Maxium cable length
- Thread starter gbadgley
- Start date
Richard Crowley
Veteran
"Distortion" is not the most likely effect of using mic cables that are too long. The more likely symptoms are reduction in signal level, reduction of high frequencies, or picking up more noise along the way.
There is no generic answer to this question. It depends on the sound source (how loud), the microphone (how sensitive, how much signal it puts out), the cable (the resistance, capacitance, shielding, etc.) and the mic input of your gear (camcorder in this case).
I have used mic cables well over 500 feet in some cases for large events (with various audio mixers). And I have used mic cables of 100 feet with my XLR-input camcorders with no significant side-effects.
It might be more practical to describe what you are trying to do and we can respond to specific cases.
There is no generic answer to this question. It depends on the sound source (how loud), the microphone (how sensitive, how much signal it puts out), the cable (the resistance, capacitance, shielding, etc.) and the mic input of your gear (camcorder in this case).
I have used mic cables well over 500 feet in some cases for large events (with various audio mixers). And I have used mic cables of 100 feet with my XLR-input camcorders with no significant side-effects.
It might be more practical to describe what you are trying to do and we can respond to specific cases.
Noiz2
Sound Ninja
Distortion isn't the problem, noise is. How far all depends on how good your cables are, how noisy (RF) the area is compared to how much you can shield the cables from the RF and how much noise you can put up with.
Most people would probably hover in the 100 ft range but concert set ups often have much longer runs. Under the right conditions you could probably go over 500 ft. Using house wiring in theatres I have often gone a couple of hundred ft. with out problems.
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PS
Wow we must have been typing at the same time! Talk about channeling ;~)
Most people would probably hover in the 100 ft range but concert set ups often have much longer runs. Under the right conditions you could probably go over 500 ft. Using house wiring in theatres I have often gone a couple of hundred ft. with out problems.
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PS
Wow we must have been typing at the same time! Talk about channeling ;~)
Thanks for the input. Regarding setup, all I would be doing is recording a motivational speaker. I think he would be at least 75' from the camera. The mic would be on a stand, but I think he will be moving with the mic a bit. I have no idea what the quality of the gear would be, but I assume it will be decent. That's it.
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Gregg Juke
Well-known member
You should be fine with XLR cable. It's unbalanced, Hi-Z cables and connections that can cause serious problems.
GJ
GJ
Allan Black
Veteran
In a situation like that plan to run the camera on its batteries. If the location has weird, old or suspect AC wiring, running the cam on AC you might get interference which could affect the 48volts and put clicks in your audio.
Take a spare set of cam batteries and swap 'em out in the interval.
Once we set up a big multiscreen a/v in a city hotel and the elevators caused power problems for our gear. It was for Ford and they had the clout to shut the lifts off for an hour.
Cheers.
Rick R
Veteran
Mic level through good quality balanced cables? (at least 95% shielded) One-hundred feet, no worries, probably 300' before any audible HF loss. Of course care should be taken that no A/C cables are in close proximity, running in parallel to the mic cable. Same goes for keeping them away from A/C power supplies and such.