Topic: Huge problem - line-in doesn't seem to work

[Aladar]

Hi,
I'm taping my first show in sunday, and I noticed when I tried the mics, that I can't record via line-in. It seems that the recorder (MZ-N707) just won't pick up any sound.. I tried to blow air into them, as it always seemed to work in mic-in, but the sound just.. doesn't get picked up. Any idea what's happening?

[setboy]

1) you DO NOT want to blow into your mics.

2) What is your complete set up?

[darktrain]

just a guess but do you have a battery box or pre for the mics?

[Shadow_7]

Air is definitely the wrong way to check a mics ability.  Humidity does strange things to some mics.  And wind simply wrecks ribbon mics.  Taping the metal screen or mic casing with a fingernail would do far less damage.  Or just clap your hands.

What are the mics plugged into?  Hi-Z inputs are for guitars and the likes with very hot input signals.  Line In requires a line level signal.  Mics output a lot lower than line level without some sort of preamp and/or powered circuit(plugin power / battery box / phantom power) to make things work.  And various other things that it could be.

But....... Insufficient Data.

[John Willett]

Hi,
I'm taping my first show in sunday, and I noticed when I tried the mics, that I can't record via line-in. It seems that the recorder (MZ-N707) just won't pick up any sound.. I tried to blow air into them, as it always seemed to work in mic-in, but the sound just.. doesn't get picked up. Any idea what's happening?

Line-in is not designed for microphones, so I'm not surprised you get nothing (especially if the mics. need powering).

To record via the line-in you need an external pre-amplifier and, if you are using condenser mics., one that supplies phantom power.

And - you should *never* *ever* blow into a microphone, nor bang it - the correct way to check is just to run a fingernail over the grill.
 

[Aladar]

Whoa, never would've guess that blowing is so bad for the mics.. huge thanks for that! (Someone should make a "how to take a care for mics" FAQ for retarded newbies like me..

The complete setup is CSB > CSB battery box (or however is the one that comes with it called) > Recorder

[setboy]

Lets start with the simple stuff first.
1) are you sure the mics are good?
2) are you sure the batter box is good/has a good battery in it?
3) I don't know what kind of cabling would go with that set up, but is it all working?
4) has the line in ever worked before, or is the first time you have used it?

[Aladar]

Well..
I'm almost ashamed to write it here, but the problem was defective battery. I didn't really thought it could be the battery, cause it was new, but yeah, today I bought another one and it works now.. thanks everyone.

Though, one question, what's the diff between mic and line-in? If I get it correctly, line-in depends only on battbox power, while mic-in only on phantom power of the recorder?

[John Willett]

Whoa, never would've guess that blowing is so bad for the mics.. huge thanks for that! (Someone should make a "how to take a care for mics" FAQ for retarded newbies like me..

If you think about it - a microphone is designed to measure very very subtle changes/differences in air pressure caused by acoustic waves.

Blowing on the capsule is like a tornado in comparison.

[John Willett]

..... one question, what's the diff between mic and line-in? If I get it correctly, line-in depends only on battbox power, while mic-in only on phantom power of the recorder?

Microphone level has an extra level of amplification as it's designed to accept the lw level signals from a microphone.

The line input has less amplification as it is designed to take the higher levels supplied.

So, even if it was powered properly, plugging a microphone into a line input would give a very low level signal.

I hope this helps.