Topic: Phantom or batteries for C1000s?

[Tall Adam]

Hey
is it wiser to use phantom power (and further drain my walmart thingy) or to use a 9v in each C1000? does anyone know how long 9vs last in there?
thanks
adam

[AT853rxwh]

Benefits of Phantom over batt power:

1. Lower noise floor - Most mics will not generate as much self noise when phantom powered

2. Higher SPL - Most mics will be able to handle louder sounds than battery

3.  XLR connectors can be used as weapons - can you say that about 9v's?   


As for your Walmart thingie, I think you are referring to the Lithium battery, you might draw an extra 20mah or so using phantom over not, and if you are using a UA-5 or such, you are still looking at a really long run time... 

[Tall Adam]

sounds good, thanks!

[yemncsu]

Should be able to get ~110 hrs out of 9Vs(according to manual).  I am going to run with 9Vs for the 'roo.  They don't take much for phantom but I guess any will help the life of the main battery.  Plus you can always turn the phantom on.
Josh

[Cooker]

those mics sound easily five times better with phantom.

[Da Boss]

The C1000's really do sound about 200% BETTER with Phantom. Trust da boss...

[Nick Graham]

Have to agree with everyone so far...they really do sound better with phantom power. The first six months I had 'em I used 9v, then bought a PS2...all the difference in the world.

[Da Boss]

Yeah...It actually sounds like an AKG mic with phantom!
That's not to say I have pulled good to very good recordings with the 9v though...
For just about the same money though I think you'd be WAAAY more pleased with a pair of MATCHED Oktave mc012 if phantom is NOT an issue!

[ashevillain]

This is interesting because when I ran C1000s a couple years ago I asked Doug Oade if there were any benefits to running phantom vs. 9v and he told me there was no sonic difference. He had an explanation why but I can't remember what it was. I never ended up trying it out on my own because I trusted his word and saw no need to get another piece of gear at the time. But you guys are hearing a difference huh? Interesting....

Have any of yall [that say phantom power is better for these mics] actually run a scientific A/B comparison?

[yemncsu]

After this weekend at the roo.  I do think the phantom sounds much better.  I pulled some pretty sick tapes using the phantom, better thatn any of my local shows with the batteries.

Josh

[ashevillain]

After this weekend at the roo.  I do think the phantom sounds much better.  I pulled some pretty sick tapes using the phantom, better thatn any of my local shows with the batteries.

Don't you think that's apples & oranges though? How can you realistically compare a huge outdoor festival setting to anything but another huge outdoor fest?

[yemncsu]

Very True, I have done an outdoor fest. close to asheville this year.  Smaller granted, but Im hearing nuances with the phantom as opposed to the batteries.  It may be my crack smoking habit , but I found setting the levels easier as well.

Josh

[ashevillain]

Hmm...this discussion almost makes me want to get a pair of c1000s again just so I can see what I missed out on back in the day! 


Edit: I take my previous statement back. I think I'm gonna have to trust the info from JK Labs and Doug Oade over some people that have done no scientific comparisons but still insist that there is a difference...

[hhf32]

I would think that the more power available to condensor mics...the better...more headroom.

[jk labs]

This is interesting because when I ran C1000s a couple years ago I asked Doug Oade if there were any benefits to running phantom vs. 9v and he told me there was no sonic difference. He had an explanation why but I can't remember what it was. I never ended up trying it out on my own because I trusted his word and saw no need to get another piece of gear at the time. But you guys are hearing a difference huh? Interesting....

Have any of yall [that say phantom power is better for these mics] actually run a scientific A/B comparison?

If the incoming phantom voltage is internally regulated down to 9 Volts (which is likely the case for the AKG C1000 albeit I don't remember it's circuitry right now) there is no reason for phantom powering to sound better. Such an argument would be based on the assumption that the larger the voltage on the internal circuitry, the better the sound -- which I think is a difficult argument to make on a general basis. But yes, if the voltage is _below_ optimal the performance of the circuitry will be compromised.   

And when it comes to the capability of delivering current (another point made in similar contexts) an internal 9 Volts battery has a huge advantage: You simply will not manage to draw more than 6 mA through each of the two 6.81 kOhms phantom drop resistors. The internal 9 Volts battery on the other hand will gladly deliver 200mA or more (even though I know of no load that will put such demands on the circuitry in the mic-body).

Regards
Jon