Portable phantom power

[Ike Kangastalo]

Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?

Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
anyhow?

Ike

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
Ike Kangastalo > wrote:
>Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
>power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
>Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
>easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
>
>Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
>smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
>anyhow?

Stewart and AKG also make them, as does Audio-Technica. Note that the AKG
doesn't have output blocking caps so there is major DC offset on the output,
which is no problem for a transformer input but will make the XL-1 very upset.
Check them out and see if they are any smaller.

What is inside those things is a little switching supply to crank the voltage
up, and a bunch of batteries. The alternative is to put five 9V batteries in
the box. The switching supply is comparatively bulky and needs some shielding
too.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
Ike Kangastalo > wrote:
>Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
>power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
>Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
>easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
>
>Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
>smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
>anyhow?

Stewart and AKG also make them, as does Audio-Technica. Note that the AKG
doesn't have output blocking caps so there is major DC offset on the output,
which is no problem for a transformer input but will make the XL-1 very upset.
Check them out and see if they are any smaller.

What is inside those things is a little switching supply to crank the voltage
up, and a bunch of batteries. The alternative is to put five 9V batteries in
the box. The switching supply is comparatively bulky and needs some shielding
too.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Rob Reedijk]

Ike Kangastalo > wrote:
> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?

> Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
> smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
> anyhow?

Be careful about some of those portable phantom supplies that you can buy.
There is a Peavey one which takes 2 9v batteries---but only gives you the
18 volts. For some mics, that is a problem.

Rob R.

[Rob Reedijk]

Ike Kangastalo > wrote:
> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?

> Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
> smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
> anyhow?

Be careful about some of those portable phantom supplies that you can buy.
There is a Peavey one which takes 2 9v batteries---but only gives you the
18 volts. For some mics, that is a problem.

Rob R.

[Eric K. Weber]

Look at the Neumann BS48i or BS48i2 , a little pricey but they put out a 48V
phantom, have the output dc blocking and a belt clip included.

Rgds:
Eric


"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Ike Kangastalo > wrote:
> >Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> >power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> >Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> >easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
> >
> >Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
> >smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
> >anyhow?
>
> Stewart and AKG also make them, as does Audio-Technica. Note that the AKG
> doesn't have output blocking caps so there is major DC offset on the
output,
> which is no problem for a transformer input but will make the XL-1 very
upset.
> Check them out and see if they are any smaller.
>
> What is inside those things is a little switching supply to crank the
voltage
> up, and a bunch of batteries. The alternative is to put five 9V batteries
in
> the box. The switching supply is comparatively bulky and needs some
shielding
> too.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Eric K. Weber]

Look at the Neumann BS48i or BS48i2 , a little pricey but they put out a 48V
phantom, have the output dc blocking and a belt clip included.

Rgds:
Eric


"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Ike Kangastalo > wrote:
> >Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> >power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> >Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> >easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
> >
> >Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
> >smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
> >anyhow?
>
> Stewart and AKG also make them, as does Audio-Technica. Note that the AKG
> doesn't have output blocking caps so there is major DC offset on the
output,
> which is no problem for a transformer input but will make the XL-1 very
upset.
> Check them out and see if they are any smaller.
>
> What is inside those things is a little switching supply to crank the
voltage
> up, and a bunch of batteries. The alternative is to put five 9V batteries
in
> the box. The switching supply is comparatively bulky and needs some
shielding
> too.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Thomas Bishop]

"Ike Kangastalo" > wrote in message
> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.

Denecke makes one. I think the model number is PS-1. They make both one
and two channel versions. Check out www.soundprofessionals.com and
www.oade.com

[Thomas Bishop]

"Ike Kangastalo" > wrote in message
> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.

Denecke makes one. I think the model number is PS-1. They make both one
and two channel versions. Check out www.soundprofessionals.com and
www.oade.com

[David Satz]

Ike Kangastalo wrote:

> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?

I strongly recommend the Denecke supplies. Their two-channel model is
somewhat more elegant, since it comes with attached output cables. They
are compact, robust and well-regulated, and they have clear low-battery
indicators. If I remember correctly they come with a belt clip attached,
but I am not 100% certain of that (I always remove such things).

The Neumann supplies are also very good, but they cost about four times
what the Denecke supplies cost, for no technical advantage that I can see.

Be careful with other brands since they may not be 48 Volt.

[David Satz]

Ike Kangastalo wrote:

> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?

I strongly recommend the Denecke supplies. Their two-channel model is
somewhat more elegant, since it comes with attached output cables. They
are compact, robust and well-regulated, and they have clear low-battery
indicators. If I remember correctly they come with a belt clip attached,
but I am not 100% certain of that (I always remove such things).

The Neumann supplies are also very good, but they cost about four times
what the Denecke supplies cost, for no technical advantage that I can see.

Be careful with other brands since they may not be 48 Volt.

[Sugarite]

> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
>
> Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
> smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
> anyhow?

If you're planning to record the audio on the MiniDV tape, you're probably
wasting your money, the MiniDV spec for audio is pretty compressed, even
worse than MiniDisc.

[Sugarite]

> Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
>
> Rolls and others seem - not big really but can this device be built into
> smaller space? How much space does the electronics for such box need
> anyhow?

If you're planning to record the audio on the MiniDV tape, you're probably
wasting your money, the MiniDV spec for audio is pretty compressed, even
worse than MiniDisc.

[Marc Heusser]

In article >,
"Sugarite" > wrote:

> > Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> > power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> > Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> > easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
....
> If you're planning to record the audio on the MiniDV tape, you're probably
> wasting your money, the MiniDV spec for audio is pretty compressed, even
> worse than MiniDisc.

If you want to improve sound for your DV camera over the built-in
microphone, here's what I did (and it works rather well):
Using a Sennheiser K6 microphone (there is one base K6P for phantom
power only, another one K6 can be fitted with a single AA cell for power
if phantom power is absent). Then use your favorite capsule on it (M64
for cardioid, ME67 as a shotgun etc).
There's a holder for the microphones to fit in the camera shoe as well
if necessary.
When I put it on top of the camera, a simple adapter cable will do.
Otherwise I'm using a Studio 1 XLR-PRO adapter since my Canon MV30i PAL
(NTSC: Optura Pi) does not have XLR inputs.

HTH

Marc

--
Marc Heusser - Zurich, Switzerland
Coaching - Consulting - Counselling - Psychotherapy
http://www.heusser.com
remove the obvious CHEERS and MERCIAL... from the reply address
to reply via e-mail

[Marc Heusser]

In article >,
"Sugarite" > wrote:

> > Looking for a small battery operated box that can provide 48 v phantom
> > power to 1 to 2 mics. The smaller the better.
> > Is there anything readily available that can be clipped to a belt or
> > easily attached to a Canon XL-1 DV camera?
....
> If you're planning to record the audio on the MiniDV tape, you're probably
> wasting your money, the MiniDV spec for audio is pretty compressed, even
> worse than MiniDisc.

If you want to improve sound for your DV camera over the built-in
microphone, here's what I did (and it works rather well):
Using a Sennheiser K6 microphone (there is one base K6P for phantom
power only, another one K6 can be fitted with a single AA cell for power
if phantom power is absent). Then use your favorite capsule on it (M64
for cardioid, ME67 as a shotgun etc).
There's a holder for the microphones to fit in the camera shoe as well
if necessary.
When I put it on top of the camera, a simple adapter cable will do.
Otherwise I'm using a Studio 1 XLR-PRO adapter since my Canon MV30i PAL
(NTSC: Optura Pi) does not have XLR inputs.

HTH

Marc

--
Marc Heusser - Zurich, Switzerland
Coaching - Consulting - Counselling - Psychotherapy
http://www.heusser.com
remove the obvious CHEERS and MERCIAL... from the reply address
to reply via e-mail

[L David Matheny]

"Sugarite" > wrote in message ...
<snip>
> If you're planning to record the audio on the MiniDV tape,
> you're probably wasting your money, the MiniDV spec
> for audio is pretty compressed, even worse than MiniDisc.
>
If you use two 16-bit/48KHz tracks, MiniDV tape is capable
of storing data that is as good as DAT. It is not compressed.
The problem is that the mic preamps in camcorders are too
noisy to get a decent signal onto the tape. And usually the
preamps can't be bypassed, so you're stuck with bad sound.

[L David Matheny]

"Sugarite" > wrote in message ...
<snip>
> If you're planning to record the audio on the MiniDV tape,
> you're probably wasting your money, the MiniDV spec
> for audio is pretty compressed, even worse than MiniDisc.
>
If you use two 16-bit/48KHz tracks, MiniDV tape is capable
of storing data that is as good as DAT. It is not compressed.
The problem is that the mic preamps in camcorders are too
noisy to get a decent signal onto the tape. And usually the
preamps can't be bypassed, so you're stuck with bad sound.