Y-cables
 

Seeing as how so many DVi members do this, I'm going to get a y-cable to run my ME66 into 2 channels on my XL1S... There are a plethora of y-cables out there however, and I was wondering how much you gentlemen spent on a y-cable?

I can get anything from a $3.99 gold plated KOSS/Radio Shack adapter, to a $40+ Stinger oxygen-free cable (and I dare not get into Monster cable pricing! :) )

I'd hate to put sound quality at risk, but at the same time I don't want to burn any more holes in my wallet.

Please advise.

Since the ME66 is not a stereo mic - the Y cable seems redundant. Wouldn't duplicating the mono audio track in Vegas give you exactly the same thing?

Or is there a benefit to running a mono mic to both channels?

There might be two advantages. A dropout could effect one track and not the other. You can also record the tracks at two different levels. If one gets too soft or loud you always have the other to fall back on in post.

On our shoots we do a two-camera take. As a preset we have channel one the boom and channel two as the shotgun. From there they go to a mixer and we split it to the cameras. We have two mics, as there are times when one gets a better sound than the other.

Also if one gets a hum, clicking from movement etc. we can cop it from the other.

Michael, both Jeff and Tom have described exactly why I'd like to use both channes. Moreso for the different sound levels, since I do a lot of automotive work - I've had a couple of times when a loud exhaust (for example) has distorted the sound a bit. Being able to record a second channel at a lower level would give me more flexibility when editing.

" I can get anything from a $3.99 gold plated KOSS/Radio Shack adapter, to a $40+ Stinger oxygen-free cable "

That high price stuff just isn't worth it. You might try Terry at www.dvshop.ca in Toronto he carries Hosatech cables. So does B&H in the US.
http://www.hosatech.com/y_cables_index.html

AVR Communications in Toronto carry alot, they also are very competive with the US pricing. http://www.avr.ca/
Talk to Jason at AVR

I use a Rolls MS20. They claim there is no signal loss because it's hard wired (I have to confess I have no idea what that means), and it certainly seems to be true, but I don't have the equipment to measure it or anything. THE INPUT DOESN'T LOCK. Some people say that's good, because if someone trips on the cable it will just pull out instead of knocking everything over, and others would call it a single point of failure. XLR cables fit snugly, and it isn't a problem for me. It's a pretty solid aluminum box, and I'm very happy with it. It will pass phantom power and has a grounding switch. I forget what it costs. I bought it over a year ago, and I've never had reason to curse it.

Markertek will make you a custom cable but you really can make your own very easily. The 66 has a low output impedance and your camera has a relatively high imput impedance. That means you won't be loading the signal by any significant amount.

BTW, the Monster Cable / oxygen-free copper is pure marketing BS. If what they spout were true, the military, the big name sound houses, and the studios would be using that type of cable and they do not.

<<<-- Originally posted by Marco Leavitt : I use a Rolls MS20. -->>>

For just $25 to $35 a mic splitter is the right thing to use instead of just a Y-Cable. Read more about it here.

I think i would try a dirty old $3 or $4 Y cable. My gut says that all these gizmos are pure horse poop, or at least somewhat un necessary.

Seems like about the same thing as the Rolls to me.

<<<-- Originally posted by Marco Leavitt : I use a Rolls MS20. -->>>

<<<For just $25 to $35 a mic splitter is the right thing to use instead of just a Y-Cable. Read more about it here.>>>