does XLR to 1/4" unbalance a mic signal?

[aoki saburo]

and by that i mean, if i took a mic output to a patchbay with a XLR female to TRS cable, then out of the patchbay to the mic input of a mixer, XLR male to TRS, will i still be able to run phantom power through the cables to the microphone? or will that function be lost because of the connections between XLR and TRS....

and yes, the patchbay is balanced.

thanks very much in advance
aokisaburo

 

[Farview]

It will stay balanced.

 

[PhilGood]

TRS 1/4 inch IS balanced. Yes the phantom should work.

Unless its the Phantom of the Opera. I love that opera, but the movie:
Zzzzzzzzzz.......slow in the middle.

 

[Bahrain_Phill]

Patch Bay for Mic's

As a matter of fact, I just read a post somewhere on this site where someone explained it is best never to run mic's through a patch bay. I had never given it any thought before but at the same time, have never done it. Yes, the signal stays balanced, and yes, the phantom power will still get to the mic....however, you now have 48VDC going through your passive patch bay. I can't help but think that is a little dangerous. But, again, I have no experience with it. I always run mics directly to equipment with no patches.
Hope this helps.

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

*anti-spam Bump*

 

[aoki saburo]

dangerous...?

thanks very much, but what would be the major danger? would it be to me or my equiptment? i never hotpatch, so phantom would be off while patching...

dangerous how?

thanks very much
adam

 

[MISTERQCUE]

As a matter of fact, I just read a post somewhere on this site where someone explained it is best never to run mic's through a patch bay. I had never given it any thought before but at the same time, have never done it. Yes, the signal stays balanced, and yes, the phantom power will still get to the mic....however, you now have 48VDC going through your passive patch bay. I can't help but think that is a little dangerous. But, again, I have no experience with it. I always run mics directly to equipment with no patches.
Hope this helps.

This is true!

Microphone inputs operate at a level several orders of magnitude lower than line levels (+4dBu or -10dBV). Therefore, they should never be routed via a patchbay. In any case, patching in a field with 48 V-DC (phantom power) surging all about is to be avoided at all costs. It is best to plug mics directly to mixer or special XLR-type wall boxes connected to mic in's of the mixer w.
quality multi-core cables (2-con & shield)

 

[Captain Nuke'em]

Nuke your patch-bay & go direct!

 

[Bahrain_Phill]

thanks very much, but what would be the major danger? would it be to me or my equiptment? i never hotpatch, so phantom would be off while patching...

dangerous how?

thanks very much
adam

Well to begin with, (someone correct me if this is wrong) if your patch bay is not properly grounded and you some how get a bad cable and/or patch, you could have a floating 48VDC waitng to give you a nice bite.

If you do have the patch bay properly grounded and a bad patch/cable creeps in, you will be be shorting out the phantom power from your mxr/pre-amp. I am not sure of the inter-workings of what your using, but, I cant imagine it would like it very much.

Also, I have always been taught to rout line,Mic, and power signals separate. I am not sure if a mic patch bay is available on the market or not. May be something to look into. I do know that you can make your own if you really wanted to. XLR connecters with a flat plate can be purchased for about 15 -25 bucks a piece. They are 3/8" in diameter and can be mounted onto a blank face plate. (this is what misterqcue was talking about) They require solder work and you can then make custom cables that solder right to the back of that connecter and routed to your pre-amp or mxr. I have personally set up these connecters for wall plates and or stage plates but I have never seen it done in a rack. However, that does not mean it is not possible.

I also rout everything through a patch bay, however, when I am going to use mics, I always go direct.

To be honest, i have never given it much thought, just somethings I have always done. Hopfully something here helps.

 

[bennychico11]

Microphone inputs operate at a level several orders of magnitude lower than line levels (+4dBu or -10dBV). Therefore, they should never be routed via a patchbay. In any case, patching in a field with 48 V-DC (phantom power) surging all about is to be avoided at all costs. It is best to plug mics directly to mixer or special XLR-type wall boxes connected to mic in's of the mixer w.
quality multi-core cables (2-con & shield)

if this were true, then why do most major studios all run their mic lines to their patchbays? most of them will have the mic lines on the top row of a TT or 1/4" patch bay, with the console's mic amps normalled below. thus allowing the engineer to select between using the console's amps or outboard amps. when you're running 20-30 mic lines from a different room you don't want to have to switch preamps on channels around all the time....put 'em in a patchbay to keep it simple. not to mention a lot of mic panels have all XLR connectors on them and will be interchanged for a mic source at one time, and then a line source the next time.