Edirol 09HR with XLR & Phantom Power?

[Matt Davis]

I'm investing in an Edirol 09-HD for stereo wild track, SFX, voice-over, podcasts and a host of other 'stuff' including presenters who refuse to wear microphones.

Whilst the inboard mics have a good reputation and I have a special mic setup on order that works well with the unit, I'd very much like to use my collection of mics that have XLRs on them. It includes COS-11s, my CS-1, some ECM-55s, an AKG 230, a Coles Lip Mic and so on.

What's the best way to connect them to my recorder - or should I have gone for a Zoom 4?

[Bill Pryor]

You can get an XLR - to - mini adapter, a short cable with an XLR on one end, a mini on the other. You also should be careful with it because those little mini plugs can be yanked out easily, or bend and screw up the port on the recorder.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

I'm investing in an Edirol 09-HD for stereo wild track, SFX, voice-over, podcasts and a host of other 'stuff' including presenters who refuse to wear microphones.

Whilst the inboard mics have a good reputation and I have a special mic setup on order that works well with the unit, I'd very much like to use my collection of mics that have XLRs on them. It includes COS-11s, my CS-1, some ECM-55s, an AKG 230, a Coles Lip Mic and so on.

What's the best way to connect them to my recorder - or should I have gone for a Zoom 4?

Some of those mics, such as the CS-1, require power from an external source of 48v phantom which would not be available through an XLR-to-mini adapter. This is NOT the same as the "plug-in power" that the Edirol supplies through its external mic jack. Your AKG 230 is a dyanmic mic with a quite low output level, - 52dB. It may not be hot enough to drive the reorder adequately without an external preamp stage.

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Steve House

without an external preamp stage.

Thanks Steve. The expenditure never ends. Heigh ho. A pre-amp with good limiters sounds like a sensible way to go, as I've been promising myself something like that to plug into the EX1.

@ Bill, I think the COS-11s and ECM-55s have space for an AA battery in the XLR barrel, so hopefully I can obtain a dual XLR into a single 3.5mm jack with right-angle connector from dear friends at Richmond Film Services.

But a shame about the AKG. Anyone know of a teeny weeny pre-amp, probably looking like an XLR barrel? I live in hope... Probably cheaper to buy a reporter mic that 'likes' an Edirol.

So if I flip the question - can the community at large recommend mics that like to work with the Edirol R-09? And preferably can terminate as 3.5mm?

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

You can get an XLR - to - mini adapter

Got my XLR to 3.5mm cable (with an 'L' orientation - thanks Bill!).

Absolutely amazing results plugging my COS-11 (with AA battery in the XLR barrel) into it. Even the rather pathetic little mics that came with my Sennheiser radio systems sound better than they have as 'radio' mics per se (NB need to turn the 'plug-in power' on).

So Condensers have the big thumbs up.

Okay, so I also have a Coles Lip Mic (ribbon) - a quiet mic at the best of times. And there's an AKG-D230. Both have saved my bacon in the past. But they're not playing ball.

What I'm getting is a buzzing interference that swamps the signal, and changes in 'texture' if I touch the metal barrel of the XLR connector only with the Coles. Normally I'd blame the cable, but what really bakes my noodle is that when the display dims, the pitch of the interference changes subtly. If I 'wake' the screen, the pitch changes back.

Using these mics, the mic +2v power is turned OFF, the unit is in Manual (no ACG/Limiter), Low Cut is off, and Mic Gain is on Hi which is what I was told to use for Dynamic mics.

Wonderful news if this is just a duff cable, but just concerned that the interference is changed by display changing.

Or should I use a differently wired cable for Dynamic mics? Is the Screen/Live/Return wiring confusing the unit for a Dynamic's XLR?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

Got my XLR to 3.5mm cable (with an 'L' orientation - thanks Bill!).

...
Okay, so I also have a Coles Lip Mic (ribbon) - a quiet mic at the best of times. And there's an AKG-D230. Both have saved my bacon in the past. But they're not playing ball.

What I'm getting is a buzzing interference that swamps the signal, and changes in 'texture' if I touch the metal barrel of the XLR connector only with the Coles. Normally I'd blame the cable, but what really bakes my noodle is that when the display dims, the pitch of the interference changes subtly. If I 'wake' the screen, the pitch changes back.

Using these mics, the mic +2v power is turned OFF, the unit is in Manual (no ACG/Limiter), Low Cut is off, and Mic Gain is on Hi which is what I was told to use for Dynamic mics.

Wonderful news if this is just a duff cable, but just concerned that the interference is changed by display changing.

Or should I use a differently wired cable for Dynamic mics? Is the Screen/Live/Return wiring confusing the unit for a Dynamic's XLR?

How exactly is that XLR-to-mini wired? Is the mini a TRS or a TS? What pin on the XLR goes to what connection on the mini? It sounds like you have a grounding problem with the dynamic mics that is letting hum ride in. The way it should be set up is XLR pin 2 goes to mini tip, XLR pin 1 goes to mini sleeve, XLR pin 3 also goes to mini sleeve. Mini ring either is unconnected or shorted to tip.

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Steve House

Is the mini a TRS or a TS? What pin on the XLR goes to what connection on the mini?

I think it's a TRS as it has 3 parts, not two.

Sorry that sounds so awful - almost like "I think it's a zoom lens because it has three rings not two".

Originally Posted by Steve House

It sounds like you have a grounding problem with the dynamic mics that is letting hum ride in.

Nods head in final comprehension. Now I get it.

Originally Posted by Steve House

The way it should be set up is XLR pin 2 goes to mini tip, XLR pin 1 goes to mini sleeve, XLR pin 3 also goes to mini sleeve. Mini ring either is unconnected or shorted to tip.

Alas, it's a moulded plug and the XLR doesn't want to come apart (I really shouldn't be left alone with a screwdriver). But you're right (if I get the drift - my cable probably wires Pin 3 wrong) - time to talk to a proper wireman, Richmond Film Services in my neck of the woods.

Many thanks for that.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Matt Daviss

...
Alas, it's a moulded plug and the XLR doesn't want to come apart (I really shouldn't be left alone with a screwdriver). But you're right (if I get the drift - my cable probably wires Pin 3 wrong) - time to talk to a proper wireman, Richmond Film Services in my neck of the woods.

Many thanks for that.

Two pieces of kit that I feel are absolutely essential: A cheap multimeter, <$25 from Radio Shack in North America, probably similar from is it Maplin there in the UK?; And Behringer's cable tester or simlar. That would show you right off what is connected to whatust by plugging both ends of the cable into the proper jacks on the tester, no need to take anything apart.