Samson Hartke Acoustic Pre-Amp - Manual (Page 7)

5
Operating the Acoustic Attack
Setting Up the Acoustic Attack
The basic procedure for setting up and using your Acoustic Attack is simple and takes only a few
minutes. Remove all packing materials (save them in case of need for future service).
Power the Acoustic Attack
You can power the Acoustic Attack with a standard 9‑volt battery, a standard DC power adapter,
or by applying standard 48‑volt phantom power. You can use which ever power source is most
convenient, however, you should keep in mind that there are, from time‑to‑time, trade‑offs. You
may have a well grounded live sound or studio set‑up that will not exhibit ground loop prob‑
lems, but when you are on the road or in other studios you can have ground loops. Because of
possible ground loops, which are just a part of live sound and recording, you may want to con‑
sider using a battery to keep the grounds from the Acoustic Attack isolated from the grounds of
the rest of your gear. You can check the phantom or AC operation with a quick sound check to
listen for any buzzing. If there is no buzz you have a well‑grounded system. If your hear buzzing,
go to battery operation. Hey, life’s a trade off, so is powering your audio gear.
Phantom On - Off / Ground Connect / Lift Switch
The PHANTOM ON ‑OFF / GROUND CONNECT / LIFT SWITCH is a latching switch that provides
two functions at the same time. In the up position, the switch connects Ground on the XLR
cable, and by doing that, the switch also allows the unit to be powered by a phantom power
supply. When the switch is set to the down position, the Acoustic Attack is set to operate on
phantom power. When the switch is in the up or out position, the ground is disconnected, and
the phantom power operation is disabled, therefore the Acoustic Attack must be operated by
battery.
Using Phantom Power
If you are connecting to a mixer that has phantom power, the Acoustic Attack can be powered
by connecting a standard mic cable to the Direct Output. Be sure to check that the mixer’s
phantom power switch is set to the “on” position. Then, make sure that the PHANTOM ON ‑ OFF
/GROUND CONNECT / LIFT SWITCH is out so that phantom power is enabled.
WARNING: To avoid a possible loud pop that can damage speakers, be sure to mute your speak‑
er system and Acoustic amp before un‑plugging any mic cable with phantom power.