Spliting a XLR mic to 2 channels
 

I've looked for an answer to this but don't know if anyone has ever answered or tried it. I'm looking at getting a XH-A1 and know you can't record from internal and external at the same time. I know the technique of setting the mic at a level and a 2nd mic at a lower level just in case you get a momentary loud peak that clips the audio. Is it possible to record from a XLR mic and have a cable spliter that then inputs to XLR ch1 and ch2 and then be able to manually adjust the record levels of each channel? Anyone tried this?

Haven't tried it yet, but I would like to.

Here's some splitter cables:
http://sewelldirect.com/xlr-splitter...microphone.asp
http://www.fullcompass.com/category/...Splitters.html

This would also work but can't vouch for the quality:
http://www.northernsound.net/Sales/d.../horizondi.htm
Scroll down to MS1 (2nd last item)

*Sorry that link doesn't seem to work now - did when I posted it

I get the impression that a pro quality splitter box is better than a splitter cable, but I don't know enough about it to say with any authority whether the splitter cable would do funny things to the input impedence for example.

Er, guys...........
 

The XH A1 does it for you!

Simply push the CH1/ CH1, CH2 switch to CH1 and whatever is on channel 1 goes to both.

Can't get much simpler than that.


CS

Er...........
 

or is it the other way 'round?

Whatever, it does it.


CS

No, it does not. It only sends the same signal to both channels, but the levels are locked together.

To use one mic and set the levels separatelly on two channels you need a splitter cable. Then the camera "thinks" it has two mics and lets you set different levels for each channel.

Well caught, Petri......
 

On further investigation, you are correct.

Sorry for my mis - information.


CS

A pro-quality splitter box is nice, but not necessary. I've used home-made splitter cables just fine in studio settings and had no problems. They're easy to make if you've got a soldering iron and are fairly competent at soldering. Just get a female and two male xlr cable ends from your local audio supply store (not radioshack... they don't have 'em). Use shielded pro audio cable (available from the same store that sells the cable ends) and solder your splitter together. Quite easy and a little cheaper than buying a pre-made splitter cable. You can also adjust how long your splitter cable is too, if you build it yourself.

I use a Y cable to split the channel before it goes into my mixpre. From what I understand, there is an increase in noise because the splitting causes a loss of db then requiring a gain increase and then of course, more noise. Seems like an acceptable price to pay to ensure no clipping.

Though I do wonder if I'd be better off to put on a higher setting on the mixpre's limiter. I previously used that, but at times it seemed that the audio sounded like it had a limiter on it. If audio level suddenly increased significantly for whatever reason, it didn't sound natural, like it was being artificially restrained. I'm no audio expert but that sounds logical to me. For those of you that, am I making sense here?

effects on phantom power
 

Was wondering if you do split the cable going to a shotgun mic, how does this effect the phantom power to the mic?

I've never had any phantom power problems with my splitter cables... had one end going to a house mixer and the other end going to a digital feed-through to a digital multi-track recorder, both ends were feeding phantom power to a Neumann KM184 and no problems...

Thanks for all your help.

You shouldn't have too much of a problem with the Y cable since you are going into the same device with both ends. The problem with Y cables can become evident if you go to different devices which can create all sorts of issues which might ruin both feeds. If you need to go to different devices then using a splitter box is a smart move many times.

you should never double phantom. Always power from one source. Y lead is fine. If you have issues due to linkin two seperate devices then insert an earth lift into one end of the y. Also switch off phantom on one side of the camera. Say ch. 2.

splitting the signal is a 6db loss. not too big a deal, just turn the mixer up a bit to compensate.

however, the right way is to pan the mic to the center on the mixer, and send both channels from the mixer to the camera. at least if you are using a breakaway cable this should be S.O.P. actually depending on your mixer you could vary the master outs, or just turn the pan pot a bit more to one channel then the other.

if you don't have a mixer, then look at the SD mixpre.