I have an XL2 and a Sony FP24 Field mixer. I am having some problems when I put the line level input into the XLR input on the back of the camera.
1. When I send a tone to the camera, it sounds fine and I am able to set the levels
2. When I use my microphone signal it sounds distorted.

I have tested the microphone/FP24 signal on a line level input on my speakers and it sounds great. I also tried sending the line level output into the RCA jacks on the side of my XL2 and it sounds great.

Why can't I use the XL2's XLR jacks for a line level input?
Is there a mic level/line level switch some where that I am missing like on many cameras?

Joe Dockery
Mount Si High School
Snoqualmie, Washington

This is an old question that I suppose I need to put into the FAQ.

The XLR jacks on the XL2 are mic-level only. Many people, myself included, feel that this is a serious oversight on behalf of Canon. Your most convenient recourse is to route the incoming line-level audio to the RCA audio input jacks on the XL2, as they alone are line-level. Your other alternative is to impose a third-party impedence changer in between the camcorder's XLR jacks and your incoming audio signal.

Chris,
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Luckily I have a couple XLR to RCA adapters.

Joe

This is an old question that I suppose I need to put into the FAQ.

The XLR jacks on the XL2 are mic-level only. Many people, myself included, feel that this is a serious oversight on behalf of Canon. Your most convenient recourse is to route the incoming line-level audio to the RCA audio input jacks on the XL2, as they alone are line-level. Your other alternative is to impose a third-party impedence changer in between the camcorder's XLR jacks and your incoming audio signal.

Why? Does that mixer not output a choice of line or mic level?

If your incoming audio source offers a choice, then you're in business... choose mic-level and you're good to go. If your source is line-level only, then you'll have to use one of the workarounds I've described above.

Chris,
I have the DVD tutorial about the XL2 and he says that he thinks you need a 50 pad for line in. Here is my dilema, I am going to video a crusade in Brazil in August. There is a good chance that they might be able to give me a line in from the mixer. I think I might be better off with a line in that a shotgun mic. I have no idea where I will be able to set up.I just want to be ready. I visited the B&H site and found only one inline attenuator from Shure that is adjustable, but it is adjustable from 10,15, and 25. Do I need to look else where or can I use this with that attenuator on the camera?

Thanks in advance
Dwayne

How about this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=314363&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Make sure it doesn't unbalance the signal though. That would suck.

Marco,

Just re-read this post today and found your link isn't active at B&H any longer. Do you remember what it was you were pointing to as the solution?

Also, if the XL2 requires a 50dB pad to bring Line-In down to Mic-In levels required for the XL2 aft XLR connections, can you just add two 25dB attenuators (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=WishList.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=68085&is=REG) in line? Does that equal one 50dB attenuator?