Question regarding Sennheiser ME2
 

Hello,

I guess I have a stupid question but anyway - I am looking for a good lavaliere mic for interviews. I have a Canon XA10 and a DSLR. I am looking at the Rode lavaliere and the Sennheiser ME2.

I want to use the lavaliere wired.

What irritates me is the description on the Sennheiser website. They write "Mini jack for bodypack transmitters from evolution wireless and freeport series" and on the technical description: "Operating voltage (stand alone) 7,5 V" .

Now can I use this mic directly into the XLR inputs (with a mini jack to XLR adapter) ? Is the camera supporting this operating voltage.

Sennheiser ME 2 - Microphone - Permanently polarized Condenser Microphone

Thanks a lot for any feedback.

Best regards
- Andreas

Re: Question regarding Sennheiser ME2
 

No you can't use that mic with XLR inputs; for one thing it's not made for 48v phantom and there may be other connection issues. I have both ME2 and Rode Lavalier and prefer the Rode for many reasons including sound quality, size, and the ability to put a micon XLR connector on it for wired use.

Re: Question regarding Sennheiser ME2
 

There are two powering systems in general use today:

1) Consumer/Prosumer Mic Power, exclusively used with 3.5mm connections & other small connectors to wireless body pack transmitters. Nominally 5 volts dc, varies from 3V to about 7. This power can directly bias a condenser mic, no preamps or other electronics in-line. A T-R-S (three conductor) connection is most common, which when typically wired will accommodate a stereo or mono mic. This is an unbalanced system, the conventional wisdom states that one should keep wiring to 6 feet or 12 feet total, but a 12 foot stereo headphone extension cable is frequently used to provide convenient distances from subject to camera for wired mics.

This only works with cameras, recorders, or mixers that provide mic power on a 3.5mm jack. Audio Technica (others?) supply a similar mic with a couple button-size batteries in-line for power. There are "power box" suppliers, too, typically a 9v battery system. All of these are based on 3.5mm connectors, except in the case of wireless mic body packs, which can have any of a variety of small connectors.

2) Prosumer/Professional Phantom power is nominally 48v. Some systems only supply 24 or 28v, which doesn't work on all mics, especially large-diaphram condensors. A mic's specs will state what's required, a camcorder's, mixer's, or audio recorder's specs will state what they supply. Phantom is (almost) entirely a XLR connector system. Such balanced systems can usually run a few hundred feet when properly wired.

Many lavs designed for video/film include a preamp body that can be powered off a single 1.5v AA battery and/or phantom. A few shotguns, too.

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These two different systems can be interfaced. A phantom or phantom/battery preamp body can be added to a 3.5mm-terminated lav. A properly wired XLR-F to 3.5mm-M can take a self-powered XLR mic to a consumer camcorder.

But, most people don't bother. Either you're using consumer/prosumer equipment at 3.5mm, and accepting its limitations of performance and limited variety of mics & devices, or, prosumer/pro at XLR, which gives you entry into a wide world of professional audio equipment of all kinds.

Re: Question regarding Sennheiser ME2
 

The ME 2 will do fine - you just need the MZA900P converter - plug the mic. in one end and an XLR cable with 48V phantom at the other.

Re: Question regarding Sennheiser ME2
 

Though it appears to be just an simple adaptor, the MZA900P converts Phantom Pwr. to a usable 'bias current' ( sometimes referred to as 'Plugin Power") Using the mic with just a cheap 1/8" to XLR adapter with Phantom Pwr. could permanently trash the mic.