XLR mic from A1U wrecked...what to replace with?

[Jason Donaldson]

My cat chewed right threw the cable of the XLR mic that comes with my A1U. These are selling for $229 all over the place, which I find to be extremely high for this mic. I am happy with the sound from it, and need a recommendation of a replacement mic, but it needs to be alot cheaper than $229.

Anyone make a suggestion?

[Dave Blackhurst]

Have the cat stuffed and mounted? Just kidding...

Is there any electronic repair shop around, or even a college or high school with an electronics lab? Replacing a cable like that isn't a tough project and parts should be under $20.

[J. Stephen McDonald]

All my XLR mikes have removable cables with standard plugs that snap onto a connector in the back. You can find replacement cords with fitted plugs at a large music-supply store or buy the blank parts and wire them up yourself. Such music stores are usually better stocked with parts for microphones and have more knowledgable people on staff, than typical video stores. Such a store might have a repair service available for an XLR mike that had a hard-wired cord. If you replace the cord yourself, you need to be sure that the shielding along each wire is intact. It's better to replace a broken XLR cord inside the mike's housing, than try to splice it in the middle. I certainly wouldn't give up this mike, just because of a replaceable cord.

Seems like you might have a good source for the makings of a dead-cat windscreen for the mike.

[Jason Donaldson]

I just had my cable repaired for $22.10.

MUCH cheaper than buying new.