Really, really, really dumb wiring question...

[Nippamuk]

Ok, so I'm not the brightest light in the bathroom when it comes to understanding audio cabling, but here goes: I'm trying to connect two balanced XLR connecters (from a power supply for two little mics I made) to a 1/8th" stereo (trs) phone plug to go into my minidisc recorder. The XLR pins are: 1)ground, 2)minus (is that "cold"?), and 3)plus (or "hot" I'm presuming).
Now, I'm just not sure how these 6 pins connect to 3 wires- the tip, ring, and sleeve of the 1/8" phone plug. Anyone who can shed some light will be seriously rewarded. How about a FREE sightseeing tour of Duncan, BC (kehehe)? I'll even buy you some locally made ice-cream, in the flavour of your choice. Oh, heck, I'll even buy you a pint at the local, as well. Thanks. [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[Bastiaan]

If you want it to do the correct way, you should use something that will unbalance the signals before hitting the MD. This will involve some stuff with little transformers.

The dirty way to do it is simpler.

connect the ground and the minus from the XLR together, and connect them to the sleeve
Do that for both microphones, both to the sleeve.

Then take the hot, and connect it to the ring, and connect the hot from the other mic to the tip. The tip is the right side, and the ring will be the left-side.


Check your wiring....i have checked, and the standard here (in the netherlands) for XLR is 1=gnd 2=hot 3=cold, but that could be different in the USA.

Anyway, if you connect it the wrong way you will know soon enough. The only thing that could happen is that you dont hear anything. No damage to the MD or the mic's. But better do a little test before soldering everything and close the plugs. Also dont forget the pieces that have to go on the wires before you solder to close everything....otherwise you have to remove everything, place them on the wire and start allover again...

[KingArt]

Originally posted by Bastiaan:
here (in the netherlands)

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hey, a fellow Dutchy [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Are you an employee of a big studio here or are you recording at home like me?

[Nippamuk]

Bastiaan, thanks for your reply. I will try as you suggested. Yes, I've read elsewhere that usually pin 2 is hot, but on the diagram (from ProSound Web.com, Tape-Op section, "Build your own microphone") it definately shows pin 2 as cold, or minus. I'll post back with results. If you hear a loud BANG from the general direction of Vancouver Island, you'll know something went wrong.
I was treated like Royalty when I visited Holland ( where everyone always asks, "You mean you only speak English?!"); you may expect the same if you visit here. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Freeheel]

Hi Nippamuck, from the bright lights across the Strait of Georgia. Just confirming that pin 2 is hot for us. There are pin 3 hot devices out there, but they are few and far between. (they were more common a few years ago, but no-one building an audio device today would wire pin 3 hot)

[Bastiaan]

Are you an employee of a big studio here or are you recording at home like me?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No Wisseloord speaking here. I have a simple setup at home, but i am a video-editor in Hilversem at Ciris (Used to be NOB-Postproduction). You know...the place Pim Fortuyn got killed last year. So i handle audio professionally almost every day, but audio for TV is a whole different ballgame as audio only...

[harry smit]

XLR pinning and wiring according to the Audio
Engineering Society

1: GND
2: (+)
3: (-)

Check:
http://www.aes.org/standards/b_pub/aes-standards-
n-print.cfm

Or open the PDF for XLR pinning and wiring
directly:
http://www.aes.org/standards/b_pub/aes14-1992.pdf

Jack for stereo:
Tip: Left
Ring: Right
Sleeve: GND

Harry

[Bastiaan]

When searching for the ring/tip/sleeve stuff Harry put up i stumbled across this product. This is exactly what you need... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

cable

The YXF-247 or YXF-305 to be exact

(Harry is right about the wiring...sorry to have misinformed you...)

[harry smit]

Bastiaan,

Thanks for the URL.
It also contains wiring diagrams. Perfect.

Harry (Utrecht)

[Nippamuk]

Thanks again guys. So what's with the mic diagram at wwwProSound Web.com Says right there, pin 2 is minus (cold) and pin 3 is hot. I thought these peple knew of which they spoke?
Ok, what flavour ice cream do you guys want? Should I courier it? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Freeheel, how 'bout them Canucks eh? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]