Tascam PortaOne...and XLR inputs?

I

iheartblondie

New member
Okay, I'm a pretty much a beginner at analog talk, but I'm trying very hard to learn so please bear with me.

I just picked up an old Tascam PortaOne 4-track and I'm trying to figure out...is there any way that I can hook up a microphone to this thing? All of my mics have XLR inputs (because they're modern mics!), not Line-In inputs. So, am I screwed? How am I supposed to record with mics?

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=oadx4y&s=7
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=5aexpk&s=7

Please have mercy on a noob:confused:
 
Really depends on the mic you are planning - if its a cheapo you can get an XLR - Jack adaptor for about $10 from local electronic store or get a small mixer (preferably with phantom) that will give you XLR and balanced ins, enable you to EQ add effects etc for between $50 - $100
 
What kind of mics do you have.
You say they all have xlr plugs.
Do these mics not have a detachable cable.If so,just buy a cable with 1/4 plugs on them and plug directly into the Tascam.
 
Come to think of it,Im guesing you have attached cables.I have a ribbon mic with a permanent xlr cable.
Do as Bruiser said.You can buy an adapter for fairly cheap.
 
Come to think of it,Im guesing you have attached cables.I have a ribbon mic with a permanent xlr cable.
Do as Bruiser said.You can buy an adapter for fairly cheap.
 
Just FYI, the XLR jack/plug is not that much of a modern invention; it's been around for decades.

If you have mics that have attached cables with XLR plugs (I've never seen this, but I suppose they're made), then you'd just need an XLR to 1/4" adapter, like this:

Amazon.com: XLR Female To 1/4" Male Adapter: Electronics

If you have a mic that has an XLR male connection, then you'd just need to get a cable with an XLR female end and a 1/4" male end, like this:

Amazon.com: Pyle-Pro PPMJL15 Professional Microphone Cable (1/4'' Male to XLR Female, 15 ft.): Musical Instruments

However, that's only if you're using dynamic mics, like a Shure SM57 or something similar (like ones used on stage). If you're using a condenser mic, like a Rode NT1 or something similar (like ones used in the studio), you'll need phantom power to operate it. Your best bet then would be to invest in a reasonably priced mic preamp, like the M-Audio DMP3, which is a 2-channel preamp with phantom power, or in a small mixer with phantom power (make sure it has XLR inputs).

M-AUDIO - DMP3 - Dual Microphone/Instrument Preamp

Buy Mackie 402-VLZ3 Compact Audio Mixer | Unpowered Mixers | Musician's Friend

In either case, you'd plug your XLR mic into it, and then run a 1/4" line out into the Tascam.
 
Hello,

I know this thread is 10 plus years old but I am desperate and in need for answers. I have a shure sm57 and have a male xlr cable with a 1/4 inch on the other end of the line. But when plugging into the porta one there seems to not be working. I'm assuming I need phantom power but I just want to make sure
 
The SM57 doesn't need or in any way use phantom power. First, is the 1/4" end TS (tip-sleeve, like a guitar cable) or TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) like a headphone plug? Second, do you have a meter (DMM or basic analog meter)?
 
No phantom power needed with a ‘57…it’s a dynamic mic. What you need is a transformer adapter, that takes the balanced mic to unbalanced input.
 
Balanced to unbalanced (virtually nobody will have a transformer - this isn't required at all).

At one end of the cable you have the XLR connector. Pin 1 (labelled in tiny print inside) goes to the screen of the coax cable and at the jack end connects to the sleeve of the jack connector.

If you have guitar type cable with just one centre conductor, then at the mic end - the centre conductor should go to pin 2, and then pin 3 (opposite pin 1) also connects to pin 1 - a little 'bridge' of wire will do.

Keep in mind that some cables might have the centre to pin 3, and then pins 1 and 2 joined - it does not matter if you only have one mic - either will work.

At the other end, the screen goes to the jack plug sleeve, and the centre conductor to the tip. If there is a ring connector too, then that must also be joined to the sleeve with a little bridge of wire.

If the cable you are using is mic cable, it will have two conductors (soldered to pins 2 and 3 in the XLR connector at the mic end. At the other end the unbalancing is done there.

The screen of the cable goes to the sleeve of the jack. One of the two conductors also goes to the sleeve (and the ring, if the jack has one), the remaining conductor goes to the tip of the jack.

That sounds more complicated than it really is, but the key requirement is that you can solder. To be fair, if you can't, your local music shop, if they're decent, will have the the thing in stock pre-made, or they can make one for you. If they don't offer this service, then they're simply a poor shop!



The thing to remember is that microphones have separate grounding - audio signal on two wires, ground for screening on another. Guitars, CD players, tape decks etc use the screen to do two jobs - pass the audio AND keep the hums out.

In an XLR pin 1 is ALWAYS ground - the other two are the signal. To unbalance them, just connect one of the audio lines to the ground - job done - you cut three wires down to two with one little extra wire inside the connector. Strictly speaking you lose a little signal that you simply won't notice, and you lose the hum cancellation feature.

My first mic was an SM57 in 1974ish and my reel to reel had ¼" unbalanced jack sockets for mics. It worked absolutely fine once I hacked off the XLR male and swapped it for a Jack plug and did the wiring as above.
 
TheSynthDev said:
You can't connect a microphone with an XLR input to the Tascam PortaOne, because the PortaOne only has line-in inputs. However, you could use a preamp between the microphone and the PortaOne to convert the signal from XLR to line-level.
Click to expand...
Really? Someone should have told Tascam this, since the inputs clearly say Mic/Line!

Porta One.jpg
 
TheSynthDev said:
You can't connect a microphone with an XLR input to the Tascam PortaOne, because the PortaOne only has line-in inputs. However, you could use a preamp between the microphone and the PortaOne to convert the signal from XLR to line-level.

--
Jason Hook. I enjoy remixing old songs using Audacity together with UnMixIt for vocal removal or isolation
Click to expand...
Wrong. The unit only has 1/4" inputs but there is enough gain at the input stage for adequate if not stellar performance.
 
That's one of the things that made the Porta One (my first venture into multitracking 30 years ago) so entry level accessible back in the day. We could just plug in whatever dynamic mics we had and get on with it.
 
rob aylestone said:
Balanced to unbalanced (virtually nobody will have a transformer - this isn't required at all).

At one end of the cable you have the XLR connector. Pin 1 (labelled in tiny print inside) goes to the screen of the coax cable and at the jack end connects to the sleeve of the jack connector.

If you have guitar type cable with just one centre conductor, then at the mic end - the centre conductor should go to pin 2, and then pin 3 (opposite pin 1) also connects to pin 1 - a little 'bridge' of wire will do.

Keep in mind that some cables might have the centre to pin 3, and then pins 1 and 2 joined - it does not matter if you only have one mic - either will work.

At the other end, the screen goes to the jack plug sleeve, and the centre conductor to the tip. If there is a ring connector too, then that must also be joined to the sleeve with a little bridge of wire.

If the cable you are using is mic cable, it will have two conductors (soldered to pins 2 and 3 in the XLR connector at the mic end. At the other end the unbalancing is done there.

The screen of the cable goes to the sleeve of the jack. One of the two conductors also goes to the sleeve (and the ring, if the jack has one), the remaining conductor goes to the tip of the jack.

That sounds more complicated than it really is, but the key requirement is that you can solder. To be fair, if you can't, your local music shop, if they're decent, will have the the thing in stock pre-made, or they can make one for you. If they don't offer this service, then they're simply a poor shop!



The thing to remember is that microphones have separate grounding - audio signal on two wires, ground for screening on another. Guitars, CD players, tape decks etc use the screen to do two jobs - pass the audio AND keep the hums out.

In an XLR pin 1 is ALWAYS ground - the other two are the signal. To unbalance them, just connect one of the audio lines to the ground - job done - you cut three wires down to two with one little extra wire inside the connector. Strictly speaking you lose a little signal that you simply won't notice, and you lose the hum cancellation feature.

My first mic was an SM57 in 1974ish and my reel to reel had ¼" unbalanced jack sockets for mics. It worked absolutely fine once I hacked off the XLR male and swapped it for a Jack plug and did the wiring as above.
Click to expand...
I agree 100% with everything you are saying…that is a reasonable option. I was suggesting the transformer adapter in the event building a custom cable wasn’t reasonable for the OP, or if they wanted a plug-and-play option that maintained the balanced interconnect. I have no idea what the OP’s environment is like as far as environmental interference or how long the cable run is…sure, it’s reasonable to assume it’s all typical and the unbalanced cable run works. But otherwise the OP can always pick up one of these:

https://www.parts-express.com/XLR-F...NcfciYCfLZPtkNuXUdB1OTVHzBwxwxwEaAnZxEALw_wcB
 
The PortaOne is a standard unbalanced input. The XLR to unbalanced TS cable Rob mentioned would take care of everything. Pin 2 is positive to pressure on the SM57, so that would go to the tip.

Portaone.jpg
The SM57 is just about the minimum that you want to use, based on the specs.
PortaLine.jpg
 
I blame music education. Xlr = mic and jack = mic. The teachers probably never knew alternatives exist, like unbalanced mic inputs on jacks and line inputs on XLR. Contemporary practice only, bugger any history!
 
Son and I have used the transformer Sweetbeats linked to on a couple of devices. First on the mic inputs of a Teac A3440 to get an XLR dynamic into it. The near 20dB lift given by the transformer helps the noise performance.
Latterly he has used a similar transformer to boost an SM57 into a Jamman looper to record acoustic guitar.

They are handy things to have around, can be kludged into a scratch DI if needed.

Dave.
 
Hello,

Thank you all for your replies to my previous question. I am extremely lacking in knowledge of analog recording so sorry in advance for my monkey brain questions.

I am currently using this to plug my sm57 into the line in of the Porta one:
Advantage-Interconnect-Cable-1-4-TRS-Male-to-XLR-Female-10-ft-Black-1500000015596.gc

and from what my understanding is I need a transformer adapter to unbalance the balanced mic signal. So would this be what I need?
www.guitarcenter.com

Livewire Essential High Impedance Transformer Adapter 1/4

Shop for the Livewire Essential High Impedance Transformer Adapter 1/4" TS to XLR Female and receive free shipping on your order and the guaranteed lowest price.
www.guitarcenter.com www.guitarcenter.com
 
Your cable has a "balanced" 1/4" plug layout. The PortaOne doesn't need that. You just need an XLR to 1/4" TS plug. Pin 2 of the XLR to the tip of the 1/4" jack. You could tie the sleeve and ring together in the jack if you're handy with a soldering iron, just remember that you've altered the cable as it won't work if you ever try to use it in a balanced application.

The impedance matching transformer shouldn't be needed, although I don't think it will hurt anything. The impedance of the PortaOne is 10K ohms which about what most hi impedance mics are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top