Question for anyone who knows about vintage mics

[mksprior]

I recently bought a vintage (80's) russian microphone off ebay. The russian guy supplied an adaptor (from an unfamiliar smaller-than-XLR sized 3-pin connector to standard stereo mini-jack).
However, when I plug the adapted lead into my preamp or any other device i just get a distorted buzz and the microphone does not respond to tapping or sound in any way... The guy said the mic was in full working order... Any ideas why this is happening?

Take a look at this picture to see the mic, its connector and adaptor:

 

[Middleman]

If the mic is indeed working, it may be that the adaptor is wired incorrectly. There are only 3 wires there so you may need to do some experimenting.

 

[mksprior]

The problem is that the adaptor has no wires - or at least any I can get to... it's an all-in-one type thing - like a converter... it converts the three-pin into stereo mini-jack...
Is it possible that this mike needs to be powered in the way a small computer mic needs to be...?

 

[Middleman]

Does your preamp have XLR or do you want this to go to mini?

Why do you even need the mini?

 

[ittam]

Wich is wich? The 5-pin is DIN connector it seems
http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/wiring.htm
gives You some info of connectors.
Matti

 

[mksprior]

I think I understand the problem better now. The connector at the end of my microphone is a male 'Small Tuchel'. The adapter I have is a female DIN to stereo mini-jack. All I need to know now is whether this is an unsuitable adapter, or simply broken. Does anybody know how I can establish this? Or where I could buy an alternative adapter. It seems strange that I end up with a mini stereo jack when using a microphone - surely it should terminate in a mono jack? Or XLR?

 

[Middleman]

Taking a guess here but from the information gleaned at this site

http://www.vintage-microphones.de/miscellaneous/hauptteil_miscellaneous.html

it appears as if that connector goes into a power supply which you may not have. If this is the case the mic is routed to the power supply and then into your preamp. Your won't be able to use this mic unless you have the power supply.

Did the original owner say if this was a condensor or dynamic mic?

 

[mksprior]

Middleman, the original owner described it as a dynamic microphone. I've been thinking... what would happen if I cut off the tuchel connector at the end, and then wired the positive and negative cables to a mono jack connector, leaving the ground aside?
Surely, if it is a dynamic microphone, and is not malfunctioning, it will produce a signal when I do this and plug it into my preamp? I've never meddled with this sort of thing before... Or maybe I should wire it to the 3 pins of an XLR...?

 

[Middleman]

I'd start with the 3 wire XLR approach. You may have to switch the wires around to get it to work.

 

[Marik]

This is an old Octava MD-28 dynamic mic. These were supplied with 3 pin DINs. IIRC, the 5 pin DINs are "hole" compatible.
I'd first check the mic for continuity and which pin is the ground (IIRC, it should be middle one).
If it is OK check with a Ohmmeter your adapter.