Karaoke Forums

Alright so this may be a dumb question, however, can anyone tell me what a "phantom power supply" is and where I can purchase one for minimal cost (i.e. Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.).  I have a condenser microphone and I thought I could just hook it up to my computer and use it to record myself.  Ummm...that didn't work and when I finally took the time to read the paperwork included with the microphone it said "it must be powered by the 48V phantom power (such as supplied by the optional Nady SMPS-1 phantom power supply or a mixing console with phantom powering), and amplified by a microphone pre-amp (such as built into a mixer or a stand alone unit)."  That might as well have been in a foreign language because I don't have a clue what it's talking about.  

I'm not a KJ/DJ nor am I interested in taking my show on the road, I just want to be able to play with my karaoke cd's on the computer and record myself and my children while singing.  I have a Dell computer, pentium 4, running windows XP and have the adobe audition software that I'll be using for recording.

Thank you, in advance, for any advice you can offer.

It would be cheaper to trade it back in on a dynamic mic.

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Thank you for your response Dr. D.  I didn't actually purchase this condenser mic (it was a Christmas gift).

So are you saying this particular mic will not be functional on my pc or is it that it would cost too much for a "phantom power supply" in order to make it functional?

You can get one from your local Guitar Center or other music store.  I know that a company called Rolls makes one, and although I have never used it, I know that Rolls is a reputable brand name and it runs about $40.  You will not find one at Best Buy or Circuit City.  If you want to look online, you might try www.musiciansfriend.com.  

And yes, you could trade the mic in for a a dynamic mic, but the rule of thumb that I always go by is that dynamic mics are for live performance, and condenser mics are for recording in the studio (even if it's a home studio).

If you don't have the means to plug a standard XLR mic cable into your computer, you could also buy a recording interface that plugs into a USB port.  And those can have phantom power built into them.  You could try a Tascam USB-122 for about $199.  I don't know if that one has phantom power or not, but it's a very popular entry level USB audio interface.

Hope this helps.

Get youself a pre amp that have phantom power. There are many that are within the $100-$150 price range or below.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

The condenser mic would pick up the fans in your computer and assuming you are in a small room every reverb off the walls.  They require a studio type acoustic room...

You need a uni--directional dynamic mic Check at your local music stores or guitar shops...

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If I was in your situation, I would check into returning the mic and replacing it with a quality dynamic microphone.  If that's not an option, you will have to purchase additional gear to power your new mic.

Good Luck.

First and foremost, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your response.  I knew that if I had a karaoke related question, this was definitely the place to go to seek quality advice.  

Alright, so I'm still a little confused as I've been researching the subject of pc/karaoke recording for quite some time and my understanding has been (as skillet mentioned) that I needed a condenser mic rather than a dynamic mic for recording (even on a home studio).  

Bottom line is that I'm willing to invest $40 as skillet suggested but I'm not willing to spend over $100 plus to get this condenser mic to work.  I found the following at the musiciansfriends.com website:  


Rolls PB23 Phantom Power Adapter
For running phantom-powered mics with either 12V or 48V DC. It uses a 100kHz switching power supply so there is no audio noise generated. Output pull...
Our Price: $39.99     List Price: $50.00

I'm still not sure I understand what the heck this "phantom power" thing is and whether it would hook up to my pc.  Would I just plug my mic into this Phantom Power Adapter and then hook the Phantom Power Adapter into the mic spot on my computer?

Even if this does work, I'm concerned about what karyoker mentioned that the condenser mic will pick up the sound from the computer fans and every reverb off the walls of my rec room (which is where my computer is located).  This brings me to my next thought that maybe I should follow the advice of Dr.D, karyoker and marley and just purchase a uni-directional dynamic mic.  (I can't return the other mic since it was given to me as a Christmas gift).

Am I correct in assuming that if I go to a music store and purchase a dynamic mic, I'll be able to plug it directly into my pc and start recording?

Again, I appreciate any and all advice given.

Actually you need something like this
These (new) go for about $80 on ebay.   search audio buddy...You might get this one for 50-60... With this and a dynamic mic you could get started....

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That and the condenser mic will sound good. I realy dont see why you need to record voc with a dynamic mic if you have a condenser. You will have a better quality recording with a condenser. DON"T sell it, use it and compare the diff. You most likely already have a dynamic so you can compare.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

A good number of mixing boards have a phantom power supply for condensor mics built right in, even on the lower end of boards. As this would expand the flexibility of your system anyway and allow you to mix your recordings, it would be a good investment. Here's an inexpensive option from Behringer ($49.99):

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=l ... id/631238/

Can't say I know much about this product, but it is has all of your basic mixing functions along with phantom power for the mic channels.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

That will work fine to get the power to your mic & it will work with the computer provided you have the correct adapter to connect it.  You would be better off picking up a small mixer that has the PP built in, you'll get more control/versatility & sound quality.

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I just wanted to thank everyone again for all the helpful advice.  I went to my local music store and picked up a PV6 Compact Mixer ($60), plugged everything in and it works great.  Now if only it could teach me how to sing......  :no:

Thanks again.