Recording Headsets to H5

[mosz]

This may be a stupid question but I've spent a few days trying to figure this out. I have two Sennheiser Game One headsets that I want to record on a Zoom H5. My problem is the H5 only has one line input. I have headphone splitter but I would like to edit each voice separately. I have 1/8 to 1/4inch adapters but I don't get a signal through. Any suggestions? I know I have a Rode 1/8 adapter XLR adapter that I used a long time ago for one of their small camera mics but I have no clue where it is. Do you think two of those would work? I would like to know why the signal is not going through as well. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Since it has to carry the headphone input and the mic output the connector is not your standard 1/8" plug. To get the mic signal into the H5 you need to connect the right contacts of the plug to the right pins of the XLR inputs, but then the output of the headset will probably be unbalanced high impedance while the H5 mic inputs are balanced low impedance. A breakout cable that split the headphone input and microphone output to separate connectors would be the first part of the solution. Interfacing the unbalanced high impedance mic output to the balanced low impedance mic input would be the second part, for which I would suggest transformers like those in the link below.

Hosa MIT-129 | Sweetwater.com

 

[mosz]

Sorry, I didn't mention it in the original post but the headset has separate connections. One for headphones and one for the mic but they both meet into one 1/8 that plugs into the headset. Would that transformer still work for the mic's plug? Also will this reduce the quality of the sound? Thanks for your help!

 

[arcaxis]

Take a read through this thread, what you want to do is similar.... https://homerecording.com/bbs/equipment-forums/microphones/lavaliers-h4n-391777/

The mics on the headsets likely need 'plugin power' which they would normally get from a PC's mic jack (I assuming the mic plug is a TRS plug(tip-ring-sleeve). You would need an inline battery power supply like shown below and an adapter to be able to plug into the 1/4" part of the combo jack on the recorder. Do not try to use phantom power (XLR jacks) from the recorder if it has it.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

I did read that those headsets had different cable options. It's good that the mic is on a separate cable.

One problem I neglected to cover is plug-in power. Some mics used on computers need an external source of power and are powered off the device they're connected to.

If those headset mics don't need plug-in power and they have simple 1/8" TS (mono, tip-sleeve, two metal contacts separated by one band) plugs then it should just be a matter of using mono TS adapters to convert to 1/4", then into the transformers and on to the H5. If that works you can get a couple of XLR cables so the transformers aren't hanging off the end of the recorder.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Yeah, if the 1/4" inputs have enough gain that would be simpler than using transformers to XLR. I'm glad someone's already built a standalone plug-in power supply. Saves me the trouble of doing it badly.