Does the Zoom H5 Have Phantom Power? Unlock Pro Sound

Author: Tosh Lubek Published: 23rd February 2024

Hey, I’m Tosh. Over the last 40 years, my path in professional audio has gone from whirring reel to reel tape machines to the efficiency of today’s digital recorders.

I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of audio recording technology. These days I use the Zoom H5 portable digital recorder. It’s a 4-track recording powerhouse that’s the size of my hand. But a question that I’m often asked is, Does the Zoom H5 have phantom power?

So, let’s hit the record button and explore phantom power on the Zoom H5.

Does the Zoom H5 portable recorder have phantom power?

Yes, the Zoom H5 can provide phantom power to the two XLR/TRS combo inputs on the base of the recorder, marked Inputs 1 & 2.

However, the Zoom H5 does not provide phantom power to the L&R inputs used by the XY mic capsule or any other accessory capsule, such as the EXH-6 dual XLR/TRS combo capsule.

Activating Phantom Power on the Zoom H5

Although the standard voltage for phantom power is +48V, some more modern condenser microphones have been designed to operate with lower voltages.

That’s why the Zoom H5 offers switchable phantom power. In the H5 menu, the available phantom power options are 12V, 24V, and the standard 48V. You can also choose to send the phantom power to one or both XLR inputs.

If you are only using one condenser microphone it’s worth only providing phantom power to the input you’re using. That’s because this can save power and extend battery life.

The option to choose which input you send phantom power to can be useful if you’re mixing up the type of microphones you’re using. For instance, ribbon mics and some older dynamic mics can be damaged by phantom power.

In most cases, this won’t be a concern because modern dynamic mics are protected. But if in doubt turn off phantom power to the input you’re connecting non-condenser microphones.

Also, as a safety precaution, turn off phantom power before connecting or disconnecting mics. Also, check your mic’s recommended voltage so that it operates correctly!

Last update on 2024-03-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The benefit of the Zoom H5 having phantom power

Because the Zoom H5 can provide phantom power, it can record with many condenser microphones, including professional studio mics. For example, many of the voiceover artists I record with use mics like the Neumann TLM 102, which could easily be used with a Zoom H5.

Alternatively, if you are a videographer, you will be able to easily use any of the professional shotgun mics made by Sennheiser and Rode, such as the Rode NTG5.

Being able to provide built-in phantom power, also makes the Zoom H5 a flexible portable recorder. In a studio, you would normally provide a condenser microphone with phantom power by having a sound mixer or inline phantom power supply between the mic and the recorder.

With the H5 you can take the condenser microphone out of the studio environment and record with it in almost any location.

Furthermore, the option to supply 12V, 24V, or 48V levels of phantom power also helps to save battery power and provide the optimum voltage to modern condenser microphones.  

Why is the power called phantom?

The same wires that carry the audio signal to the recorder are also used to deliver a small DC voltage (usually 48V) to power condenser microphones, so they don’t need a separate battery.

Hence the power delivery is hidden and not immediately obvious and kind of spooky, so in the early days of recording it was referred to as “phantom” power.

Although phantom power is not the correct technical term, it’s catchy and it stuck, being used until today.  

Conclusion

As already explained the Zoom H5 can provide 12V, 24V, and 48V phantom power. This enables the user to successfully connect a wide range of condenser microphones, from studio microphones designed for voice and instrument recording to shotgun mics for capturing dialogue in video production.

It’s important to note that the phantom power can be switched on and off in the H5 menu, and you can also be selective over which inputs have phantom power.

This means you can mix microphone types in your recordings. If necessary, you could simultaneously record with both condenser and dynamic microphones. The Zoom H5 has that flexibility built in.