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Phantom power is a direct voltage that an interface sends up the microphone cable to power the electronics inside a condenser microphone. It is called phantom because it travels on the same conductors as the audio, so no extra wiring is needed.
Who needs it
Condenser microphones. They contain active electronics that require electricity, and without it they produce nothing at all. A condenser that appears dead is very often a condenser whose phantom power switch is off. If you are still deciding between a dynamic and a condenser in the first place, settle that decision before this one.
Some active ribbon microphones, which is the reverse of the old advice and worth knowing.
Who does not
Dynamic microphones. They generate their own signal from a coil and a magnet, with no electronics to power. Phantom power does nothing for them. Either way, the interface supplying it matters: see our audio interface buying guide for how to choose one, or our audio interfaces roundup for specific picks.
The one habit worth having
Turn your monitoring down before switching phantom power on or off. The voltage arriving produces a transient that is harmless to the microphone and genuinely unpleasant through headphones at volume.
Then give the microphone a few seconds to settle before bringing the level back up. A condenser that has just been powered will drift for a moment.
How we reached this
This explanation rests on the published standard for phantom power and on manufacturer documentation for the microphone types described. No measurements were taken.
Questions people ask
Will phantom power damage a dynamic microphone?
On any modern balanced dynamic microphone connected with a normal balanced cable, no. The voltage appears equally on both signal conductors, and a balanced dynamic microphone sees no difference between them, so nothing flows through the capsule. The old warnings came from genuinely fragile ribbon microphones and from faulty or unbalanced cables, where the voltage can appear across the element. Modern interfaces switching it on is a non-event for a dynamic.
Why does my microphone make a loud noise when I switch it on?
Because the voltage arriving at the capsule produces a transient, and if your monitors or headphones are turned up you hear it as a thump or crack. It will not harm the microphone, but it can be unpleasant and at high volume it is not good for speakers. The habit worth building is to turn the monitoring level right down before switching phantom power on or off, and to leave a few seconds for the microphone to settle before bringing it back up.
Do ribbon microphones still need care?
Older passive ribbon designs genuinely can be damaged, and that is where the warnings originated rather than being folklore. Many modern ribbons are actively powered and require phantom power to work at all, which is the exact opposite requirement. The rule is therefore to read the manual for that specific microphone rather than relying on the category. If you own something old or unusual, switch phantom power off before connecting it.