Connect USB speaker to XLR input at DVinfo.net

Kathy Smith · February 18th, 2022, 03:28 PM

Is there a converter or cable which would allow me to connect USB speaker to XLR input on my recorder?

Rick Reineke · February 18th, 2022, 04:25 PM

Do want the audio that is going to the USB speaker also routed to an analog input?

Pete Cofrancesco · February 18th, 2022, 04:53 PM

Funny you said this I had the same question. I do stream recordings through OBS I recently added usb speaker phone/ microphone device. It provides great mic and sound compared to the built in laptop mic and speaker but I would have appreciated it if I could pass through the sound to another device for backup recording.

There might be other devices such as a mixer or usb sound interfaces that allow you to send audio to multiple sources

Patrick Tracy · February 18th, 2022, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathy Smith

Is there a converter or cable which would allow me to connect USB speaker to XLR input on my recorder?

Other than putting a microphone in front of the speaker, not really.

Maybe replace the speaker with a USB interface and proper powered speaker so you can access the audio in an analog form.

Doug Jensen · February 18th, 2022, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathy Smith

Is there a converter or cable which would allow me to connect USB speaker to XLR input on my recorder?

You don't say what you are you trying to do. Are you trying to take audio out of a computer via USB and capture it on a recorder or camera? If so, you don't need a speaker for that. A device like this will give you a 3.5mm audio output that can then be easily adapted for XLR. If you also need to hear the audio at the same time, then you can connect a small speaker (or a pair of headphones) to the headphone jack of the recorder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1518575-REG/audio_technica_consumer_atr2x_usb_atr2x_3_5mm_to_usb.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801

or maybe even this
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1442282-REG/apple_mu7e2am_a_usb_c_to_3_5_mm.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1537947-REG/kondor_blue_kb_xlr35_xlr_male_to_3_5mm.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1585490-REG/blackfire_btsm1_portable_wireless_speaker.html/specs/BI/2855/KBID/3801

Paul R Johnson · February 19th, 2022, 02:24 AM

Why would you connect a speaker to an xlr input? Usb or analogue, that makes no sense.

Doug Jensen · February 19th, 2022, 05:58 AM

I assume she's feeding a USB speaker from her computer (or phone, tablet) and she wants to HEAR the audio at the same time she is also RECORDING the audio on another device (camera or audio recorder).
The method she is trying to do is not the best way to accomplish it . . . if that is what she is doing. Not enough information is given to us about what she is trying to do for us to really be of much help.

Kathy Smith · February 19th, 2022, 12:49 PM

I’m sorry everyone. I don’t know where my head was when I wrote this post. I meant to write “microphone” where I wrote “speaker”.

So I want to connect a USB microphone to XLR input on my recorder. Is this doable with some cable or adapter?

Patrick Tracy · February 19th, 2022, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathy Smith

I’m sorry everyone. I don’t know where my head was when I wrote this post. I meant to write “microphone” where I wrote “speaker”.

So I want to connect a USB microphone to XLR input on my recorder. Is this doable with some cable or adapter?

Nope. A USB microphone needs to be connected to a computer. You might be able to connect it to a computer and then route it to the headphone output and adapt that to an XLR input, or get a USB audio interface and route the signal out of that.

You really just need a conventional microphone that has and XLR output.

Graham Bernard · February 20th, 2022, 12:12 AM

Just to be completely clear on this, there are mics that do output both USB and XLR. Audio-Technica have options : https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us...-an-xlr-input/. Read the link and it will become clear. Cables and connections are just that, they only connect sources and pass them on to an input. We either have a Digital Output mic which outputs a Digital signal through USB, that’s yours, or an Analogue Output mic, which can output through XLR. A-T have recognised the need for outputs to be both, and have this mic which can do this. I don’t know of other mic manufacturers that can output both Digital and Analogue outputs, but there could be?

So, Signals are Signals (Digital or Analogue) and Cables/Connectors are just that, Cables/Connectors.

Greg Miller · February 25th, 2022, 11:08 AM

It would be helpful to know what particular mic you are asking about. Some USB mics have a headphone output so the talent can listen to the signal in real time (without any digital latency). Of course a headphone output is most likely not as clean as the USB output (or as clean as an equivalent analog mic).

There are devices available to convert between analog and USB. But they won't work for your situation. Such devices are USB "clients" and your mic is also a USB "client." Computers, OTOH, are USB "hosts." A client can connect with a host and pass data back and forth. But two clients cannot communicate with each other.

I can think of two possible solutions (but I'm assuming I know what you want to do, because you haven't given us any details).

1.) Plug the USB mic into a laptop; record the audio on the laptop. Simple.

2.) Plug the mic into a smartphone; record the audio on the phone. BUT there are several roadblocks. Most phones are "client" mode so won't communicate with your mic. A few phones also directly support "host" mode. Some phones need a special OTG cable, which allows the two "clients" (your mic and the phone) to communicate. But then there's the issue of correct drivers. And the issue of what recording software is on the phone, and how the phone processes the signal. There are many obscure details about Android, and different versions have different audio details. And the "i" side of the world is just ... different. So you're walking into a bee's nest if you want to go this route. It may or may not be possible; results may or may not be satisfactory.

February 18th, 2022, 03:28 PM	#1
Kathy Smith Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NY, NY USA Posts: 519	Connect USB speaker to XLR input Is there a converter or cable which would allow me to connect USB speaker to XLR input on my recorder?

February 18th, 2022, 04:25 PM	#2
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,038	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input Do want the audio that is going to the USB speaker also routed to an analog input?

February 18th, 2022, 04:53 PM	#3
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 2,996	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input Funny you said this I had the same question. I do stream recordings through OBS I recently added usb speaker phone/ microphone device. It provides great mic and sound compared to the built in laptop mic and speaker but I would have appreciated it if I could pass through the sound to another device for backup recording. There might be other devices such as a mixer or usb sound interfaces that allow you to send audio to multiple sources

February 19th, 2022, 02:24 AM	#6
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input Why would you connect a speaker to an xlr input? Usb or analogue, that makes no sense.

February 19th, 2022, 05:58 AM	#7
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,416	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input I assume she's feeding a USB speaker from her computer (or phone, tablet) and she wants to HEAR the audio at the same time she is also RECORDING the audio on another device (camera or audio recorder). The method she is trying to do is not the best way to accomplish it . . . if that is what she is doing. Not enough information is given to us about what she is trying to do for us to really be of much help. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

February 19th, 2022, 12:49 PM	#8
Kathy Smith Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NY, NY USA Posts: 519	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input I’m sorry everyone. I don’t know where my head was when I wrote this post. I meant to write “microphone” where I wrote “speaker”. So I want to connect a USB microphone to XLR input on my recorder. Is this doable with some cable or adapter?

February 20th, 2022, 12:12 AM	#10
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input Just to be completely clear on this, there are mics that do output both USB and XLR. Audio-Technica have options : https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us...-an-xlr-input/. Read the link and it will become clear. Cables and connections are just that, they only connect sources and pass them on to an input. We either have a Digital Output mic which outputs a Digital signal through USB, that’s yours, or an Analogue Output mic, which can output through XLR. A-T have recognised the need for outputs to be both, and have this mic which can do this. I don’t know of other mic manufacturers that can output both Digital and Analogue outputs, but there could be? So, Signals are Signals (Digital or Analogue) and Cables/Connectors are just that, Cables/Connectors.

February 25th, 2022, 11:08 AM	#11
Greg Miller Trustee Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,786	Re: Connect USB speaker to XLR input It would be helpful to know what particular mic you are asking about. Some USB mics have a headphone output so the talent can listen to the signal in real time (without any digital latency). Of course a headphone output is most likely not as clean as the USB output (or as clean as an equivalent analog mic). There are devices available to convert between analog and USB. But they won't work for your situation. Such devices are USB "clients" and your mic is also a USB "client." Computers, OTOH, are USB "hosts." A client can connect with a host and pass data back and forth. But two clients cannot communicate with each other. I can think of two possible solutions (but I'm assuming I know what you want to do, because you haven't given us any details). 1.) Plug the USB mic into a laptop; record the audio on the laptop. Simple. 2.) Plug the mic into a smartphone; record the audio on the phone. BUT there are several roadblocks. Most phones are "client" mode so won't communicate with your mic. A few phones also directly support "host" mode. Some phones need a special OTG cable, which allows the two "clients" (your mic and the phone) to communicate. But then there's the issue of correct drivers. And the issue of what recording software is on the phone, and how the phone processes the signal. There are many obscure details about Android, and different versions have different audio details. And the "i" side of the world is just ... different. So you're walking into a bee's nest if you want to go this route. It may or may not be possible; results may or may not be satisfactory.