Is it possible to use a 3.5mm line for the Tascam DR-100?

Steve House said:
I don't understand all the discussion about 3.5mm to XLR,
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The reason for using the XLR inputs is so that you can record two separate sources on the channels vs. dedicating both tracks to just the wireless mic.
The 3.5mm TRS unbalanced stereo line-level input is fine for recording line-level stereo sources.
But you can't (for example) record the wireless on one channel, and a shotgun (or whatever) on the other channel.
 
Steve House said:
I don't understand all the discussion about 3.5mm to XLR, looking at the manuals for the wireless system and the DR100 it appears that all is needed is a straight thru 3.5mm TRS-M to TRS-M non-attenuating patch cable. The wireless is able to output dual mono on a 3.5mm stereo jack at a nominal 0dBv. The DR100 has a -10dBv stereo line input on a 3.5mm stereo jack. Where's the problem?

1: TRS male to TRS male non-attenuating 3.5mm stereo patch cable (since the OP's complaint is low levels what do you want to bet he has an attenuating line/headphone out to mic in patch cable)
2: plugged into output jack of
3: receiver set to dual-mono output, and I'd start with receiver output attenuator set to -10.
4: Cable into 3.5mm line input jack on DR100, input switch set to 'line'. Should be good to go.
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I'm doing this exactly. Are there any ways to actually know if a 3.5 mm cable is non-attenuating?
 
You can check the resistance from tip to tip. Often the plugs on the attenuating cable are fatter than normal, but once you've thrown away the package it came in ...
Double check, are you sure the transmitter input sensitivity is turned up for mic level? Does the receiver peak indicator light just barely flicker on the loudest sounds? While speaking into the mic, use the screwdriver in the transmitter battery compartment to turn the sensitivity pot up until the peak light on the receiver lights then back off until it just goes out.
 
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Steve House said:
You can check the resistance from tip to tip. Often the plugs on the attenuating cable are fatter than normal, but once you've thrown away the package it came in ...
Double check, are you sure the transmitter input sensitivity is turned up for mic level? Does the receiver peak indicator light just barely flicker on the loudest sounds? While speaking into the mic, use the screwdriver in the transmitter battery compartment to turn the sensitivity pot up until the peak light on the receiver lights then back off until it just goes out.
Click to expand...

I will double-check the cable. I've tried a few that I had laying around.

I tried cranking the volume on the transmitter and had the receiver set at 0 and the input on the DR-100 cranked as well. The only levels I get is when I blow right into the mic. Either the DR-100 is busted or I have the wrong cable.
 
You're using the lav mic I assume. When you hold it 6 inches from your mouth and talk in an extra loud voice, does the peak led on the receiver flicker?
 
If you listen to the headphone output of the receiver while someone else is talking into the mic, does it sound normal?

Get a cheap ohmeter if you don't already have one and check the cable. Tip-to-tip, ring-to-ring, and sleeve-to-sleeve should all read dead short; tip-to-ring, tip-to-sleeve, and ring-to-sleeve should all be open.
 
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