Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

I have a mic with a mono 1/4" jack. when I use said microphone with a stereo 1/8" stereo adapter plug I get audio on only the right channel, of course. What kind of adapter do I need to use to get sound on both left and right channels?

I understand that I can easily fix this in post, but it would be nice to not have to do so if I can avoid it.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

What's the make and model of the mic?

Regards,

Ty Ford

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Mono Phone Jack to 1/8 Stereo Plug Adapter : Adapters | RadioShack.com

Of course, you understand that isn't "stereo". It is a single ("mono") audio signal feeding both L & R channels.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Yes, Ty, thanks for catching that, it's a plug, of course :)

Richard, the plug you kindly linked for me is actually an RCA jack to 1/8". I had to read the specs to find this out.

At least I understand what to look for, right? A 1/4" mono to stereo adapter. If I'm wrong please correct me.

thanks guys.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/632326-REG/Comprehensive_CSPP_MPS_18INB_CSPP_MPS_18INB_Studio_Series_1_4.html

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Perhaps this sort of thing?

Markertek|Mobile Commerce

fairly common item, possibly even at radio shack: http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2103725

Of course, it's not stereo, as you know, but splits mono out to TRS. I believe if you look on these sites you will find 1/4" TS to 1/8" TRS adapters also.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

RadiopShack® 1/8" Mono Jack to 1/8" Stereo Plug Adapter - RadioShack.com

The clueless copy-writers at Radio Shack don't know how to spell "phono".
"Phone" and "phono" are two VERY DIFFERENT kind of connectors.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

The OP likely has a 1/4" mono (TS) male "plug" and wants an adapter that will feed both channels of a 1/8" TRS input connection. I haven't looked thoroughly but a combination of adapters may be needed.. or a different cable for the mic.. if it's detachable.. or.. cut off the 1/4" plug and solder on a 1/8" TRS 'plug'.

Radio Shack can't even spell the own name correctly "RadiopShack"
Might as well just change it to "Shack O' Shame"

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Rick your comment gave me my first good laugh of the day, thanks! "Shack O' Shame" certainly fits. The website is atrocious!

I guess a new cord is in order? I wonder if there is a cable that is XLR to 1/8" inch? I will look around. There is a shop in town close to here that can probably take the 1/4" off and replace it with a 1/8" for me.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Found it at Sweetwater. $10. Done. Thanks everyone for getting me pointed in the right direction!

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

You guys are making me feel ancient - I remember when Radio Shack was a real outfit that sold real components from behind a counter. Only hardcore techies went there.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Yes, Radio Shack, Lafayette, and Olson (Olsen?) all sold lots of parts, and lots of gear as well... mics, speakers, mixers, and many other components. Most (if not all) of the gear was imported and rebranded, but at least it worked. In fact Radio Shack sold their own line of amateur radio tranceivers (rebranded either from Icom or Maxon IIRC) with a very good reputation, and many of them are still in use today, 30+ years later.

If I walk into the local Radio Scrap store today, a snotty teenage girl, with a "Manager" name badge, tells me that "those little parts are such a pain" and the only products she understands are the pastel color cellphone cases.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Radio Shack no longer carries the proper audio and video components I need. I was surprised to find everything I needed, in stock, at Fry's!

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

I also recall the 'Lafayette Radio' stores and Lafayette products. In fact, I still have a Lafayette clock/radio that actually works.
It seems many of the 'Shack O' Shame' workers are McDonald's rejects and don't know much about anything, especially electronics. Sorry if I offended anyone. There are exceptions.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

At least in the UK we now have a store called Maplins which seems pretty close to what Tandy (radio shack) was in the 70's and 80's although you can always find things cheaper on e-bay or direct from China!

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

All this talk of old electronic stores reminds me of the Aladdin's cave that was RME Surplus Suplies in Stockwell Street Glasgow in the 1960s and 70s. In addition to all the latest "transistorised" gadgets from Hong Kong and every component you could wish, it had a fantastic line in ex-Army, Navy and RAF electronic gear ranging from aircraft instruments (probably lethally radioactive!) to radio equipment (morse and voice) and many other boxes and units whose function I could not even guess, all built like the proverbial brick ****house (this was before the days of miniaturisation).

I particularly remember the ex-army radio operator's headsets that had a steel spring headband which held the earphones in a vice-like grip on the skull and the huge dynamic microphone mounted on a very substantial steel breastplate. I wish I'd kept a set to use with my iPhone.

I wonder what happens to all the "Government surplus" gear these days?

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

We used to have a wonderful old radio store in Newcastle too called Aitken Brothers but sadly it closed down, there was one in Leeds too just round the corner from the station but not sure if it is still there.

I suspect a lot of government surplus is scrapped these days or written off by the accountants so it has to be trashed rather than sold due to our consumer madness!

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

I remember Radio Shack from the 60's when it was "Allied Radio Shack" out of Chicago and they carried a full line of electronic components. They stocked both amateur and professional radio gear from brands such as Collins, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, National, etc as well as their own house brand, Knight and Knightkit, in competition with Heathkit. They were closer to today's Full Compass than they do to the Radio Shack of the last 30 years or so. I remember clearly putting together a Knightkit shortwave radio kit when I was about 10 years old and the thrill of listening to Radio Moscow, the BBC, Radio Havana, etc

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Allied Radio / Electronics was an outstanding professional / industrial supplier for years. I remember looking through their catalogs when I was around 16 yrs. old, lusting over the Ampex 351 recorders and a wide range of studio quality mics. Certainly they had a lot of commercial equipment such as Steve has mentioned.

I had forgotten the dark days when Allied "went slumming" and merged with Radio Shack. One last gasp for RS, trying to be a real electronics company. And probably the beginning of the downhill slide for Allied.

At one time you could almost look forward to a trip to RS... at least as an up-and-coming youngster. Then it became something of a lark to go in there. And today, it's a real act of desperation. My, how times have changed. Say, anyone have a spare 12AX7 for that mic preamp?

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Allied Electronics is still a major US electronics wholesale distributor/warehouse. They don't deal with retail, end-user consumers as much as Digikey and Mouser. For that matter, I remember when Digikey and Mouser were little podunk mail-order outlets of hobby surplus electronic components. Much like All Electronics and Electronic Goldmine and BGmicro and MPJA are today.

I also remember in Orange County, CA in the mid-1960s when a couple of local independent electronics retailers got taken over by the new upstart Radio Shack. It didn't bode well from day 1.

But you gotta hand it to Radio Shack. SOMEBODY in Ft.Worth corporate offices must know how to spell "hobby electronics".. They are selling a remarkable range of SBC and related gear like Arduino and Make and parallax and Velleman and even Seed.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

We've had Maplins for nearly 45 years now! - I wasn't aware of that....

Grazie

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

My last trip to the UK, a Tandy store came to my rescue, that was the late 90's.

Yesterday, I was out looking for 1/8 stereo inline jack. making 1/8 to XLR balanced adapter, to connect to a Beachtek. The Source, formerly Radio Shack here in Canada, has turned into what most of you have said, less hobbyist and more into pretty toys.

4 Source stores later, I found some, and bought them all, you never know.
otherwise, there are 2 hobbyist shops close to work, much cheaper in price, but I needed what I got when I got it.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

If you actually bought some 1/8" jacks, you will have a hard time plugging in any modern equipment. Modern connectors are 3.5mm; 1/8" is 3.175mm. Not sure when the actual change occured, but I tried plugging some really old (1960s vintage) plugs (which are truly 1/8") into a modern 3.5mm jack, and the fit was so loose that the connection was intermittent. Obviously a sinister conspiracy on the part of the metric countries...

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

sorry for using the "old school" term.

yes, they were actually 3.5mm

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Sorry for using the "old school" term.

Yes, they were actually 3.5mm.

I still have 1/8 jacks and plugs as well, at work.

Hmm, have never tried plugging the 1/8 into the 3.5, to hear the result.

New project to play with, results are predicted, as you found out. Thanks Greg.

oh, wait, I am in one of those metric countries, lol

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Sadly, I made the discovery in the field, when trying to use a set of "good old" AKG headphones with a new audio recorder. I had to hold the plug "just right" to hear both channels reliably. Luckily, nobody else knew about this, so only I knew that I had screwed up in my ignorance.

So you're metric up there, are ya, Sam? Round one goes to you guys... ;-) Actually, I eagerly bought a bunch of metric rulers and even tape measures back in the late '70s, and I'm still waiting for us to adopt the "logical" system here. Fat chance I'll live to see the day...

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Well (if they haven't changed it while I wasn't looking) I-19 from Tucson to Nogales AZ is marked in - drum roll - KILOMETERS - not miles. There's a story about how when it was built we were on the verge of converting to metric so they went ahead and did all the signage in Km. And then the conversion didn't happen.

They've been talking about changing it to miles one of these days.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/us...hway.html?_r=0

Interstate 19 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Let's have a "War of Independence"!...











(Then stay with the IMPERIAL measurement system)

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Well, would you rather be independent from England, or independent from France? Given the choice, I guess Imperial measurements are a small price to pay. Even Morris Minors were more reliable than Citroens.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Agree with that Greg.

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Interesting the different terminology used in various places :)

I have long been used to 1/4" Jack plugs , both mono and stereo alongside GPO jacks , which look somewhat similar and are used in patch bays , but are not interchangeable .

Then there are 3.5mm mini jack plugs , again mono or stereo ( 2 or 3 pole ) but I have never heard them referred to as 1/8" !

We also have 2.5mm micro jack plugs which are used for LANC connectors on some equipment and can have 2 or 3 poles .

I know some call jack plugs phone plugs as they are the origin of GPO jacks and come with various pole configurations ; and there are phono plugs , used in audio equipment , sometimes called RCA jacks .

Why can't everyone speak the same language ? :)

Re: Can a mono mic record "stereo"?
 

Here in the US, a plug is male, a jack is female. When training college kids, I always told them, "Jack is not male" and they could remember that. I think "jack plug" is a British terminology... maybe some confusion about gender across the pond.

In addition to the standard 1/4", there was also a 3/16" diameter size, although I can't recall where it was used. And we also had the "switchboard" style, with a 1/4" diameter sleeve, but different dimensions for the tip (and perhaps for the ring) so that they wouldn't mate properly with 1/4" "phone" connectors. I've encountered some 1/4" patch panels that used the standard audio dimensional connectors, and other panels that used the "switchboard" dimensional connectors.

The 1/8" size was original, back in the 1960s and perhaps into the '70s. I don't know when the transition started, or when it ended, but everything now is 3.5mm. And I don't know when the term "mini" began, but it seems to be interchangeable with 3.5mm these days.

And this is nothing compared to the massive clusterbleep of SMA connectors: plugs, jacks, male, female, normal, and reverse. Even consulting spec sheets from different manufacturers does not give a uniform picture of this terminology. The only sure thing is that nothing mates with anything else.