Any way to phantom power ME-2 lav without cutting the wires? at DVinfo.net

Dave Largent · June 22nd, 2005, 03:35 AM

This is the lav that comes with the Sennheiser
G2 wireless system, with a locking 1/8"
miniplug. Any adapter that could be purchased
to plug the ME-2 into a mixer with 48V phantom
and have the mixer power the mic?
i think the answer is no but ...

Guy Bruner · June 22nd, 2005, 07:16 AM

Dave,
You might want to take a look at the Giant Squid battery box. http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com...atterybox.html

Vic Owen · June 22nd, 2005, 02:32 PM

I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to plug my ME-2 lav into a mini-to-XLR adapter and run it into my MixPre. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work....am I missing something?

Dave Largent · June 22nd, 2005, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic Owen

I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to plug my ME-2 lav into a mini-to-XLR adapter and run it into my MixPre. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work....am I missing something?

Well, that mic needs phantom power and I don't
think phantom will flow over a miniplug.

Vic Owen · June 22nd, 2005, 10:22 PM

Since the mic needs phantom power, it normally must be provided by the SK-100 transmitter, via the mini-jack. Electrically, the mini-plug should pass the phantom voltage regardless from where it comes. My guess is that, as long as an XLR-to-mini jack adapter is wired correctly, it should work just fine.

I haven't had a chance to play around with the Senn evo G2 kit yet, so there might be some other problem I'm not aware of.....

Cheers

Dave Largent · June 23rd, 2005, 01:49 AM

I think it would have to be an adapter for
a locking miniplug. I don't think that mic will
plug in to a regular miniplug socket all the way
because the locking nut on it prevents complete
insertion.
I haven't seen any adapters around that would
allow you to go locking female miniplug to XLR.

Vic Owen · June 23rd, 2005, 09:23 AM

I'll check it out when I get home -- I have several 3.5mm jacks lying around the bench. If necessary, the locking jacks shouldn't be that difficult to find.

My intent is to run either a pair of lavs (or some other mics) from 2 podiums into my MixPre and then route the padded-down output into the Senn SK-100. This should eliminate the need to have 2 wireless systems on the XL-1.

Stephanie Wilson · June 23rd, 2005, 06:16 PM

Dear Dave,

I don't know of any way to power a wireless MIC by cutting wires or powering it through the mixer. But powering the mic through the mixer and then to the camera by phantom power is very do-able. You can purchase a mini to female XLR cable which will provide power from your mixer to your wireless receiver. Juice should run through your mini with no problem. I bought my adaptor cable at www.northernsound.net for $48. The solution to your phantom issue is to open up the battery compartment of your mixer and find the tiny little switch that is next to each of the 3 labeled inputs. One position says +48v. Switch any or all of your inputs to that and your mixer will provide phantom power to any or all of those.

Also, you can run an on-board receiver on phantom power without a mixer if your camera has a +48v option on it's audio input selection. The camera battery provides the power to the transmittor.

Much luck,
Stephanie

Vic Owen · June 23rd, 2005, 10:42 PM

Dave--

I checked the ME-2 plug in a couple of my 3.5mm jacks -- they worked OK. You were correct in the useable plug length being shorter due to the locking ring; however, the ring screwed onto the threads on the jack just fine. I made up a mini-to-XLR and it worked OK. You just need to insure that you have some threads available on the jack. If you're handy with a soldering iron, it's lots cheaper than the commercial devices.

Dave Largent · June 24th, 2005, 07:46 AM

Vic, I was just experimenting with pushing the
ME-2 miniplug in part way, rather than fully,
and found that you can get a recording with it
part way, but it sounds different from being
fully plugged in. I did this test using the Senn
wireless transmitter. Just hope you are getting
it plugged in all the way. Never have tried using the
ME-2 with a non-threaded jack.

Stephanie Wilson · June 25th, 2005, 01:39 AM

There is a reason the mic sounds "different" when you don't plug the ME-2 mini plug all the way in. If you look at the connector you should see two lines etched into the plug. The first is mono and the second is stereo. As a result if you only push it in to the first line (half-way) you will only hear a mono signal, but if you push it past the second etched line you will hear a stereo signal.

Good luck,

Stephanie

Ty Ford · June 25th, 2005, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephanie Wilson

There is a reason the mic sounds "different" when you don't plug the ME-2 mini plug all the way in. If you look at the connector you should see two lines etched into the plug. The first is mono and the second is stereo. As a result if you only push it in to the first line (half-way) you will only hear a mono signal, but if you push it past the second etched line you will hear a stereo signal.

Good luck,

Stephanie

The ME-2 is an omni mic. It is not a stereo mic.

If you plug a mono mic into an unbalancced stereo input, you will frequently get "something" but it's not right. Technically, you end up with the positive peaks on one channnel and the negative peaks on the other. It won't sound very good in post if it sounds at all.

I cover a bunch of "audio connection plumbing" stuff in my book.

BTW, if you have a broadband connection, I has recently uploaded a tutorial on mic choices. It's an MP4. Look for it by going to my site, click on On Line Arcive in column #2, click on video folder.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Dave Largent · June 27th, 2005, 03:15 AM

I found out that the ME-2 doesen't even need
phantom power, atleast the usual 9-48V, to
work. I hooked the ME-2 up to a minidisc
(which probably supplies about 3 volts) and
it worked better than the lav I had been using
with the minidisc. The hookup of the
locking Sennheiser to the MD required a
cheap Radio Shack adapter to get a secure
connection.

June 22nd, 2005, 03:35 AM	#1
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Any way to phantom power ME-2 lav without cutting the wires? This is the lav that comes with the Sennheiser G2 wireless system, with a locking 1/8" miniplug. Any adapter that could be purchased to plug the ME-2 into a mixer with 48V phantom and have the mixer power the mic? i think the answer is no but ...

June 22nd, 2005, 02:32 PM	#3
Vic Owen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 540	I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to plug my ME-2 lav into a mini-to-XLR adapter and run it into my MixPre. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work....am I missing something? __________________ -- Vic Owen --

June 22nd, 2005, 10:22 PM	#5
Vic Owen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 540	Since the mic needs phantom power, it normally must be provided by the SK-100 transmitter, via the mini-jack. Electrically, the mini-plug should pass the phantom voltage regardless from where it comes. My guess is that, as long as an XLR-to-mini jack adapter is wired correctly, it should work just fine. I haven't had a chance to play around with the Senn evo G2 kit yet, so there might be some other problem I'm not aware of..... Cheers __________________ -- Vic Owen --

June 23rd, 2005, 09:23 AM	#7
Vic Owen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 540	I'll check it out when I get home -- I have several 3.5mm jacks lying around the bench. If necessary, the locking jacks shouldn't be that difficult to find. My intent is to run either a pair of lavs (or some other mics) from 2 podiums into my MixPre and then route the padded-down output into the Senn SK-100. This should eliminate the need to have 2 wireless systems on the XL-1. __________________ -- Vic Owen --

June 23rd, 2005, 06:16 PM	#8
Stephanie Wilson Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sherman Oaks CA Posts: 255	Phantom power for wireless Dear Dave, I don't know of any way to power a wireless MIC by cutting wires or powering it through the mixer. But powering the mic through the mixer and then to the camera by phantom power is very do-able. You can purchase a mini to female XLR cable which will provide power from your mixer to your wireless receiver. Juice should run through your mini with no problem. I bought my adaptor cable at www.northernsound.net for $48. The solution to your phantom issue is to open up the battery compartment of your mixer and find the tiny little switch that is next to each of the 3 labeled inputs. One position says +48v. Switch any or all of your inputs to that and your mixer will provide phantom power to any or all of those. Also, you can run an on-board receiver on phantom power without a mixer if your camera has a +48v option on it's audio input selection. The camera battery provides the power to the transmittor. Much luck, Stephanie

June 22nd, 2005, 07:16 AM	#2
Guy Bruner Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ashford, AL Posts: 937	Dave, You might want to take a look at the Giant Squid battery box. http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com...atterybox.html

June 23rd, 2005, 01:49 AM	#6
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	I think it would have to be an adapter for a locking miniplug. I don't think that mic will plug in to a regular miniplug socket all the way because the locking nut on it prevents complete insertion. I haven't seen any adapters around that would allow you to go locking female miniplug to XLR.

June 23rd, 2005, 10:42 PM	#9
Vic Owen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 540	Dave-- I checked the ME-2 plug in a couple of my 3.5mm jacks -- they worked OK. You were correct in the useable plug length being shorter due to the locking ring; however, the ring screwed onto the threads on the jack just fine. I made up a mini-to-XLR and it worked OK. You just need to insure that you have some threads available on the jack. If you're handy with a soldering iron, it's lots cheaper than the commercial devices. __________________ -- Vic Owen --

June 24th, 2005, 07:46 AM	#10
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Vic, I was just experimenting with pushing the ME-2 miniplug in part way, rather than fully, and found that you can get a recording with it part way, but it sounds different from being fully plugged in. I did this test using the Senn wireless transmitter. Just hope you are getting it plugged in all the way. Never have tried using the ME-2 with a non-threaded jack.

June 25th, 2005, 01:39 AM	#11
Stephanie Wilson Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sherman Oaks CA Posts: 255	There is a reason the mic sounds "different" when you don't plug the ME-2 mini plug all the way in. If you look at the connector you should see two lines etched into the plug. The first is mono and the second is stereo. As a result if you only push it in to the first line (half-way) you will only hear a mono signal, but if you push it past the second etched line you will hear a stereo signal. Good luck, Stephanie

June 27th, 2005, 03:15 AM	#13
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	I found out that the ME-2 doesen't even need phantom power, atleast the usual 9-48V, to work. I hooked the ME-2 up to a minidisc (which probably supplies about 3 volts) and it worked better than the lav I had been using with the minidisc. The hookup of the locking Sennheiser to the MD required a cheap Radio Shack adapter to get a secure connection.