Converting mini plug to XLR - Rode Videomic

[Jeff Harper]

I have Rode Videomic. I am going to solder on an XLR connector to it, but don't know where to solder which wire to what.

Anyone know how?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

I have Rode Videomic. I am going to solder on an XLR connector to it, but don't know where to solder which wire to what.

Anyone know how?

DON'T DO THAT! Instead, get the Rode VXLR adapter, that's made exactly for that purpose. rode vxlr | B&H Photo Video Not that you can't cut the cable and solder an XLR plug onto it but if you do, you've screwed up the mic for use with miniplug inputs and the proper adapter is just a couple of bucks more than the XLR connector would cost you.

[Chris Rackauckas]

Yep, I'm sure they run on different impediances

[Nicole Hankerson]

Yeah just buy an adapter. It saves you time, a headache, and money. Soldering(especially if you don't know what you are doing) could led to ruining your equipment and also could effect the output quality if cables are not properly done. Good luck and go for the adapter!!!

Nicole

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks Steve. Unfortunately I've already cut the cord, and I'm not at all happy to hear there was an adapter the whole time. I am not a happy camper!

I now must soder something to it, so we'll see what happens!

[Nicole Hankerson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Thanks Steve. Unfortunately I've already cut the cord, and I'm not at all happy to hear there was an adapter the whole time. I am not a happy camper!

I now must soder something to it, so we'll see what happens!

Awww man. Hope all works well or you may end up looking/acting like this guy. Let us know how it goes. Take care!!!

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Thanks Steve. Unfortunately I've already cut the cord, and I'm not at all happy to hear there was an adapter the whole time. I am not a happy camper!

I now must soder something to it, so we'll see what happens!

This is sort of a variation of the old carpenter's adage "Measure twice, cut once." Next time don't cut the cable until you know exactly where you're going to go from there. Personally, I'd put the TRS back on or send it to Rode for a repair (it matters what wire goes where) and order the adapter. Note that Rode uses a slightly non-standard wiring on the Videomic TRS - the tip and ring are jumpered together and both carry signal hot so that when you plug it into a stereo input the signal goes equally to both left and right channels. I don't know the details of how their XLR adapter is wired - I could tell you what pins the signals go to on the XLR but I'm reluctant to suggest it as that adapter might also have a capacitor to block phantom power from getting to the mic and zapping its electronics should it be plugged into a mic input that provides it. I'm very concerned about what might happen to the mic if you just solder an XLR on and then plug it in to a powered input. Mu best advice is to let Rode repair the cable and go from there. Miswiring it could zap the mic, the camera, or both.

[Andy Tejral]

Eh, go for it--just remember to keep phantom power turned off.

What 'cha got? Red would go to pin 2 and shield would go to pin 1. Should work fine.

[Jeff Harper]

Andy, thanks, that's what I needed, appreciate it! You've save me a trip to the audio store. They had told me ages ago and I had written it down but lost note.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Andy Tejral

Eh, go for it--just remember to keep phantom power turned off.

What 'cha got? Red would go to pin 2 and shield would go to pin 1. Should work fine.

Are you sure enough to bet the mic on it? I'd expect signal hot to go to pin 2 and shield to go to pin 3 with pin 1 left floating since pins 2 and 3 are at equipotential if phantom is accidently turned on. Shield to pin 1 as you suggest would send 48v directly into the mic's output if plugged into a live phantom source. If I were Jeff I'd at least send off an email to Rode and ask how their adapter is wired before doing anything.

[Jeff Harper]

Steve, Andy sound right, as it seems to be what I was told by my audio house, but it doesn't matter.

I'm taking it in for them to do it. The shield wire is way too fine for me to get soldered properly. Used to do lots of soldering to XLR connectors, but wire is SO tiny.

It is not made for rewiring that is for sure, the adapter would have been a much better idea.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Steve, Andy sound right, as it seems to be what I was told by my audio house, but it doesn't matter.

I'm taking it in for them to do it. The shield wire is way too fine for me to get soldered properly. Used to do lots of soldering to XLR connectors, but wire is SO tiny.

It is not made for rewiring that is for sure, the adapter would have been a much better idea.

Andy was right for the XLR side of a conventional balanced to unbalanced adapter but you have to be careful. Just knowing XLR pin 2 is signal hot and pin 1 is normally shield doesn't always tell the whole story. In usual case, pin 3 is jumpered to pin 1 in an XLR adapter designed to feed a balanced signal into an unbalanced input but that's the opposite of what you're trying to do. Since pin 3 is hot with 48v+ and pin 1 is ground when the input is providing phantom, I'm cautious about what might happen if you short them together. If you're going to have your audio house do the work, I'd still suggest you have 'em return it to the orginal TRS connector and get the Rode adapter. I'd be very surprised if putting an XLR on the cable won't some day come back to haunt you.

Just so you'll know, the Rane Notes webpage on audio interconnects shows the best way to go about it - Sound System Interconnection. See wiring diagram #13. But to do it that way means replacing the entire cable, not just the connector, with a 2-conductor plus shield cable. Signal hot goes to XLR pin 2, signal ground goes to XLR pin 3, cable shield goes to XLR pin 1 BUT is unconnected at the microphone end of the cable.