PCB Awarded Patent For Universal Phantom Powered Preamplifier

December 10 2019, 00:20
PCB Piezotronics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of MTS Systems Corporation, was awarded a patent for a universal phantom powered preamplifier. PCB engineers Mark Nowak and Drew Karkau are inventors of the patent for Model 426A14, describing a phantom powered preamp for use with a microphone cartridge having a unique mechanical interface, which allows the phantom powered preamp to function with both 1/4" and 1/2" microphone cartridges. 

PCB’s patented phantom powered preamplifier (426A14) has a unique modular design that mates with any pre-polarized 1/2" or 1/4" IEC 61094-4 compliant microphone cartridge. This flexibility allows users to select the cartridge with performance required for a specific test while leveraging the investment in a single universal 48V preamplifier.

As described in the patent abstract recently granted to PCB Piezotronics,  the phantom powered preamp includes a housing base having a PC board assembly and a connector, the PC board assembly being electrically coupled to the connector; a preamp tip having an adapter and a guard tube, the PC board assembly extending from the housing base to the preamp tip and being electrically coupled to the adapter and the guard tube, the adapter being configured to be electrically coupled to the microphone cartridge, the guard tube being configured to surround a portion of the PC board assembly within the preamp tip; and a first converter being configured to releasably engage the preamp tip or the housing base to reduce edge diffraction.

Highlights from the invention include the possibility to quickly and easily change between 1/2" and 1/4" IEC 61094-4 compliant microphone cartridges, achieving a 15.5 dBA noise floor, with up to 100 kHz capability based on microphone cartridge selected, and with fast rise times and transients for superior impulse responses.

PCB Piezotronics, Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of microphones, vibration, pressure, force, torque, load, and strain sensors, as well as the pioneer of ICP technology used by design engineers and predictive maintenance professionals worldwide for test, measurement, monitoring, and control requirements in automotive, aerospace, industrial, R&D, military, educational, commercial, OEM applications, and more.
www.pcb.com | www.mts.com
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