IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,356,137
Granted Patent B1
US 12,356,137 · App. 18/537,372 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Phantom powered FET circuit for audio application

Inventors: Rodger Cloud (Tucson, AZ); Stephen Sank (Tucson, AZ)
Assignee: Cloud Microphones, LLC.
H04R1/222H04R1/083H04R3/00H04R9/025H04R9/048H04R1/08H04R1/2876
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,356,137
App. No.
18/537,372
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

A novel phantom-powered FET (field effect transistor) circuit for audio application is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a novel phantom-powered FET preamplifier gain circuit can minimize undesirable sound distortions and reduce the cost of producing a conventional preamplifier gain circuit. Moreover, in one embodiment of the invention, one or more novel rounded-edge magnets may be placed close to a ribbon of a ribbon microphone, wherein the one or more novel rounded-edge magnets reduce or minimize reflected sound wave interferences with the vibration of the ribbon during an operation of the ribbon microphone. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the invention, a novel backwave chamber operatively connected to a backside of the ribbon can minimize acoustic pressure, anomalies in frequency responses, and undesirable phase cancellation and doubling effects.

Claims (15)

1. A phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit for a microphone or a musical instrument, the phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit comprising:

a first transistor and a second transistor with their gate terminals coupled to a first signal input terminal, which is configured to receive at least one sound source signal, and wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are connected to each other in parallel and further coupled to a first signal output terminal powered by an external phantom power supply; and

a third transistor and a fourth transistor with their gate terminals coupled to a second signal input terminal, which is configured to receive at least one sound source signal, and wherein the third transistor and the fourth transistor are connected to each other in parallel and further coupled to a second signal output terminal powered by the external phantom power supply.

2. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sound source signal is a microphone signal from the microphone or a sound signal from the musical instrument.

3. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , further comprising one or more resistors coupled to the first transistor and the third transistor within the phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit.

4. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , further comprising one or more gain-setting feed resistors, wherein the one or more gain-setting feed resistors are coupled to the first signal output terminal or the second signal output terminal of the phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit.

5. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , further comprising an RC network including an additional resistor and an RF shunt capacitor, wherein the RC network enables the phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit to be used as an external box powered by the external phantom power supply to the microphone without radio frequency interference associated with a cable length.

6. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a series capacitor, a bypass switch, and a potentiometer to the first signal input terminal and the second signal input terminal as a bypassable high-pass filter with a variable input load.

7. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein an additional transistor is in parallel to at least one of the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor.

8. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 4 , wherein the one or more gain-setting feed resistors also provide electrical power to the phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit.

9. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein the microphone is a ribbon microphone, a condenser microphone, or a dynamic microphone.

10. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first signal input terminal is a positive input terminal and the first signal output terminal is a negative output terminal.

11. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second signal input terminal is a negative input terminal and the second signal output terminal is a positive output terminal.

12. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first signal input terminal is a positive input terminal and the first signal output terminal is a positive output terminal.

13. The phantom-powered transistor preamplifier gain circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second signal input terminal is a negative input terminal and the second signal output terminal is a negative output terminal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2023
From: CLOUD, RODGER; SANK, STEPHEN
To: CLOUD MICROPHONES, LLC.
Reel/Frame 065855/0117 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 17533117 · Nov 23, 2021
Continuation 16929458 · Jul 15, 2020
Continuation 16438262 · Jun 11, 2019
Continuation 15796725 · Oct 27, 2017
Continuation 14887082 · Oct 19, 2015
Continuation 13854839 · Apr 1, 2013
Division 12901522 · Oct 9, 2010
Provisional Application 61250001 · Oct 9, 2009