XLR adapter

H

Huy Vu

Veteran
I have an FX1 and was thinking of getting an XLR adapter (such as the XLR-Pro). I thought I was going to have to spend around $150 for the adapter but recently I used my camera to record a theatre show and I saw that the sound guy there use a simple female XLR to 1/4 inch adapter that costs around $15 to connect my camera to the theatre sound system (mikes and such).

Am I missing something or is this sounds like a perfectly cheap way to get pro audio without having to shell out money for an adapter? Everyone is always bitching about the lack of XLR port on the FX1 but why has no one mentioned this possible venue before? Are there advantages to the pro-adapters that I don't know about?
 
there is some advantage run balance signal to adaptor or high 4bu signal which distort your camera input if connect it straight in ,establish right level( attenuate the signal) befor you go to mic input , set separately the right and left levels if they coming from different sours es (1 mic .1 line)
stuff like that - nothing important
 
There are simple XLR to minijack adapters such as the Shure A96F or Equipment Emporium XLR-DVH8 that provide an XLR balance output, increased signal level and protection against DC bias distortion. Their street price range between $25 and $40. I've used both on a Sony TRV-900 and they worked fine.

Lutnik
 
lutnik said:
There are simple XLR to minijack adapters such as the Shure A96F or Equipment Emporium XLR-DVH8 that provide an XLR balance output,

input or output ?
the camera input is unbalance so how it can provide balance input ( ok you need some transformers in the middle to connect )

increased signal level and protection against DC bias distortion.


sorry what is increased level - line to mice attenuator ?
and if it less then optimum - so bad s/n ratio

and what do you do when you need place the mic on that input

DC bias distortion

there is no such a thing - there is hum/buzz that could be add to mic level signal if the other side doent have blocking capacitors



Their street price range between $25 and $40. I've used both on a Sony TRV-900 and they worked fine.
you used it for one situation - the other stuff is for use for many different situations whith better results then yours
so there is quit big difference between yours one situation then many others you cant use this plug ( by the way its 5 $ worth all around incl blocking capacitor and 2 resistors if it attenuate the signal - someone did allot of pesos on your back :-)
Click to expand...
 
I was going to guess it was a line transformer, and I was right. So it would block any DC that might be on the mini jack for powering consumer mics, I guess this could cause some issues. Though Lutnik was talking about using it as an out put from the camera, and I'm not sure why there would be a DC bias on the out put except by very poor design. DC on the output can cause distortion because it eats up your dynamic range. This is something that crops up in post from time to time where some bad converter somewhere along the line induces a DC offset. Most audio programs have a DC offset removal function. IOt doesn't happen so much anymore. And of course since it is a transformer it could boost the output.
But the poster wants to go the other way (which is actually the cable referenced). So you would probably be lowering the output.
Anyway these Shure adapters are nice, the cable portion unscrews from the body sp you can stick on a different connector if you need it. They should not hurt the signal much it is basically the transformer that would have been built in if the camera accepted an XLR. Truth be told most camcorders probably don't use transformers, the are probably using differential amplifiers but it's the same principal.

The short answer is that it will probably do what you want (providing that mini plug in on your camera is a mono in and not a stereo one). They are used all the time in theatre and studios where you some times have to interface balanced and unbalanced signals. You will of course need to use a mic that does not need phantom power.
SK

SK
 
Just make sure all your connections use balance and not balanced you will be a lot happier..ps wired is always preferred over wireless..but do the best you can.
 
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