MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

Hello folks,

I am trying to hook up an AT875R shotgun mic to my new Canon XF 100.

I first tried using my 6 inch DIY Canare XLR cable (the cable worked flawlessly with my old JVC HM100) to hook up both the shotgun mic and the XF100, and got MAJOR hiss. I then soldered other short cables (using various neutrik XLRs, Canare/Audio Technica mic cable) and still getting the same hiss.

I then used a long store-bought 10 foot XLR cable with the XF100 and shotgun mic, and there was no hiss, worked very well.

Keep in mind that the first 6 inch DIY Canare XLR cable worked fine on the JVC HM100, but not the XF100. I've tried playing with all the audio settings on the XF 100, but no luck.

Have you guys had this problem?

I've done quiet a bit of soldering, including surface mount soldering, but I do not believe I am that rusty, making cold joints :) The wires are at the right pin locations, the cable shielding is soldered to pin 1 on all cables.

Any suggestions would be great! Thank you.

Sam

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

I have been making my own cables (and using them) for almost 50 years. This scenario sounds very unlikely. I cannot see how a cable can be implicated in any case involving "hiss". That is assuming that we are talking about what is commonly refereed to as "hiss". Now if you were using the word "hum", that might be a different story.

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

It is a very loud static noise, it is a best way I can describe it. I've never heard of such noise either, and do not know why it is happening, especially since I've successfully built various headphone cables, headphone amps, other xlr cables and such. Very weird... and very discouraging..

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

After I make a cable, I carefully inspect the connections with a magnifying glass or lupe .. (my eyes ain't what they used to be) and check the connections with an ohm meter for pin-to-pin continuity, resistance and cross-check for shorts in a RX100 ohm mode. For instance, a stray strand of the shield touching a hot or cold conductor, which could go undetected in a standard cable/continuity tester.

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

Okie doke, I will check for stray strands. Though I twist all the strands together tightly, and then tin it full of solder to prevent stray strands, perhaps I am getting cold solder. I think I will buy another set of neutriks and try again.. Thanks guys!

Any other suggestions are very, very welcomed.

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

Odd.

How were you monitoring? Headphones? Try another set. Can't explain why the 10 foot cable working. Was the mic in the same position for all lengths?

Bizarre!

Grazie

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

I've tried my custom molder In Ear Monitors, as well as the cheapo Apple earbuds, both with same results.

All cables were tested close to the camcorder, 3 inches from the camcorder XLR jack.

This really is bizarre, I will buy all new parts and build another cable when I come back from a trip, though I have lost all hope... Either I am hitting a dry spell with my soldering, or there is some voodoo magic going on with my xf 100.

Thanks guys.

Re: MAJOR hissing from short DIY XLR cables with shotgun mic
 

In my experience with Canon's, they have the weakest and noisiest HP amps I have ever encountered, as bad, if not worse than the RED's. The BG noise you are hearing could be the HP amp. The Canon's mic/line gain is rather weak as well..