Serious Problem (help ASAP)

[Kit Hannah]

Dude i think I found a solution lol. I just thought about guitar center too....I found a cable made by Shure thats 60 bucks -_-. This could be it! ill give u guys an update when it comes in the mail tomorrow.

Are you being serious or mocking me? Because I don't think Shure makes any cables that are $60 unless it's for their high end wireless stuff....

[kenazure24]

Nope im not mocking you.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i00_details
Heres a video of the demonstration


The cable just came in the mail 30 mins ago and to my surprise it works. That freaking 60 dollar cable worked for me!!! YAY!!!!! I got it one day before the actual shoot. Thank god! But yeah....IT says something about it blocking some voltage and boosting the audio levels . Thanks to all the people who tried to help me... If anybody else has a cable issue and has a zoom h1. Zome H1 + Shure works!

Are you being serious or mocking me? Because I don't think Shure makes any cables that are $60 unless it's for their high end wireless stuff....

[kenazure24]

This guy tested this cable with the azden

[kenazure24]

keep forgetting to post the link XD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP6qroo_xKE

[Richard Crowley]

1) The ATR55 is NOT a "shotgun mic" (and it is discontinued, anyway). The ATR55 is a cardioid (or hyper-cardioid in "tele" mode)
2) No apparent attempt was made to set levels for the test, rendering them mostly meaningless.
3) Worse, anyone who has studied comparison tests KNOWS that anything set at a higher level is perceived as "better" whether it is or not.
4) REPEATING MYSELF!!! None of these microphones or cameras needs a low/high impedance transformer! NONE! Whether from Shure or from Pearstone.
5) It is true that using the low-to-high impedance transformer also served the function of increasing the audio level. But note what happened when the transformer was used with the subject closer to the mic. Is that what you think good sound is? I doubt that anyone here would tolerate that kind of gross distortion.

Since we were NOT comparing apples to apples, this video "test" is meaningless.
No, it is worse than meaningless because people will watch it and get the wrong impression (as kenazure24 demonstrates).

[kenazure24]

you didnt watch the whole video. At the end he retested the azden because it was messed up. Btw rather you are right or wrong... The fact of the matter is... those last 2 cables I had didnt work and sounded like clock radios. The moment I used the Shure cable the audio was clear and was getting great sound. The guy in the videos audio was connected str8 to the camera. Mine was in the zoom H!. Trust me... The audio is high quality with bass like I like it

1) The ATR55 is NOT a "shotgun mic" (and it is discontinued, anyway). The ATR55 is a cardioid (or hyper-cardioid in "tele" mode)
2) No apparent attempt was made to set levels for the test, rendering them mostly meaningless.
3) Worse, anyone who has studied comparison tests KNOWS that anything set at a higher level is perceived as "better" whether it is or not.
4) REPEATING MYSELF!!! None of these microphones or cameras needs a low/high impedance transformer! NONE! Whether from Shure or from Pearstone.
5) It is true that using the low-to-high impedance transformer also served the function of increasing the audio level. But note what happened when the transformer was used with the subject closer to the mic. Is that what you think good sound is? I doubt that anyone here would tolerate that kind of gross distortion.

Since we were NOT comparing apples to apples, this video "test" is meaningless.
No, it is worse than meaningless because people will watch it and get the wrong impression (as kenazure24 demonstrates).

[Richard Crowley]

You are correct. The video was so stupid, I could not endure watching it to the bitter end. It begs the question. If he knew it was wrong, why did he post it? Its not like he was doing it live online. He clearly had the opportunity to edit out the incorrect stuff, but he left it in anyway. REALLY STUPID and INEXCUSABLE.

The facts remain:
1) Connecting a modern low-impedance microphone output to a modern, low-impedance microphone input DOES NOT require any sort of impedance-changing transformer.
2) Misusing a high-impedance transformer in a low-impedance circuit brings along its own problems, only SOME of which were demonstrated in the video. There are many others, perhaps too subtle for low-end amateur video applications.
3) Using an expensive transformer for this solution is a GROSS OVERKILL, OVERSPENDING and MISAPPLICATION of the technology. kenazure24 and everyone else would be much better off spending the extra $50 on a better mic vs. a completely inappropriate impedance matching transformer.
4) The lack of properly-wired, and properly-marketed, simple, inexpensive adapter cables is APPALLING. It doesn't take $5 worth of parts to make a nice adapter cable that would directly connect an XLR microphone to a typical 3.5mm mic input on a consumer device (camcorder, DSLR, etc.)

Years ago, I posted a page describing how to DIY these simple adapter cables:
http://www.rcrowley.com/CamAdapt.htm
It is one of the more popular pages on my website and many people have successfully made their own.