Will using an XLR to 1/4" jack convertor affect mic performance/quality

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diskobox

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i want to record three condensor mics simultaneously but i only have 2 XLR inputs, if i use and XLR to jack convertor for one will the frequency response/performance suffer?

cheers
 
You won't be able to supply phantom power to the third condenser mic. If the mic doesn't need phantom power, the adaptor will work, but will give you a high impedance signal, so you would need a high impedance input, or it would sound terrible.

If you want to plug the third mic into a line input, what you need is a preamp.
 
i have a seperate box which can give the mic phantom power, and the desk im plugging it into with the jack input has its own preamp,

so will the performance be affected?
 
Can you explain in more detail your set up. What specifically is the gear you are using? "jack" is a pretty generic term, so it's not really describing what you want to do.

mshilarious is correct, you can't just plug a mic straight into a line input.

So I'm assuming this is your set up.

two condensor mics into the XLR mic ins on our board (or whatever you're using).

Is your seperate box that supplies phantom power a stand alone mic pre? If it is, you just plug the third mic into that box, and take a line out of that box into the line in of your desk, that will work fine.

If you need to go from XLR line level to 1/4" line level, getting a barrell (or a cable made that way) will not be a problem. However you should confirm whether the 1/4" jacks want to recieve a balanced or unbalanced connection, and that will determine whether you want to get a balanced (TRS) or unbalanced (TS) 1/4" end.

You might get a better connection with an actual cable (XLR end -> 1/4" end) than a barrell/converter.
 
diskobox said:
i have a seperate box which can give the mic phantom power, and the desk im plugging it into with the jack input has its own preamp,

so will the performance be affected?
Click to expand...
Yes, because you will be feeding a low impedance signal into a high impedance input. The adapter isn't going to effect the sound, the type of input on you mixer will.

You can get xlr to 1/4 adapters with transformers in them that fix the impedance problem. http://www.radioshack.com/sm-a3f-xlr-jack-to-1-4-plug-adapter-transformer--pi-2062443.html

In this case, you cannot get away with using just an xlr to 1/4 cable.
 
its a mic input, so does that mean i don't need a transformer?
 
What exactly are you using? 1/4 inch mic inputs aren't very common.

Anyway, condenser mics are expecting to see someing between 300 and 1200 ohms.
 
its a tascam 488

u can plug either XLR or 1/4" jack into some of the channels, both work in the same way, so all i want to know, is if i use the convertor from XLR to 1/4" jack,

will the performance be affected?
 
diskobox said:
its a tascam 488

u can plug either XLR or 1/4" jack into some of the channels, both work in the same way, so all i want to know, is if i use the convertor from XLR to 1/4" jack,

will the performance be affected?
Click to expand...
As long as you use the transformer converter (like the one in my link), you will be fine.
 
I think you're confused. Each channel has a XLR and a 1/4" input, but they are not the same thing. The XLR input is a mic level input that then goes a pre-amp which boosts the low level, low impedance mic signal.

The 1/4" input is going to be line or instrument level. Unless it's a consumer grade radio shack desk, that 5.8k impedance is probably not a mic input. If that 1/4" input really is a high impedance mic input, then I'm not sure how plugging a line leve signal (from your external box) into that matches up. However, the fact that you are mixing XLR-1/4" is just fine.

So, take the XLR Output (which should be line level) of your external mic pre (with the phantom power) and connect that to the 1/4" live level input on your Tascam. As I said in my first post, this will not be a problem. But I would recommend getting a hard-wired XLR-1/4" cable, as this might have less contact issues down the line than using a barrell.
And again, you need to konw if the 1/4" in on the tascam wants a balanced or unbalanced connection (it probably takes either, I'm guessing).
 
FARVIEW -

but you said i only need the transformer if the input is high impedance. and it is only high impedance if it is a line input.

it is not a line input it is a mic input
 
RAK

if you plug SM57 in the XLR and the 1/4" input seperately, the levels are the same,

it is a mic input, not a line level input

p.s. i've already said, ther is no external mic pre, the external box simply provides phantom power

the 1/4" jack input on the desk has its own gain knob cos it is a mic input


basically i need to try this out for myself,

what is the worst that will happen if i use the XLR to 1/4" jack convertor? i have used it before with an SM57 and it worked fine, i was just wondering if the quality would be degraded
 
I just edited my earlier post as you were posting that, re-read it.

If it really is a high imedance mic input, then plugging in a line-level signal is probably okay, and if you know that it is, then you're set.

Doesn't the Tascam have any sort of switch that you can change the input level?

I remember when I had a Fostex multi-track cassette recorder with 1/4" Ins you could set the input level to low/med/hi (mic/guitar/keyboards) for example.
 
diskobox said:
no you are wrong,

e.g. if you plug an plugged and SM57 in the XLR and the 1/4" input seperately, the levels are the same,

it is a mic input, not a line level input

p.s. i've already said, ther is no external mic pre, the external box simply provides phantom power

the 1/4" jack input on the desk has its own gain knob cos it is a mic input


basically i need to try this out for myself,

what is the worst that will happen if i use the XLR to 1/4" jack convertor? i have used it before with an SM57 and it worked fine, i was just wondering if the quality would be degraded
Click to expand...


This has been said a few times. Nothing bad will happen.
As a point of order, line level inputs have gain knobs too. that doesn't make it a mic input.
 
Okay, here's the thing (after re-reading your latest post)

You are taking a low impedance microphone condensor microphone, running through the phantom power supply (which you're saying does not boost the signal) so then coming out of the phantom power supply you still have a low level, low impedance mic signal.

now you want to plug that low impedance/low level mic signal into the high impedance mic input on the Tascam.

I don't think that will work
 
we're just trying to help.

is this the original tascam 488, or the 488mkII Portastudio?
 
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