Topic: Microphone for my Jukebox3

[duckman]

Hi
I've just bought a Jukebox3, and I'm struggeling to record on it.
Been reading the faqs and a few sites, but can't really grasp it all

To specify:

I've tried my microphone, which I've just with great luck on my Sony Minidisc.
No sound in.

I've NOT updated the firmware yet.

I've run a cable from my cassette-deck to my Jukebox, and successfully recorded via that line (in to line-in)

So I guess the mic is the problem.

It's an small Sony stereo-mic - Sony ECM-DS70P

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I'm grateful for anything that's helpful....

[Myco]

Are you trying to record directly through the optical input with your mics? If your trying to record with your mics plugged directly into the optical input then you won't get a signal because the signal that is coming straight from the mic is analog. An analog signal won't be recognized if plugged into the optical input, try the line in option.

[duckman]

Hmmm....

But there is no pure LineIn...
There is the Optical/LineIn opening, and two Line Out's.

I put my mic in the Optical/LineIn, choose LineIn (and even mic-in) as Source.
No go...
Tried upgrading firmware, also tried a REALLY bad microphone I have, and that gave a lousy signal - so there IS a signal at least
And recording from my old analog cassette-deck also works.

But that Sony-microphone won't give me anything. And it works on my minidisk...

[jazzunit]

Hmmm....


I put my mic in the Optical/LineIn, choose LineIn (and even mic-in) as Source.
No go...
Tried upgrading firmware, also tried a REALLY bad microphone I have, and that gave a lousy signal - so there IS a signal at least
And recording from my old analog cassette-deck also works.

But that Sony-microphone won't give me anything. And it works on my minidisk...

The problem is that your Sony mics requires a small DC bias voltage to activate them. Your minidisc recorder provides it a "plug in power" were as the JB3 does not provide any power at all. You might want to check out battery boxes offered by one of the stealth  mic manufacturers (i.e. Core Sound, Microphone Madnes, Sound Professionals, etc..)

[duckman]

The problem is that your Sony mics requires a small DC bias voltage to activate them. Your minidisc recorder provides it a "plug in power" were as the JB3 does not provide any power at all. You might want to check out battery boxes offered by one of the stealth  mic manufacturers (i.e. Core Sound, Microphone Madnes, Sound Professionals, etc..)

That simple  Ooopps...

But thanks a lot for clearing this up Sorry to be such a newbie...

I'll check it out, hopefully I can make one myself?
Really need it next week, as it's a big festival in town - and no-one of those will probably be able to deliver quickly enough...

(edit:)
ALSO... will I need a pre-amp for this mic? (see... I'm still reading up on stuff...)

[itook2much]

I'll check it out, hopefully I can make one myself?
Really need it next week, as it's a big festival in town - and no-one of those will probably be able to deliver quickly enough...

If you're willing to pony up for 1-2 day service, I'd say you'd be sure to have it in time.  SoundProfessionals has had an order to me in 5 biz days total (icluding day of order & day of delivery).

[duckman]

Well.. checked it all out, and as I'm in Norway, due to our weird custmons-rules it'll just be too expensive.
100$ for box and shipping, + the Norwegian customsfee on anything valued over 15$ would make the total at apx. 145$.
A bit too expensive, and not guaranteed to get here in time.

So the option will be to build one.

And does my mic need a pre-amp?

[Myco]

Just a heads up, the optical/line-in input is the same on the jb3. To choose what type of input you want to use you need to access it by going to Record Audio>pushing the scroll wheel>scrolling down to> Source: Line-In or Source: Mic-In. You can choose what type of input is appropriate. You might want to just give it a quick try first, but you can't go wrong having a battery box or some type of mic pre-amp.

[duckman]

Thanks for the tips

Built a batterybox today, and the mic now works. The level is a bit low though.

Have read quite a bit about pre-amps and such, and will probably try building one at some time... but does anyone know if there are any line-amplifiers that's stereo-minijack in->stereo-minijack out ??

I've seen those as XLR-jack/minijack... but that will probably be a problem...

Thought it could do as a cheap quick-solve...

[Weekendshooter]

There are affordable boxes available to get you what you need sooner but that you built your own battery box leads me to believe your a gadget meister, eh?   :-)


Here are a couple photos of a kit that may be of interest if you've the background:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4163856&a=31209820&p=71608361
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4163856&a=31209820&p=71608362&f=0

Have fun!  :-D

[duckman]

Cool stuff! I'll build one later perhaps... but now I just need a quickfix to help me record this weekend.
Can't get the stuff I need to build a pre-amp in time, as I have to order from abroad.

But , I think my lokal guitarshop have line-transformers (see... I still read and learn )

These are xlr--> phono or jack.

And I think they are mono??

Can someone reccomend me how I should go about connecting my Microphone to my JB3 - via the transformers and the batterybox?

The Mic is as mentioned a Sony ECM DS70P - which is a stereomic with has a minijack out. Where do I go from there to connect any given transformers to the JB3?
Before or after the batterybox? And what cables do I need, and will numerous cables "steal" the gain I win with the transformers?