I had posted in the Yard sale section that I am looking for Denecke PS-2 and Dsatz touched on a point which probably needs to be resolved here, instead of there.
From the looks of it two competing points of views of the feasability of this in the field.
Quote from: DSatz on Yesterday at 10:01:22 PM
Just please be aware that any "minijack mod" can only work with certain types of microphones. It will damage other types and/or give you almost no signal at all. Finally, with still other types of microphones you will get a good signal but the microphones will go into distortion at lower sound pressure levels than they normally would.
I've posted statements like this many times on this board, and I'm sorry if some people have to read this again and again, but there seems to be a naive expectation that signals from balanced microphones can be unbalanced simply by shorting one audio lead per channel to ground at the output of the power supply. Sometimes it can, but that depends entirely on how the output circuit of the microphone is designed. And the design varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and even from model to model within the same manufacturer's product line.
The two things that matter most are whether XLR pins 2 and 3 of the microphone are both "actively driven"--or if only one pin is, then which pin is actively driven and which one isn't. If both pins are actively driven and you short one of them to ground (as the "mini-mod" does), you risk damage to the microphone and/or the microphone may distort prematurely when the sound levels increase, unless the microphone uses an output transformer.
If only one pin is actively driven and it happens to be the one that you short to ground, you will get only a tiny whisper of a signal. Some microphones have only pin 2 driven actively while others have only pin 3 driven actively!
So no universal solution is possible short of using input transformers--but good input transformers are rather expensive, and they add one more box and a pair of cables to what you have to bring with you to a recording.
Always check with the manufacturer of your microphones to find out how to use them with unbalanced inputs, and follow the instructions carefully. Don't expect the phantom power supply to solve this problem for you, because it can't, unless it has audio transformers built in at its outputs (a rather rare situation, and not the case with the Denecke supplies).
All in all, if a recorder has unbalanced inputs, it's often better to use a preamp that has balanced inputs and phantom powering built in. Then either the preamp will have unbalanced outputs that you can connect directly to the recorder, or else you can generally work out a simple way to unbalance its outputs--and then you'll be ready to use any and all types of microphones with it.
--best regards
Thank you for your informative reply DSatz. Appreciative of the fact that you have repeated yourself.
I am working with a Sennheiser MKH-60 and occasionally an Oktava MK012 (hypercardioid). No idea how those pins terminate.
I see a potential issue with one of these mics though. This thread refers to specifically this question related to the Oktava:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=141868.msg1831066#msg1831066However, Nick's Picks wrote this a while back in your forum:
Quote
on the PCB of the PS2, the wiring output is as follows:
RIGHT CHANNEL
red wire +
clear wire -
shield is the ground
LEFT CHAN
blue wire +
black wire -
ground.
they are laid out across the edge of the PCB, and are very easy to get at for de-soldering off of the board.
the stock cable they use is a bit too thick for 3.5mm plugs, only the switchcraft fatty will really fit it well. I've just removed the cable entirely and replaced it w/a run of millspec. two hot conductors for L/R and the shield for ground.
the output, as we know is balanced. this re-wireing is a ghetto-unbalanced version, but it works just fine and has absolutely no issues or interference with whatever mics you are using. the input scheme remains unchanged. It allows you to run condensers into a small deck like an r9 or the new sony...
Two competing point of views.
So, I understand what you are saying, for instance the reason the Sony XLR-1 accessory is so expensive ($450) is because it incorporates balancing transformers.
Many people simply use a Hosa dual female XLR to 1/8" mini jack from the Denecke to their recorders.
Would this be what you mean by "...or else you can generally work out a simple way to unbalance its outputs..."? The Hosa cable becomes a "safe" termination? For myself this starts to be extremely unwieldy as a portable device.
So the key question here is:
but it works just fine and has absolutely no issues or interference with whatever mics you are using. the input scheme remains unchanged. It allows you to run condensers into a small deck like an r9 or the new sony...
Is this true or not?