How do you wire the Denecke PS-2 to a single mini plug?

[darktrain]

Just wondered what the wiring assignments are for wiring the Denecke PS-2 to a Single mini plug?

[DSatz]

It depends entirely on what microphones you're using. There are standards for connecting balanced microphones to balanced inputs and standards for connecting unbalanced microphones to unbalanced inputs, but no standards for connecting balanced microphones to unbalanced inputs.

Someone else may come along next and post one simple connection scheme and swear that it's generally OK. But any such answer (e.g. "take the hot lead from pin X, and ground pin Y to pin Z") will work for some microphones while causing others to distort unnecessarily (i.e. run out of headroom 6 dB or more below the usual level), and will cause still others to give no usable signal at all. That's just the way it is. Any particular adapter or wriring scheme will only work for some types of microphones and not others.

You can use input transformers to turn your unbalanced inputs into balanced inputs. But good input transformers aren't small and they aren't cheap. To make a connection that can work without them, you have to know how the output circuit of your particular type of microphone works. Sometimes the owner's manual will show a wiring diagram for connection to unbalanced inputs. But even different microphones from the same manufacturer may require a different wiring scheme. So the best advice would be that if it's not in the manual, ask the manufacturer.

--best regards

[darktrain]

The PS-2 has the following wires shield, red, blue, clear, red and i want to run the at853's into it for now.

What goes where?

[yousef]

The PS-2 has the following wires shield, red, blue, clear, red and i want to run the at853's into it for now.

You are using something to attenuate the 48v before it hits the AT853s aren't you?

[OOK]

Just wondered what the wiring assignments are for wiring the Denecke PS-2 to a Single mini plug?

Contact Chris at sound professionals....He sells the PS-2 in this configuration.  He reconfigures these from XLR out to mini out by request for resale, he should be able to tell you the wire assignments.

Peace OOk

[Nick's Picks]

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...

[darktrain]

That won't work for a transformer-output mic.  I think the AT phantom adaptor has an output transformer, although I don't recall for sure.

I think so since i can barely get any signal out of them with the PS-2 so I think I am going to scrap that idea and go a different route but thanks for the info guys.

[darktrain]

Actually I emailed Denecke yesterday and they emailed my the schematic for the PS-2 which i thought might be good to archive here somewhere.

[Nick's Picks]

nice!
I need the schematics for the Inbox.  I need to see how the inputs are wired to the computer style flat cables that are inside.  I forgot to label them...or lost them when I started gutting it years ago.

[yousef]

I've been looking at my PS-2 with a view to re-wiring it to a single miniplug. Looking at the PCB, I think my soldering skills would probably not be up to the job, so I'm thinking about just chopping off the XLRs and wiring the existing cable to a miniplug.

When I looked inside the 2nd XLR (the one that sort of piggy-backs out of the other) the pins were connected like this:

1: black
2: red & blue
3: clear & black

Given that the PCB allocation is given above as...

RIGHT CHANNEL
red wire +
clear wire -
shield is the ground

LEFT CHAN
blue wire +
black wire -
ground.

...please could someone explain to me what is happening here. It seems to my decidedly un-electronic mind that the + and - from both channels are wired to the same plug, which doesn't really make sense to me.

Also could someone give me an idiot's guide to wiring the miniplug? Something along the lines of "blue to tip, red to ring, grounds to sleeve, leave everything else unconnected" - which is what sounds obvious to me.

Thanks is advance.

EDIT: looking more closely at the other plug, it looks like they've just coupled lengths of the unused wires (the blue and the black) to make an extra connections for pins 2 & 3. For added security or just so that there weren't unconnected wires left trailing?

[hi and lo]

Always cut the blue wire... never the red one! And don't let the ticking rattle your nerves. 

[yousef]

Always cut the blue wire... never the red one! And don't let the ticking rattle your nerves. 

The sad thing is I am almost that nervous at doing this job...

[ScoobieKW]

My PS-2 arrived yesterday from the yard sale and I've been thinking on this myself. I'd love to output unbalanced from the PS-2.

My setup is Avantone CK-1 > PS-2 > M10. Since the M10 is unbalanced I've been running with balanced/unbalanced adapters.

I'm going to go with Nick's plan of desoldering the 5 conductor cable (saving to undo the mod) and wiring the jumpers and a 3 wire connector.

While there is debate as to whether shorting one half of the balanced signal to ground is a good idea, it works with my setup. Your mileage may vary.

A good way to test is to build an adaptor with two FXLR connectors to a single 1/8" mini plug, wire pin 1 ground, pin 2 hot. On the 1/8" end wire Pin 2 for one xlr to Tip, Pin 2 for the other to Ring, and ground from both to the sleeve.

Test.

Then add a jumper between pin 1 and 3 in the XLRs. See if it works better or worse.

FWIW, I run a repair shop for a production company and our standard is adapters with the jumper.

[hi and lo]

While there is debate as to whether shorting one half of the balanced signal to ground is a good idea, it works with my setup. Your mileage may vary.

It's not really so much a debate, but rather a must for some equipment. Performance may be degraded if an improper method used or even worse, equipment could actually be damaged.

I know the Denecke PS-2 modification is quite common, but have you considered simply making a breakout xlr > 1/8" cable? This solution, while not as streamlined, keeps the unit unmodified for resale value and better yet, you definitely won't damage it attempting the modification.

[yousef]

I know the Denecke PS-2 modification is quite common, but have you considered simply making a breakout xlr > 1/8" cable? This solution, while not as streamlined, keeps the unit unmodified for resale value and better yet, you definitely won't damage it attempting the modification.

I was a bit worried about re-sale too. I just think it might be a bit too cumbersome with a XLR>1/8" added in there.

But worth trying at least once before breaking the soldering iron out though, I imagine.