T-Power converter

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Digitally Pleasing

Active member
Hi everyone,

So I have a very nice mic, the MKH416T. Obviously, this is the older version of the 416, so it needs power source, which I have. The power source is a real pain for the kind of shooting I usually do. Its large and difficult to strap on the camera...but... it's a great mic.

I was actually considering selling this mic and the power source, then using that money to buy a phantom powered mic. But, i probably wouldnt be able to afford newer 416.

Then I came across this form the Sennheiser website:

Q: Why is it when I plug my MKH416T or MKH816T into phantom power it doesn't work? A: The "T" at the end of the Sennheiser nomenclature (i.e MKH416T) indicates that the microphone requires 12 volt "T" or "A-B" power which, is totally different than 48 volt Phantom Power. One method for using your MKH "T" mic with any phantom power source would be to use our 12T-P48 adapter that plugs inline between the phantom power source and the mic. The 12T-P48 converts the 48 volt phantom power to 12 "T" power and retails for $55.
Most audio stores don't have this in stock... but I did find one here:

http://www.microphones.com/microphone.cfm?URLID=12T-P48

This seems too good to be true. Does anyone have experince with this power adaptor? It will convert the phantom power from my 100B to T-Power for my MKH416T!!! Does the DVX use 48 volt phantom power

Thanks for anything you got.

~ Jim
 
I've had a PSC 48P-to-12T adapter barrel for some time now, and I've been quite happy with it.

Hang onto your `416T. T-powered mics will opperate just fine in situations that would render phantom-powered mics nigh useless. I was once on a shoot where we had a `816T and a `416P on sepperate booms, and every time a streetcar passed by we would hear interference on the `416P only.

Phantom power was originally devoloped for studio applications where the higher voltage requirements would be met by mains power. T-power, on the other hand, was developed primarily for location recording where the 12V draw would give you slightly longer battery life.
 
Hi,

I too have a PSC 48P-to-12T adapter barrel and it works fine for me.

SMuir said:
Hang onto your `416T. T-powered mics will opperate just fine in situations that would render phantom-powered mics nigh useless. I was once on a shoot where we had a `816T and a `416P on sepperate booms, and every time a streetcar passed by we would hear interference on the `416P only.
Click to expand...

Hmm, interesting! Please can you explain why a T-powered mic would be less susceptable to interference than a phantom-powered mic?

Thanks loads,
Jack
 
To be honest, I don't know the technical explanation for why T-power shrugs off RF interference that would play havoc with a 48P line.

Back before I started putting together my own kit, I was booming on a low-budget doc that involved a number of interviews down by the Toronto harbourfront. I was using a back-electret mic; I don't remember exactly which one, but it was an inexpensive Audio Technica shotgun that would run off either 48P or an internal AA battery. When I tried to power it from the mixer, I picked up so much radio interference from the CN tower that I could clearly hear the station identifications. When I switched off the phantom and popped in a battery, the problem went away.

More recently, I was recording a passing thunderstorm using my trusty `416t and a phantom-powered MKH30 (M-S stereo). After about 2 hours of pouring rain, there was so much humidity in the air that every flash of lightning would cause the MKH30 to drop out. When I reviewed the matrixed recording, I found that there was no corresponding pop on the mid channel.
 
Just came across this thread which is very relevant to me.

I have a Shoeps MK41 and a CMC4 T-power supply.

It seems as though this PSC adapter would allow me to use the Shoeps powered by my Canon XHA1's 48v phantom.

Can anyone confirm that this is true before I buy that converter -- (btw, B&H has it for $37)

(and does anyone have an opinion of the market value of a CMC4 with MK41 hyper cardoid capsule, if I decide to sell it ....)
 
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cmc 3 is not t power , this is 12 v ph power suply
you can hook it directly and work on 48 , the only problem it withh pull about 11ma which might be the canon output will not suply .
so your mic will eb under powered and wouldnt work for it spesification .
you can send it for schoeps and they will convert the preamp for not abig sum to work with 48 directly , then the amperag would be about the same the

cmc5 pull , about 4 ma .

how much is worth , i will say about 600-700us$ on ebay
 
Oleg 2 said:
cmc 3 is not t power , this is 12 v ph power suply
you can hook it directly and work on 48 , the only problem it withh pull about 11ma which might be the canon output will not suply .
so your mic will eb under powered and wouldnt work for it spesification .
you can send it for schoeps and they will convert the preamp for not abig sum to work with 48 directly , then the amperag would be about the same the

cmc5 pull , about 4 ma .

how much is worth , i will say about 600-700us$ on ebay
Click to expand...

Thanks Oleg -- but I'm sorry, I was in error -- I meant to say it was the CMC4 -- which is I think, the T-powered version.

(the capsule is the hypercardoid MK41)
 
that is t-12 indeed
be carfull since this one is also a big ma eater , so your camera output could chunck and probably it will as it happence for some products as mix pre :-)
 
Oleg 2 said:
that is t-12 indeed
be carfull since this one is also a big ma eater , so your camera output could chunck and probably it will as it happence for some products as mix pre :-)
Click to expand...

Oleg -- is there any danger of damage to either my XHA1 camera (from where I will be drawing the 48v phantom), or to the Shoeps ??

Or is it just that performance will be compromised ??

(btw -- same ebay value for CMC4 / MK41 ??)
 
9 ma and with conversion which will take some power it really become a problem .
it might be that the phantom sirquet is design to give maximum of amperage for both mics so no powering one input will be fine ( i doubt it doesnt limited for 1o ma or so ) but it worth to check before you sell the preamp .
damage - no there will be no damage , but if the mic doesnt get what it need it doesnt work as it should -usually it becomes very noisy .
 
Oleg 2 said:
9 ma and with conversion which will take some power it really become a problem .
it might be that the phantom sirquet is design to give maximum of amperage for both mics so no powering one input will be fine ( i doubt it doesnt limited for 1o ma or so ) but it worth to check before you sell the preamp .
damage - no there will be no damage , but if the mic doesnt get what it need it doesnt work as it should -usually it becomes very noisy .
Click to expand...

thanks Oleg -- seems like its worth $37 to see if it will work...
 
less, a friend picked up one with cut 1 for less then 900 few months ago
the capsul alone worth about 450-550, the cut 1 used about 250-350
the cmc 4 not worth much alone as except film business no really work t power these days .
we are the only suckers who still pay money for mixers with t power we not use anymore , not that is allot to add as the powering t mics is much easy then phantom with usually direct powering from mixer voltage stabilizer
 
ya, that's as I feared

there's actually a cmc4 w/mk41 with a cut 1 (which I don't have) on ebay now -- (he's asking $750)

thanks for your advice ...
 
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