True Phantom

Low THD P48 Dual Channel Phantom Power Supply

  • Lowers THD on condenser microphones
  • Improves headroom and lowers the noise floor
  • Your microphone never sounded better

True Phantom® is the only real update on the now standard Phantom powering method, the advantages are easily heard and will work with all Phantom powered microphones.  Literally “a breath of fresh air”.  True Phantom® does not affect the frequency response of the microphone but lowers the microphone’s THD significantly as well as improving the headroom and lowering the noise floor.

For powering condenser microphones, the IEC 61938 Phantom Power supply has been the standard for 50 years.  Although being proven technology, there are several disadvantages.  The microphone signal, for instance is not completely available to the microphone pre-amplifier.  To the microphone’s circuit, the 6.8kΩ resistor presents a load, this causes distortion and reduces the available signal level.  Also, with the IEC 61938 Phantom Power implementation, isolation from the rest of the preamp or mixer circuit is not complete, this can negatively affect noise performance.

True Phantom® uses patented technology which overcomes these problems.  By replacing the 6.8kΩ resistors with current sources distortion is reduced, especially the (unpleasant) 3rd and 5th harmonics.  Also, headroom is improved and the noise floor is lowered.  True Phantom® still complies with the P48 standard.

Features

  • Dual channel for stereo recording
  • XLR inputs and outputs
  • Power ON indicator (True Phantom logo)
  • Ground lift switch
  • Built-in High end Phantom blocking circuit for use with sound cards and unbalanced inputs
  • Direct switch, bypasses the Phantom Blocking circuit for professional equipment (that already have blocking capacitors)

“In an ideal world all phantom power supplies really should be built this way”
Hugh Robjohns, Sound On Sound, July 2018

Committed to Perfection

True Phantom® is engineered for the lowest noise and distortion by utilising a low-noise power supply circuit which powers an active low-noise phantom power circuit.  True Phantom’s patented electronics enable the microphone to operate in a no-load condition; this lowers the distortion and improves the noise performance.

Rear switches are included for Ground Lift and “Direct” connection.  True Phantom® is delivered with ground connected and with DC blocking capacitors connected to the output.  This blocks the phantom power from entering following equipment.  However, most professional balanced microphone inputs already have blocking capacitors in the circuit – in this instance pressing the “Direct” switch by-passes the blocking capacitors in the True Phantom® which enables higher quality by removing the DC block in the True Phantom®, leaving a single DC block in the following equipment (NB: for recorders with an unbalanced microphone input and for computer sound cards, the DC block in the True Phantom® should be left in the factory setting).

Specifications

Height:    54mm
Width:   128mm
Depth:   165mm
Voltage: 230V / 115V switchable
Shipping Weight:  1.2kg
UK versions are supplied with a UK mains lead

True Phantom Flyer   (PDF)
True Phantom Price List – April 2018   (PDF)
User Guide   (PDF)
Interface-NL review of True Phantom   (March 2018)  Translated from the original Dutch   (PDF)
SOS review of True Phantom   (July 2018)
AES paper – Improving Audio Performance of Microphones …

True phantom is based on Patented technology developed by J. Kist.



True Phantom explained