Topic: Mod the SP AT943s or not

[blu666z]

What are the sonic differences in running the UA-5 w/ vs w/o phantom power?  I currently have a pair of SP AT943s that I run into the UA-5 w/o phantom.  Thinking about getting them modded to handle 48v.  Is it worth the time/money or should I stick with running them through the bat box instead?  How will the changes affect the mics?  Higher Dbs I would assume.

-Kevin

[hoyt]

What are the sonic differences in running the UA-5 w/ vs w/o phantom power?  I currently have a pair of SP AT943s that I run into the UA-5 w/o phantom.  Thinking about getting them modded to handle 48v.  Is it worth the time/money or should I stick with running them through the bat box instead?  How will the changes affect the mics?  Higher Dbs I would assume.

-Kevin

I modded my at853s to run on phantom power and it made a large difference.  It was pretty easy to do, and not that expensive ($60 for the power conditioners + ~15 for all the ends).  Per Sound Pro's page it increases the SPL of the mic by like 13 db, and increases the dynamic range by 13 db as well.  

--hoyt

[blu666z]

So what part in the SP edition limits them to 9v?  Is it in the mini plug connector or do you have to buy new bodies?

-Kevin

[hoyt]

So what part in the SP edition limits them to 9v?  Is it in the mini plug connector or do you have to buy new bodies?

-Kevin

It's just the mini-plug.  By terminating those mics in mini's then the power the box provides isn't "phatom," it becomes direct power.  Phantom power uses all three pins, so when they terminate them to a mini, you only have access to two of them (tip/ring).  According to the tech I spoke with at SP, you could probably run 15v of power from a phantom source without changing the termination or adding in the power conditioners, but going to 48v would surely fry them.

By terminating them in XLR's, and adding in power conditioners, you can apply up to 52v phantom power to them without that danger.

--hoyt

[blu666z]

Also how do you list them on your list?  AT943(Modded SP Mod)?



-Kevin

[hoyt]

Also how do you list them on your list?  AT943(Modded SP Mod)?



-Kevin

Yeah, seems stupid that SP moddified them, and then I'm undoing that, but I still have the option to run them with the batt box if I need to be more stealth than the mp2 allows.  

I list it as at853* with a * at the bottom of the info file that says *SP version modified to run on 48v phantom power.

--hoyt

[Sean Gallemore]

good times, hoyt.  Is there really that big of a difference?

[blu666z]

but I still have the option to run them with the batt box if I need to be more stealth
--hoyt

How are you doing that?  Dual Female XLRs -> Male Mini cable?

-Kevin

[kgreener]

I reckon it would have to be Dual Female XLRs -> Male Mini cable?

Also, can someone clarify something for me.  The way I'm reading it, SP offers two options for phantom?  The first appears to be a mod, described below, which appears to be permanent:

SP-PHANTOM-MOD:
This modification will upgrade any of the following mics to allow them to work with phantom power:
SP-CMC-2
SP-CMC-4
SP-CMC-6
SP-CMC-8
SP-CMC-10
SP-CMC-12
SP-CMC-14
Mics must be returned to us for this modification and will no longer work with plug in power or any of the battery modules. If you have questions, call 800-213-3021.

Then I'm reading about their "phantom power adapter kit" (SP-PHANTOM), which looks like you could go either way, i.e. mini-plug/battery box, or say 48v phantom/UA-5.   Wouldn't one want to go with this option?  It looks more appealing to me as I could power the mics either way.  But does this "kit" sacrifice performance for convenience?

Sorry if this question has been asked before, and I appreciate everyone's help.

 

[hoyt]

good times, hoyt.  Is there really that big of a difference?

It's pretty noticably.  I haven't made any comparison tapes, but I think someone else did...

How are you doing that?  Dual Female XLRs -> Male Mini cable?

I cut the two mic cables about 6 inches from the > 1/8" part.  Then I put mini xlr femal ends on that cable.  
So I can go - mics (mini xlr male) > (mini xlr female) phantom power module (regular xlr male)

or - mics (mini xlr male) > mini xlr femal to 1/8" male > battery box.

I'll snap some pictures later tonight when I get home.

--hoyt

[blu666z]

Great...thanks...definately gonna do this when I get back from Sweden.

-Kevin

[hoyt]

Here ya go:





--hoyt

[leegeddy]

nice! that's what i did to my friends CMC-8 (AT933).

worked out nicely for phantom power.

marc

[blu666z]

Ah..ok..makes sense now.  Thanks for posting Ryan.  +T

-Kevin