Topic: Making a balanced mic unbalanced will hurt sound quality?

[fuck you]

If I took a mic pro mic like Audio Technica that is balanced, uses XLR plugs, and wired it so I can use 1/4 plugs is there an expected loss in sound quality?

Darrren

[leegeddy]

If I took a mic pro mic like Audio Technica that is balanced, uses XLR plugs, and wired it so I can use 1/4 plugs is there an expected loss in sound quality?

Darrren

yes. you'll not obtain the full potential of the mic.  

marc

[jpschust]

not if you do it correctly... balanced > unbalanced is pretty darn common, but its gotta be soldered correctly.  if the work is clean you shouldnt have any impact on the sound.

[leegeddy]

not if you do it correctly... balanced > unbalanced is pretty darn common, but its gotta be soldered correctly.  if the work is clean you shouldnt have any impact on the sound.

perhaps i'm missing the point of the original question.  unbalancing a condensor mic is basically grounding the (-) output of a balanced mic.  you're going to loose dynamic range if you do that.  i would think that's a loss in sound quality.

marc

[Jason B]

yes. you'll not obtain the full potential of the mic.  

marc

Sorry, but this makes no sense. Unbalancing a microphone cable may introduce interferance in the signal. It has nothing to do with the potential of the mic.

-JB

[leegeddy]

yes. you'll not obtain the full potential of the mic.  

marc

Sorry, but this makes no sense. Unbalancing a microphone cable may introduce interferance in the signal. It has nothing to do with the potential of the mic.

-JB

jb, see my reply above.

marc

[jpschust]

yes. you'll not obtain the full potential of the mic.  

marc

Sorry, but this makes no sense. Unbalancing a microphone cable may introduce interferance in the signal. It has nothing to do with the potential of the mic.

-JB

exactly what i was thinking, you expressed it better.

[leegeddy]

http://www.audio-technica.com/prodpro/profiles/AT853a.html

guys;  feel free to look at the difference in specs for "battery power" vs. "phantom power".

marc

[jpschust]

yah but that's not the question here-  you can run phantom through a 1/4" jack if you really want to (it caries power just the same as an xlr connector)...the question was about loss in sound quality

[leegeddy]

>> you can run phantom through a 1/4" jack if you really want to

through an UNBALANCED 1/4" (tip/sleeve)?  are you sure about that?

marc

[jpschust]

im not absolutely sure, but im PRETTY sure, I've never bothered to try it (doesn't hold much pracitcal value to me), but I think you can.  my guess, knowing darren's clientel, is that they aren't using phantom power no matter what the connector- most of his stuff is going to lower end stealthers...

[leegeddy]

>>im not absolutely sure, but im PRETTY sure,

you can't.  Phantom power is across 3 terminals. Phantom voltage is across Pin 2 respect to ground and Pin 3 respect to ground.

>>my guess, knowing darren's clientel, is that they aren't using phantom power no matter what the connector- most of his stuff is going to lower end stealthers...

probably so.  but, my answer to his original question was that a condenser mic's full potential will not be reached by using unbalanced connection which leads to the question of how a condensor mic is going to be powered.  specs for the AT853a (which can be powered by either a battery or phantom) clearly shows the difference in dynamic range and SPL handling.

marc

[jpschust]

i stand corrected on the phantom power issue.  like i said- never would have any practical application for me at least

[fuck you]

>> you can run phantom through a 1/4" jack if you really want to

through an UNBALANCED 1/4" (tip/sleeve)?  are you sure about that?

marc

Hello,

I was asking if I were to cut an XLR off an Audio Technica cardioid mic and connected the + to tip and - and ground to ground if it would impact the potential of the mic.

I believe the mic is an AT 831.  www.zzounds.com has them cheap.

[fuck you]

im not absolutely sure, but im PRETTY sure, I've never bothered to try it (doesn't hold much pracitcal value to me), but I think you can.  my guess, knowing darren's clientel, is that they aren't using phantom power no matter what the connector- most of his stuff is going to lower end stealthers...

I am not planning to sell them.  I just saw the low prices at zzounds.com for the 831(?) and thought I could put them on a 1/8 stereo plug with - going to ground.

The mics would then be plugged into a battery box with two 9 volt batterys powering them.


Darren