{"id":17741,"date":"2025-09-04T11:36:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T15:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=17741"},"modified":"2025-09-24T17:40:42","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T21:40:42","slug":"what-is-phantom-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/what-is-phantom-power\/","title":{"rendered":"What is phantom power (and when do you need it)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Illustration:<\/strong> Liz Xiong<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might sound a bit mysterious at first, but phantom power is just a tool for activating certain audio hardware so you can make music.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll usually hear the term when people are talking about microphones and other devices that transport or convert audio signals,<\/a> but also need a power source in order to work properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, let’s break down what phantom power is, how it works, and when and why you might need to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voice to verse\u2014anywhere. With the addition of Splice Mic, you can instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities, all from <\/strong>the Splice mobile app.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is phantom power?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Phantom power<\/strong> is a direct current<\/strong> (DC)\u2014a continuous flow of electricity in a single direction\u2014that’s used to power a range of electronics. Because it’s supplied along the same cables being used to transmit audio signals, you don\u2019t have to worry about getting that power from somewhere else; this is where the term \u201cphantom\u201d comes from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the concept was first applied to the copper wiring of telephone landlines in the early 1900s, it would later eliminate the need for bulky power supplies when working with various microphones in the 1960s and beyond, as tape recorder preamps and mixing boards would act as the power source as well as the receiver for recorded signals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, a mixer or audio interface<\/a> will often supply phantom power, and the electricity passes through pins 2 and 3 of a balanced XLR cable.<\/a> A lot of audio interfaces used for home and studio recording will have a button that you can press marked \u201c+48V\u201d or \u201cP48\u201d\u2014this signifies your phantom power option, since 48 volts is the maximum amount needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When and why you need it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some devices won’t function at all without phantom power, whereas others need to avoid its accidental use as much as possible. User manuals will always be your friend here, but below we break down some FAQs and popular themes when it comes to when and why you need phantom power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do condenser mics need phantom power?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most common situation where phantom power comes into play is when recording audio with condenser microphones. These mics need it because their active electronic circuits require an electric charge in order to properly measure (and sometimes amplify) audio signals before they leave the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do dynamic mics need phantom power?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, dynamic microphones don’t need any phantom power because their simpler design has no \u201cactive\u201d circuitry that requires an electric charge. While activating it won\u2019t mess with a modern dynamic microphone, as it basically ignores the voltage coming through, you may want to be more careful when handling older, more delicate mics (like vintage ribbon mics) that can potentially be damaged by its presence. Very spooky indeed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a deeper look, you can learn more about different microphone types and how they work<\/a> below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Types of microphones: A guide to how they work and best use cases<\/a><\/blockquote>