Jack:
What is your setup? To use the Audio1 jacks as the recording input the AUDIO1/MIC Input select switch behind the door must be set to AUDIO 1, and the corresponding menu item set to the level appropriate to your source.

Sorry I accidently reversed the two. Must have been sleep surfing
Thanks for catching that

In case anyone is interested to try repairing your MA100,
Yeah you have to seperate the pad.
And it's possible to repair it yourself, if the wiring's the problem.
I've just fixed an MA100 which had a dodgy cable.
replaced the cable, good as new.

How about the infamous broken tab dilemma? Can that be easily fixed with disassembly??

I think there's a thread about the infamous tab problem.

MA 100 issue
 

I've apparently got one dead lead on my MA 100. When I attach the wireless mic to the right (red) side, it inputs fine. But it doesn't input (or output) from the left (white) side. I unscrewed the cover on the white plug and it looks fine. Any ideas?

I've seen about one other post on a similar problem. Cables can fail over time as they are flexed. You may have a bad lead or poor connection somewhere inside the MA100. A good technician should be able to check this for you.

ma 100 setup
 

I am settiing up the ma100 i want to use both channels on ma100 and also the onboard mic ..How do i set up the xl1s..

thanks

You will need to use 4-channel mode (32kHz sample rate, 12-bit samples). User manual has details on setting this up.

Connect the MA-100 to the Audio 2 inputs (on the side of the handle).

Practice to get it down right before you go to to an important shoot.

thanks that will help

MA-100 and a wireless
 

I have had my XL1s for about a year and have recently purchased the MA-100 and a wireless. Forgive me if this topic has been brought up in the past, I just wasn't able to find it.

Should I expect that I only get audio on either the right or the left side depending on which XLR input I use on the MA-100? What configuration should I use to get it on both (L) and (R)?

Thanks a ton, I've been purplexed.

Yes.

If you realy want the same signal on R and L channels, mix in post, or buy a splitter ("Y" adapter) to feed the same signal to both inputs.

Thanks a ton. I just bought the XL2 and it allows me to mix on the camera which is great as I am still learning. I will look for a splitter. Any suggestions n where I could find one?

Almost any electronics or pro-music equipment store should have one. You can find RCA "Y" splitters at Radio Shack.

Why?
 

Rob, why do you want it on both channels? You can always pan it in post, and that frees up the second channel for other uses like a second wireless, a shotgun mic or a host of other uses.

Having said this, be careful of mixing wireless mic and wired mic audio, since sometimes there is a slight delay in the signal path of the wireless (or wired audio) so in some extreme situations you could actually have some phase problems, and most certainly would have a different sound "color" to it. But for picking up natural sound around your subject or other people near by that might be asking questions, a shotgun mic is indespensable.

Just my .02 too

Matt

Ma-100 bracket
 

Help,

I have recently purchased the MA 100 xlr adapter from ebay, but unfortunately it does not have the bracket for adding the battery or radio mic. Does anyone know where I could obtain one, or does anyone have any photos of one so I can make one myself.
Also do you know the part number.
Thanks in anticipation.

I could be wrong, but isn't it only the MA200 that has that dual charger?

Yes the 200 does have the dual charger but the 100 does have an bracket fitting. There are some screw holes built in. When I purchased it the description included "sorry but i don't have the bracket" or words to that effect.

Ow okay, sorry.

Good luck! Maybe you could keep searching on ebay or do a request on the Private Classifieds boards here, maybe someone of the forum here has one for you.

Mathieu,
no problem, thanks anyway, as they say you learn somethiong new everyday.

++maybe someone of the forum here has one for you.++

That would be nice.

Try Canon's national parts to order one.

You can see the MA-100 bracket in the second photo (MA-100 mentioned in the caption) at: http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/articles/article80.php

(Note: the velcor is not part of the standard MA-100.)

Thanks for that, I'll get in touch with them if I don't get any offers on the classified forum.

Wireless receiver mount box for ma-100
 

Can I use the BEC AT100 Mounting Box for Mounting Audio Technica U100 - Wireless Receiver on the ma-100? Will it bolt on to the existing holes on the bracket? I don't want to use velcro.
If it does work, where can I purchase it? B & H has been out of stock of this item for a very long time.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Anyone?

This is the mount box I am refering to.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/sitem/sku=283968&is=REG&BI=15&kw=BEAT100

I want to use this on my ma-100.

Church Sound System share (MA-100)
 

I tapped into the church sound system a few weeks past using a mini adapter to Audio 1 with a Y splitter to L-R. (audio was set to Mic). I got a constant harmonic about 60% up on the audio indicator............a few weeks before that, I used another facilities sound system and had no problem with audio using the same rig and settings. Anyway, I just got the MA-100 yesterday and was wondering if I can connect to fixed sound systems using XLR connections from sound systems or am I limited to using microphones only? Or should I set Audio 1 to "Line" when tapping into a fixed sound system? OR, should I get the BenchTek DXA-6 to use with both mic's and fixed sound systems? Help would be greatly appreciated.

I am a newbe , so I so not know is this will help or not . I run the sound system for a church and we do some video taping. I have not had the problem you had. I use balanced XLR cables coming out of the mixer into a 31 band EQ. Then XLR cables form the EQ to a bench tek. The Beach Tek is sec at line. With headphones on the DV Camcorder, I wuse th EQ to sut out AC- heater sound, hiss, and other sounds.

The MA-100/200 is designed for mic level inputs. If you feed it a line level signal, it will be overloaded, and it will clip and distort. Also, it is a transformerless design, so it does not provide the same level of isolation from the source found with transformer-based designs.

If all you have is line level source, then use a 30 dB pad (an attenuator) availabel from most places that sell profesional sound gear.

Many mixers have tape output jacks that provide a nominal -10 dB output level via RCA jacks. You should be able to connect them directly to the XL1 Audio 1 or Audio 2 inputs.

The noise issue you describe sounds like a possible ground loop. More likely if you are using the A/C power adapter with the XL1, but still possible if using battery depending on the circumstances and connections you have at the venu.

An item that might help is to use an "Audio system ground loop isolator," available from Radio Shack."

WOW!!!!!!!!! Thanks to both
 

I appreciate both replies. I'm going back to the church tomorrow for the sole purpose of doing a test and try and isolate the problem. Every tid-bit of info helps a video / audio novice learn. Thanks again.

MA-100 and DC connection
 

Maybe someone can clarify why the MA-100 has a DC connection! I can't find any info on Canon's site, there's nothing in the spec's or the flimsy little instruction sheet that comes with the unit. Wondering is driving me nuts. The only value I can figure, is that it possibly adds a little ump to the microphone to compensate for line loss. HELP and THANKs

The Ma100 has electronics to process the incoming signal (active circuitry) and doesn't work passively(without DC power)
it gets it's low voltage DC power from the cam.Most passive devices would lose a bit of signal strength , so your right ,it boosts the signal slightly.

Jack is correct. The MA100 uses an a of couple integrated circuit amplifiers to perform the balanced to unbalanced transformation and in the process provides about 6 dB of gain. This is a standrd practice and offers both some potential advantages (e.g., wider frequency response, gain, lower distortion), and disavantages (e.g., needs power, no ground isolation), over transformer-based methods. The amplifiers require the 5-volt DC power from the camcorder to operate.

apex 175 and ma-100???
 

i have no idea what is wrong with this. i am hoping i don't have something broken. anyways. i have an apex 175 shotgun mic and a xl1s with the ma-100 xlr adapter. i plug in the mic and i have messed with all the settings but it does not work...am i doing something wrong, is this mic not compatiable with my camera?

thanks,
mike

Does the Apex mic require phantom power? The MA-100 does not supply it. I think the Apex might have the provision of battery power(?)

yeah, it takes phantom power or a battery which i put a brand new battery in.

can anyone help me??

Is your MA-1 connected to the Audio-1 jacks & the Input Select to Audio-1? What is your Menu gain set to? (It should be set to Mic.) Is your power plug from the MA-1 connected? Is your REC level set correctly?

You might try a different mic if one is available to help figure out which part is malfunctioning.

If the battery is good and installed properly, it should work with the XL1 and MA-100. The most common problem is camcorder setting as Vic outline above.
1. Connect the MA-100 properly, both the audio and power cables, to the Audio 1 jacks at the back of the body. (Note, the jacks at the side of the handle are audio 2)
2. Setting the camcorder to Audio 1 input (switch behind the door)
3. Selecting MIC (or perhaps MIC ATT for loud venues) for the Audio 1 input from the menu

If that fails, try a different known good mic with the camera, and try the Apex on a different system to verify it woeks.

Question about rca input/outputs
 

I remember seeing somewhere (maybe the manual maybe not) that the RCA jacks on the back of the XL1 were dual use and if this is true then how do you switch from the camera to input to record from the input?

Not on the XL1. They became dual use on the XL1s. No A/V input available for the XL1.

-gb-