Got a new Stereo Mic, need help

[mrinsanity]

I just got an AT822 stereo mic. I'm trying to get it hooked into a Tascam us-122 so I can do some simple and protable stereo recording. Trouble is, it only came with a standard xlr cable so I can only hook it into ONE of my inputs... so...

to split it, i've got two little adapter thingies (real technical, huh?) The first is an xlr female to 1/4" stereo (or TRS) plug.

then I've got a 1/4" female stereo to 2 1/4" mono y-splitter which claims to separate the left and right channels.

Problem is, no matter what, I can only get one input on my interface to get any sound and it's always coming from the left side of the mic.

Other than the mic being shot, I can't figure out the problem. A stereo mic like this is unbalanced with pins 2 and 3 carrying different channels. The first adapter appears to be wired so that 2 and 3 connect to the tip and the ring, respectively. This seems right.... anything i'm missing here?

 

[cpl_crud]

That does seem a bit odd, what you're saying is what i'd try first...

Try plugging the 1/4" straight into something that has 1/4" stereo in, like a soundcard or video camera, and see if you get signal on both channels.
It could also be that one of the cables is shot...

 

[mrinsanity]

i plugged the 1/4" into the line-in 2 jack on my souncards 5 1/4" bay and was only getting the left channel. I also plugged in my Casio to make sure that the jack actually worked in stereo and that went fine. I also tried it going directly from the mic to the adaper to the soundcard (no actual cable). Same result.

Either the xlr-TRS adapter I have is faulty or the mic is busted.... which I hope is not the case. Right now though I don't have any way to test the adapter... nor do I have a meter with which maybe I could check the voltage coming from the mics pins..... *oh boy*

 

[cpl_crud]

Get your hands on a multimeter- they're pretty handy for all sorts of things...
Plus, the continuity beep can drive enemies crazy.

 

[mrinsanity]

Yeah, usually I would borrow my dads... off at college now though.

BUT... I do have a soldering iron! I took apart my adapter and switched the wires hooked up to pins 2 and 3 on the xlr side. I still only get one channel, but now everything's being heard on the RIGHT half of the mic. So I know the mic is good. Looksl like I've got a crummy adapter.

(half hour later) looks like the connection to the ring was coming into contact with the sleeve (ground) shorting out (is that the right term, i really know very little about el;ectronics) the right channel. I wrapped a bit of electrical tape round it.... its works just fine now

 

[Richard Monroe]

No problem. The mic is supplied with an XLR to 3.5mm stereo miniplug cable. First, I advise you to order another, so when the cable craps out at a gig, you wont be screwed. Hosa makes a short Y-splitter cable that goes from a *female* 3.5mm stereo miniplug to 2 male RCAs. Live Wire (more Hosa, in reality) makes some fairly good female RCA to male XLR adaptors. You can find it all on line or at a fairly large Guitar Center. If you need to extend the whole mess, you can put a standard XLR mic cable between the mic and the supplied cable. One little Y cable and a couple of cheap adaptors, and you are good to go. You could use female RCA to 1/4" TS adaptors, but the mic will sound a lot better plugged into a mic input than into a line input.-Richie