XLR to Microphone Jack Adapter

[Denwa]

It is true that the Rode Video Mic does not require phantom power. But it is NOT a "dynamic type mic". It doesn't need phantom power because it requires its own internal battery. Just because a mic doesn't require external power (phantom or "plug-in") doesn't make it a dynamic mic.

Exactly!

Those adapters from Rode (1/8" to XLR) don't provide any electrical wizardry either. Pretty much the same as wiring in an XLR. Doesn't necessarily make it balanced though.


Jordon, the chocolate shirt was mentioned in my small print disclaimer.

 

[Steve House]

Exactly!

Those adapters from Rode (1/8" to XLR) don't provide any electrical wizardry either. Pretty much the same as wiring in an XLR. Doesn't necessarily make it balanced though.


Jordon, the chocolate shirt was mentioned in my small print disclaimer.

Not qquite the same. Rode even publishes a diagram of the proper connections in the Videomic info on their website. The Video mic terminates in a 3.5 stereo connector but is sending a mono signal. Tip and ring are jumpered together in the plug. VM tip goes to XLR pin 2, VM sleeve goes to XLR pin 3. XLR pin 1 floats and is unconnected. Ifyou tried conventional XLR wiring (tip to 2, ring to 3, sleeve to 1) you'd get silence because signal hot and signal cold are effectively shorted together.

 

[KevinP]

Not qquite the same. Rode even publishes a diagram of the proper connections in the Videomic info on their website. The Video mic terminates in a 3.5 stereo connector but is sending a mono signal. Tip and ring are jumpered together in the plug. VM tip goes to XLR pin 2, VM sleeve goes to XLR pin 3. XLR pin 1 floats and is unconnected. Ifyou tried conventional XLR wiring (tip to 2, ring to 3, sleeve to 1) you'd get silence because signal hot and signal cold are effectively shorted together.

Good point. Wiki states that the power is output through pin 1 - hence the adapter appears to be protecting the device from accidental damage too by removing that from the output.

Wiki also states that incorrect wiring can damage the microphone.

 

[Steve House]

Good point. Wiki states that the power is output through pin 1 - hence the adapter appears to be protecting the device from accidental damage too by removing that from the output.

Wiki also states that incorrect wiring can damage the microphone.

Any "protection" from phantom power is purely coincidental. In a balanced system, pin 2 is signal hot and pin 3 is signal cold, pin 1 is ground. When phantom is 'piggy-backed' on the signal it puts +48vDC on both pins 2 and 3 with ground on pin 1. In an unbalanced system, signal ground and signal cold are the same. In a stereo mini with a stereo signal, tip is left signal, ring is right signal, and sleeve is the common cold/ground for both. The Videomic is mono only and in order to put the same mono signal on both left and right channels in a consumer camera that expects a stereo external mic input, it connects the tip and ring on its 'stereo' plug together. If this were plugged into a mono XLR (ie, balanced) input through a conventionally wired female TRS-to-XLR male adapter(tip-2, ring-3, sleeve-1), the input's signal hot and cold get shorted together inside the TRS plug resulting in nothing getting through.

Just spring for the $15, get the Rode adapter, and be happy.

 

[Noiz2]

Which would explain why an earlier poster got such poor results using a combo of adapters. Every once in a while it actually pays to look at the documentation...;~)