Canon MA100 and Rode mic problem at DVinfo.net

Ed Space · March 23rd, 2009, 03:38 AM

I have a MA100 connected to a new Rode shotgun XLR mic on a XL1S. I'm only showing one channel on the monitor and hearing one channel on the headset. The left channel if I plug the mic in the left sockett of the MA100, or the right channel if I plug in the right sockett. I set up the mode right. What am I missing here?

Ed Space

Steve House · March 23rd, 2009, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Space

I have a MA100 connected to a new Rode shotgun XLR mic on a XL1S. I'm only showing one channel on the monitor and hearing one channel on the headset. The left channel if I plug the mic in the left sockett of the MA100, or the right channel if I plug in the right sockett. I set up the mode right. What am I missing here?

Ed Space

The mic is a mono mic. Check your manual to see how to setup the inputs so a mic plugged into channel 1 is fed to both recording channels 1 and 2.

Jay Massengill · March 23rd, 2009, 10:54 AM

I don't think there's a menu setting to have the XL-1S put a single input to both recording channels. I remember having to use an RCA Y-connector to go from the appropriate RCA output of the MA-100 into both RCA jacks on the camera. Leave the unused RCA feed from the MA-100 disconnected.
If the level of your mic is too hot for the mic-only MA-100 and the camera's input, set the input level to Mic Attenuate.
Be certain to listen carefully for distortion even if the meter reads low. If you overdrive the camera's input with a hot signal, distortion will occur before the meters and the level controls.
There's only one level control, but you can use the balance control to adjust between the two tracks. Of course this is just two-channels of the same mono signal, not stereo.
Again if you overdrive the camera input, even having one channel balanced to a much lower level won't save you from distortion.

Ed Space · March 24th, 2009, 12:33 AM

Thanks Steve,
Per manual, I set VCR menu to 16 bit Audio 1 in—mic. Selecting audio 1 on the input selector was the only way I got audio, but only on one channel. I checked the camera with camera mic and got L&R channels. With MA100 I get left channel with mic plugged in left socket or right channel with right plugged in right socket. Am I missing a piece of hardware?
Ed Space

Ed Space · March 24th, 2009, 01:12 AM

Thanks Jay,
I have a L&R feed form the MA100 to the camera. I get left channel when mic plugged in left side of MA100 and right channel when plugged into left side. Am I missing a piece of hardware? Ed Space

Steve House · March 24th, 2009, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Space

Thanks Jay,
I have a L&R feed form the MA100 to the camera. I get left channel when mic plugged in left side of MA100 and right channel when plugged into left side. Am I missing a piece of hardware? Ed Space

Built in mic is stereo, Rode mic is mono and only feeds one channel of the MA100. You could get a RCA female to two RCA male "Y" cable splitter if you really want to record dual mono. Take the output channel of the MA100 that the mic appears on and use the adapter to route it to both the L & R camera inputs but before you do, ask yourself why bother. It's just as easy and more reliable (extra connectors stacked on top of each other up the chance of something working loose during a shoot) to take care of it in post. Record the mic on one channel and pan the resulting mono track equally between both L & R channels in post. Remember dialog is virtually always recorded in mono in the studio world.

Ed Space · March 24th, 2009, 04:29 PM

Thanks again, Steve.
This forum and it's helpfull members never ceases to amaze me. Your solution to my problem is brilliant in it's simplicity. I shall do exactly what you suggest. Ed Space

March 23rd, 2009, 03:38 AM	#1
Ed Space Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Campbell, California Posts: 62	Canon MA100 and Rode mic problem I have a MA100 connected to a new Rode shotgun XLR mic on a XL1S. I'm only showing one channel on the monitor and hearing one channel on the headset. The left channel if I plug the mic in the left sockett of the MA100, or the right channel if I plug in the right sockett. I set up the mode right. What am I missing here? Ed Space __________________ uwrite

March 24th, 2009, 12:33 AM	#4
Ed Space Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Campbell, California Posts: 62	Problem with MA100 on XL1S Thanks Steve, Per manual, I set VCR menu to 16 bit Audio 1 in—mic. Selecting audio 1 on the input selector was the only way I got audio, but only on one channel. I checked the camera with camera mic and got L&R channels. With MA100 I get left channel with mic plugged in left socket or right channel with right plugged in right socket. Am I missing a piece of hardware? Ed Space __________________ uwrite

March 24th, 2009, 01:12 AM	#5
Ed Space Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Campbell, California Posts: 62	Problem with MA100 and XLR mic on XL1S Thanks Jay, I have a L&R feed form the MA100 to the camera. I get left channel when mic plugged in left side of MA100 and right channel when plugged into left side. Am I missing a piece of hardware? Ed Space __________________ uwrite

March 24th, 2009, 04:29 PM	#7
Ed Space Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Campbell, California Posts: 62	Problem with MA100 on XL1S Thanks again, Steve. This forum and it's helpfull members never ceases to amaze me. Your solution to my problem is brilliant in it's simplicity. I shall do exactly what you suggest. Ed Space __________________ uwrite

March 23rd, 2009, 10:54 AM	#3
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	I don't think there's a menu setting to have the XL-1S put a single input to both recording channels. I remember having to use an RCA Y-connector to go from the appropriate RCA output of the MA-100 into both RCA jacks on the camera. Leave the unused RCA feed from the MA-100 disconnected. If the level of your mic is too hot for the mic-only MA-100 and the camera's input, set the input level to Mic Attenuate. Be certain to listen carefully for distortion even if the meter reads low. If you overdrive the camera's input with a hot signal, distortion will occur before the meters and the level controls. There's only one level control, but you can use the balance control to adjust between the two tracks. Of course this is just two-channels of the same mono signal, not stereo. Again if you overdrive the camera input, even having one channel balanced to a much lower level won't save you from distortion.