two phantom powered mics w/ an XLR "Y" cable?

Z

Zach

Member
Again I'm hoping someone out there w/ better knowledge than I of how phantom power works can answer a probably simple question...

I'm wondering if it's possible to connect two phantom powered (from my mixer) condenser mics into one XLR line by using a Y adapter. The Y adapter in question is here:

http://www.hosatech.com/hosa/products/yxl-119.html
Balanced Y-Cable: XLR male to Two XLR Females

Two microphones, exactly the same, both need to be phantom powered and go into one line into my board. What I dont know is if a) phantom power can be split to two mics (and if it's enough for the mic to work) and b) if the audio from both mics will combine correctly on its way back to the board.

Specifically what I'm trying to do...I need to mic two opposite ends of a stage, but my board will be very far away and I'm trying to avoid running two very long cables. I don't need individual control over either mic so if this works technically, it would save me some time (and less cords to tape down).

Is it possible??


Thanks

Zach
 
Yup, each mic needs it's own cable back to the board.

If you have a lot of mics, look into using a "Snake".

And if you truly dont' need control of the 2 mics and would much rather combine them for a long pull, then use a small compact mixer placed closer to them to mix them together and then send that submix along one cable to your board.

- Mikko
 
No one's really answered my question...will this work? I know it's not the best way to do it, but does it work?
 
Not sure if it'll work, because I have never done it, because it is WRONG!
You want to have bad sound, have at it.
Rule of thumb..... OK to split an output, but NEVER combine an input.
Probably would work ok with dynamic mics. Add +48 is asking for trouble.
Get an extra 50ft. cable and run it seperate.

Is the Y connected serial or parallel?
 
NO this won't work properly.

You will phase cancellation as the same sounds hitting each mic at different times begin to cancel each other out. It would sound better if you just used one mic.

- Mikko
 
Now to be fair nobody has actually answered his question. The rightness or wrongness asside the answer is maybe. If your board has enough juice to drive the two mics then it will probably work. That is a pretty big IF. If your board doesn't have the juice and it doesn't have overload protection then you could burn out the phantom supply circuit. So if your a gambler you could try it. It would probably work and you would probably not destroy anything.

But just cause you can doesn't mean you should. ALL the posts above are right on the money in that your asking for a lot of problems. And that would apply equally to dynamics. You will get cancelations and strang responce patterns that might be OK or might be awful. But the big issue is that they won't be consistant. As someones shifts in there seat or moves around theire cancelation frequencies will also shift. So what is very likley to happen is that you will get a sound like you put everything through a stompbox phase shifter. There are a lot of variables that will effect this so it's near imposable to check in advance and have any certainty that it will sound usable when your recording.

Hope that answeres your question and helps persuade you that it's a bad idea.
Cheers
SK
 
Hope this helps (but heed the many warnings you've rec'd).

Hope this helps (but heed the many warnings you've rec'd).

Zach said:
Two microphones, exactly the same, both need to be phantom powered and go into one line into my board. What I dont know is if a) phantom power can be split to two mics (and if it's enough for the mic to work) and b) if the audio from both mics will combine correctly on its way back to the board.
Click to expand...

I have seen one...and, I think, only one...XLR adapter that was specifically made to do what you're suggesting, i.e. if I understand you correctly. (A dangerous tactic audio-wise, as you no doubt have gathered). If I recall correctly, it supplies phantom power equally to both lines.

Unfortunately, I can't find it via Google at the moment. I do recall that it wasn't cheap, as far as cable accessories go.

Zach said:
Specifically what I'm trying to do...I need to mic two opposite ends of a stage, but my board will be very far away and I'm trying to avoid running two very long cables. I don't need individual control over either mic so if this works technically, it would save me some time (and less cords to tape down).
Click to expand...

Honestly not to be sarcastic, but compare the time spent running cable and taping it, to the time spent correcting it in post if it comes out bad, ( if it's even salvageable).

I did a similar shoot just this past weekend. Total of 7 mics, 2 wireless handed off from performer to performer, 5 wired: 3 on-stage, and 2 shotguns on floor in front of stage. Ran approx. 500' of cable because audio was being ridden from the back of the auditorium near the cam. Only 2 things would have worked out better: 1 = an extra wireless or two so there would have been less changing of mics between performers, and 2 = using a stage snake (which I had available, but the person hiring me didn't want to use it, though not sure why).

I suspect that the most common use of XLR Y-adapters/splitters is to supply output from a mixer to some other device, i.e. another mixer. Did this only once, but the job was using something like 12 mics and the audio tech was riding sound for the in-house speakers, not for the cam. The second mixer gave me more control over audio for that.

Zach said:
Is it possible??
Click to expand...

It appears so, but not recommended. If I can find a link for that adapter, I'll post it. Until then, do you have time to try it out before the job? Good luck if you do.

x
 
This isn't the adapter I had in mind,

This isn't the adapter I had in mind,

but I can't spend more time looking for you. However, a product that might help you is the ProMix by ART. Sold by lots of places. Google "ART Promix"

Good luck.

x
 
..and even splitting outputs is often inadvisable if you can avoid it, it plays hell on your output gain, often severely throwing off the output metering on your gear upstream of the split.

The only 2 "proper" uses I can think of for XLR Y-cables is to split a com bus (like ClearCom) in a star configuration, or to split a GPI/Tally/other similar signaling signal 2 two locations.

- Mikko
 
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