SONY PCM-D100 and wired external LAV mics (with no battery or amp)

J

JDW

Member
I have a PCM-D100 audio recorder. The D100 has a menu setting that can enable plug-in power but until now I've never used it with an external mic. Do any of you D100 users have experience with wired LAV mics that are just the mic and the wire with no battery or amp? In other words, will the D100's plug-in power be sufficient to power pretty much any wired LAV mic adequately?

Thanks.
 
I haven't done it with the D100 but have used lav mics wired directly to other kit with 1.5v plug in power.

I also have a few cheap ultradisc lav mics wired direct to an XLR to use T power on some of my mixers and haven't had any problems so far.
 
The D100 should power most lavaliere mics with a 3.5 TRS plug. Even my lavs wired for a Sennheiser SK100 body pack transmitter work with recorders that have Plug-in Power (bias voltage).
Lavs with a 3.5 TRS plug wired for a Sony transmitters will not though. Neither will lavs that have a XLR Phantom Power supply/adapter which converts Phantom Pwr. to Plug-in Pwr.
 
Well, I purchased a low cost wired LAV mic and found it works great with my D100. I can even plug it directly into my GH5 and I get a strong signal. The only thing I've noticed is that it records a buzz when I shoot near low-hanging fluorescent tube lighting. I can clean that noise up just fine with my iZotope Vocal Denoiser plugin for FCPX, but I am curious to hear the experiences of you gentlemen. Do you record with wired LAV mics (non-XLR) and find you get a slight buzz when recording near fluorescent lights? I'm curious if this is common to non-balanced wired LAV mics or if my LAV is simply of inferior quality. Thanks.
 
Yes, for pretty much all mics and even line level, kind of depends on the fixture. Many old ones have an audible buzz also. What is happening is that fluorescents put out a lot of RFI (radio frequency interference) and mic cables, especially unbalanced, can act as big antennas. Stay away from them as much as possible.
 
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