Regardless of what is used , a 90 degree molded plastic stereo mini jack is a must. One wrong move with a straight mini stereo plug and you have a $200-$250 service invoice. My Beach Tec is mounted perminently and I have the 90 degree mini plug wrapped with velcro tape to protect it.

If something is going to get damaged it'll be the Beach Tec. (Or at least i sincerely hope so)

XLR to Mini Jack Convertor
 

I've recently had someone make me up an XLR to mini jack convertor (which is basically a mini jack to phono convertor with the phonos replaced by two XLR plugs) but unfortunatly I can't seem to get it to work with my VX2000 and Sure SM58 microphone. Strangely it works OK on a friends camcorder (Hi8 TRV67) and also my stereo.

I know theres nothing wrong with the mic socket on my VX2000 as when I use a different combination of leads and adaptors it works fine, although this way means I have to use two convertors and one lead and is very unwieldy.

What could be causing this?

Thanks
Chris

Is the minijack stereo?

Probably so. But one can wire the balanced to unbalanced system so that the signal is shorted to ground or not connected at all. What is safe for the 58 could be damaging to an active source like a mixer. You need to open the connectors on both ends and let us know what is connected to what.

Specifically, what pins on the XLR connector are connected to what pins on the minijack.

I build these quite often for the local community college but I don't carry the wiring diagram around in my head. Alternately you can go out on google and find hook-up diagrams.

Yes the Mini jack is stereo.

With regards the wiring: mini jack earth (unwrapped copper wire) is going to Pins i and 3. Min jack plug tip (red or white wrapped wire) is going to Pin 2.

It's the same wiring on both XLRs

The stereo minijack has tip, ring, and sleeve connections. The tip and ring are the signal connections for the two stereo signals. The sleeve is the common and/or ground connection.

Pins 1 & 3 of the XLR should be connected to the sleeve of the minijack and pin 2 of the XLR should be connected either to the tip or ring on the minijack.

If you use one microphone only, you want pin 2 connected to both the tip and ring of the minijack. If you use two XLRs, one should be connected to the tip and the other to the ring of the minijack.

Have your tried connecting the SM58 to just one of the xlr connectors or both in turn? Just in case the 2000 is funny about only having one input driven at a time. Or one side or the other.

Do not connect a powered sound source to this adapter as it could burn out the output amplifiers.

I have tried the mic on both XLRs with no success and i'm not using a powered sound source.

I'm only using one microphone with it, but I didn't realise it would have to be wired differently to use two. I've seen the technicians, at my old university, using the same configuration as mine with only one mic plugged in and its been fine. Although I did have a suspicion that the VX2000 might not like the connecter unless to mics were plugged in at once.

I considering taking a lead that I have (a mini jack to mini jack socket), cutting off the socket end and putting an XLR plug on the end. Hopefully the VX2000 will like this as theres not two XLRs for it to get confused about.

The camera is not getting confused. But unless it requires that both sides be driven, I don't know what the problem is with it.

I can drive one side of my PD-150 or VX-1000 with no problem.

You have definitely looked at the connections at each of the 3 connectors and know they are wired pin 2 to minijack tip and 1 & 3 to the minijack sleeve, right?

The only other thing I can think of is to lift pin 1 at the XLR connection, the ground connection and see what happens. Or lift pin 3. Might try one way on each XLR connector.

I just need to get to my notes at school. When I make the adapters, I do not connect all three pins of the XLR to the minijack. Yet other people do all the time with no problem.

One other thought. I recently purchased minijack connectors that were faulty. The center connection (TIP) was riveted to the solder terminal at the back. The physical connection did not make electrical connection. I had to solder the terminal to the center pin to make them work. But before that, they did not work in any manner, unlike yours.

I'm possitive that it's wired correctly as I've used it with a friends camcorder with no problems (though I could only get a response from one XLR) and i've also checked various wiring diagrams.
What do you mean by lifting the pins?

Disconnecting the wire from the pin.

the problem with this kind of adapter, that doesn't use an inductive matching transformer, is that you suffer a loss in signal gain. Radio Shack sells the appropriate transformer for cheap.

The loss is minor because of the high impedance of the audio input circuits on the camera.

BTW, Radio Shack specs that transformer for no more than 5Khz which made me go find another supplier.

I tested the lead again yesterday and I'm getting a very faint tapping signal coming through if I hit the top of the mic with my hand.

Although I'm considering cutting my losses and just purchasing either a Beachtek DXA-4 or XLR-PRO. Which one would you recommend?

I don't know much about Beachtek's. I purchased a Studio 1 for the local college since I have so much of their studio gear. It works very well.

I'd build my own. Cost is about $30 for parts for a monaural setup, and about $50 for Stereo.

A friend of mine has the plans for one he builds and sells. the plans are on his Web site for anyone to read.

If you want the URL (I don't have it to hand) I'll find and post it.

does studio 1 still produce the xlr pro??? i dont see it on the site
seems they only make the belt attached boxes now??????????????

They did drop it in favor of the belt boxes.

I don't know why they did this but they normally do things for good reasons. Perhaps cost. The under-the-camera-box had to be machined and quite sturdy, which did raise the cost somewhat.