Is this cable setup wrong for a microphone to work?

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milosrogan

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Hello,

I'm looking for an option to record my acoustic guitar with two mics. I have Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 audio interface, which only has one XLR input. I remembered I have this cable that I got with this microphone, so I found the connector and hooked this microphone in mic line input, just like on the image. However, this is not working - I'm not getting any signal in DAW like this, neither in Line input nor in XLR inner input.

Of course, mic is working when I connect it with regular XLR cable. I am assuming this is not the right way and it's not possible to get it work like this?

mic_setup.webp


Thanks for feedback in advance!
 
I can't be of much help, just want to clarify the situation.

The XLR input runs the signal through a Pre-amp giving the mic's signal a large boost (with Phantom Power switched on at the interface), Is your mic a USB mic or a standard XLR condenser mic requiring 48V Phantom Power? If it's USB, this may also be a factor in the low output.

That cable you show having come with the mic would indicate the mic may have it's own amplification circuitry inside.
 
It's the standard XLR condenser mic and it requires 48V power, which was turned on during the testing...
 
Ok. The XLR connection works fine. The other line input doesn't go through the Pre-amp, so does not amplify the mic's signal. I'm thinking that it would work if you plugged the mic into an external Pre-amp, then ran that into the interface line-in (per your pic). It could well be less expensive to just buy another interface with 2 or more XLR combo inputs - you could trade the UMC-22 in on one or sell it ouright.
 
Yea, in the end I will probably have to buy new interface with two XLR inputs... Just wanted to check if I was doing anything wrong with this connection. Thanks for the reply!
 
Those mics will power off 48V via XLR - XLR, or 5V power applied to just one circuit in the XLR-Jack cable - but the interface does not provide that kind of power via the jack input.
 
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Okay actually I have one more question: my second microphone is Shure SM57, so can it work if I buy this cable below and use it for SM57 by plugging it into Instrument/Line input on my interface, so that way I have free XLR input for this other condenser mic? ?

pro-audio-cable-xlr-jack-to-1-4-inch.webp
 
Don't forget that line/instruments usually have output voltages that are measured in milliVolts - so between a quarter of a Volt and nearly a Volt are typical. Microphones tend to have much lower outputs - microVolts through the low mV - so if you stick in the 57 to the jack input and sing into it you might get something, but these interfaces use the balanced low level input for the microphone very low level input and the higher level kit into the other - they're also unable to split the two sources into two inputs. Seriously, if you need two mics, get a two input interface.
 
If you choose the red mic over the blue, constants are redeemable to the extent they have vastly differing parameters. Polarizing lattices combine to deflect the outer shell energies resulting in diminished variances, not unlike . . .

mic.webp
 
milosrogan said:
Okay actually I have one more question: my second microphone is Shure SM57, so can it work if I buy this cable below and use it for SM57 by plugging it into Instrument/Line input on my interface, so that way I have free XLR input for this other condenser mic? ?

View attachment 128115
Click to expand...
I would try the SM57 into the instrument jack and the condenser on the XLR input, with phantom power. I'm guessing that would work, but I may be wrong.
 
The 1/8” TRS that came with the thing is meant to be plugged into the mic input on a computer/laptop onboard sound or ”soundcard”. That connection would provide 5V phantom power. The fact it came with that mic strongly suggests that it is actually an electret masquerading as a big boy condenser. There’s not really much wrong with an electret nowadays, but…

Yes the XLR>1/4” TS will work for a dynamic mic like an SM57 or 58. Into a line input, it won’t be super loud, but the thing has gain knobs, and in front of a loudish source it should be good enough for most things. If it’s got an instrument button, that’ll give you an extra 9-10db. Totally workable.
 
100% electret. The BM-800 is probably the best known Chinese condenser mic that actually can be used. They’re cuttingly bright, and yet with some EQ are perfectly usable mics. Not much inside them of course, bar air.
 
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You 'could' use the above transformer to give the 57 about a 15dB lift but the money would really be better spent on a two mic input interface. The UMC204HD is not at all bad. The MOTU M4 is bloody fantastic!

Note to all. That BM-800 XLR to mini stereo jack cable is NOT wired as one would expect!

Dave.
 
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