL capability.  3-wire into a battery box is identical in performance to a phantom adaptor.  The phantom adapter might be your best way to run the 853's, but they are not "hands down" for many of us.  You continue to blabber about the phantom adapter like you own stock in Nady. 
 
The CA9100 will out perform a non-modified UA5.

That what i wanted to hear +T

[Will_S]

Actually what you gain,..is not losing gain, all the while being able to handle maximum spls. The "bulk" isn't really an issue for me at all. The phantom power/adaptors is the best way to run the 853s...hands down.

Whatever happened to:

I'll tell ya what..just think whatever you want. There is no reason for me to even get this discussion anymore.

You're wrong in so many ways it's not even funny.

1.  There is no gain loss 3 wire vs. phantom adapter.  The 4.7k mod has a trivial gain loss compared to 3 wire, but that's not what we're talking about.  The only real gain loss is any of these three options vs two wire.  Two wire is the only thing that nontrivially changes the gain, and it increases it compared to the other options (at the cost of potential distortion at high SPLs).
2.  The original poster is talking about replacing a CA 9100 preamp with the phantom adapters AND a UA5 AND a battery for said UA5.  That's a lot more bulk.
3.  The phantom adapters might make sense for someone who already owns a preamp or recorder with phantom power and XLR inputs (or is running it into a mixer with phantom power, as would be expected in the AT853s original use as choir mics).  If you're just going to unbalance the output of a PS-2 and run into the minijack input of a minidisc, with no preamp, it's about the worst setup I can imagine.  Basically you're just running a 3 wire battery box, but bigger and more expensive, with worse battery life.  And before you whine about keeping things stock, if your PS-2 has a miniplug output, it's not stock.

[Javier Cinakowski]

Not to mention the impedance changes of that balanced->unbalanced setup effects the frequency response...

[SmokinJoe]

The advantage no one as discussed yet, is that currently he is analog in to the H120, and with adapters he would digi into the H120.  In other words he is moving from the H120  iRiver A/D to the UA-5 A/D, and I would think that would be better.  $140's worth of better?  Probably not.  But it is a difference, and it will probably have a different flavor, which may (or may not) be appealing.

If you are "itching to do something", I'd say keep the AT > 9100 > H120 system the way it is, and start thinking about big mics to go in front of the UA-5.

[Javier Cinakowski]

AT->9100->UA5 via RCAs->iRiverH120.