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Thread: Battery in a Red-Eye?

  1. #1
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Battery in a Red-Eye?

    My Fire-Eye Red-Eye preamp has phantom power via its XLR jack.

    It also has an internal nine-volt battery snap connector (but no nine-volt adapter jack). Do I need a battery in it? If yes, why?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    If it works without, No. I like one in mine in case I have to plug into something without phantom, not often, but sometimes. It has been in there at least two years since it doesn't get used as long as there is phantom. It may work to keep the voltage stable, I would call them. Daren is a great guy and will let you know.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  4. #3
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    Quote Originally Posted by pops1 View Post
    . . . I would call them. Daren is a great guy and will let you know.
    Good idea. I'll do it!

  5. #4
    Registered User gspiess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    Let us know. I have one scheduled to show up tomorrow.
    Being right is overrated. Doing right is what matters.

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  7. #5
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    Quote Originally Posted by gspiess View Post
    Let us know. I have one scheduled to show up tomorrow.
    I predict you're going to love it. Folks are right. Two knobs, and it sounds just as good as the ten-knob contraptions.

  8. #6
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    Quote Originally Posted by gspiess View Post
    Let us know. I have one scheduled to show up tomorrow.
    Glad I asked! Here's what Daren said:

    ---------------------


    Hi Charlie,

    If everything went right, you'd have 48 volt Phantom Power everywhere you
    played. The battery is there for "insurance" so you can still play those
    few times when you hit an old venue that doesn't have Phantom. Or when the
    sound tech forgets to turn Phantom on, or when you encounter a ground-lift
    XLR cable. Sooner or later you'll be glad you kept the battery! Battery
    life is about 200 hours of playing on the battery. If you have Phantom, the
    battery won't be used.

    Cautions...
    Plugging in your instrument cable turns the Red-Eye on. And if there's no
    Phantom Power available, it will be draining the battery. Please remember
    to unplug the instrument cable from the Red-Eye's Instrument Input when you
    finish playing.

    Power Check Light...
    The Power Check Light is right next to the Instrument Input jack. When you
    initially turn on the Red-Eye, there's a circuit that turns on and measures
    the power voltage. Without the XLR connected, watch the light as you plug
    in the Instrument cable. If the internal voltage is good, the light will
    flash once for about a second. That flash means the battery is in the first
    3/4 of its life. If you don't see the flash when you power up on the
    battery, that means the battery is in the last 1/4 of its life or maybe it's
    dead. After checking the power, the circuit turns itself off so it doesn't
    use power.

    If you plug in the XLR cable before the Instrument cable, the power check
    circuit will measure the Phantom Power and will flash once if Phantom Power
    is good. Some sound systems do not supply the full, international standard
    of 48 volts.

    Policy...
    You may know that Red-Eyes are guaranteed. If something breaks, we'll be
    happy to swap you a new one.

    Please send any other questions or suggestions you may have!

    Thanks and best regards,
    Daren / www.fire-eye.com

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  10. #7
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    As I said, a nice guy with a good product. Thanks Charlie

    Decided to change my battery as it was the original. Still had 8+ volts on it, but got it ready for this year. Forgot about the light at the input. Probably will forget again.
    Last edited by pops1; Mar-22-2018 at 10:59am.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  12. #8

    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    If you use it at home, don't leave it plugged in and then turn off the power source. It will drain the battery if you don't remember to unplug the input. Most useful piece of gear I've bought in a long time.
    Silverangel A
    Arches F style kit
    1913 Gibson A-1

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  14. #9
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    My Red-Eye works great with the K&K pickup(s) in my Breedlove Legacy.

    Charlie and Daren, thanks for the info.
    David Hopkins

    2001 Gibson F-5L mandolin
    Breedlove Legacy FF mandolin; Breedlove Quartz FF mandolin
    Gibson F-4 mandolin (1916); Blevins f-style Octave mandolin, 2018
    McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
    McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)

    The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.

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  16. #10
    Registered User Cheryl Watson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Battery in a Red-Eye?

    I second it that the Red-Eye works great with a K&K pickup. It has quite transparent sound and sounds like my mandolin. This post reminded me to install a battery before use some venue's PA system because I you can never assume they will have phantom power or even remember to turn it on.

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