Canon XL1 Audio Adapter

[Simon Duncan]

I have a Canon XL1 and have just bought Beyerdynamic M58 microphone for Interviews. I have a mini jack to XLR adapter which I plug in where the On camera mic goes and guess what it don't work. So I have been informed at I require and additional adapter.

I am also looking at the Canon MA-100
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...e_Adapter.html

My question is will this unit power my new mic?
Meaning will I get audio working correctly?

I have been really happy with the picture of this camera for the age of the camera and price but the audio has always been a problem.

So people will the Canon MA-100 adapter work?

Thanks

[Jarrod Whaley]

That's a dynamic mic, so it's not as if it's not working because it isn't being powered correctly by the camera. I see no reason why a simple adapter cable wouldn't work.

Have you tested the mic with some other piece of audio gear to ensure that it does in fact work? What about the adapter? I assume that the jack on the camera is still working with the Canon mic.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Simon Duncan

I have a Canon XL1 and have just bought Beyerdynamic M58 microphone for Interviews. I have a mini jack to XLR adapter which I plug in where the On camera mic goes and guess what it don't work. So I have been informed at I require and additional adapter.

I am also looking at the Canon MA-100
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...e_Adapter.html

My question is will this unit power my new mic?
Meaning will I get audio working correctly?

I have been really happy with the picture of this camera for the age of the camera and price but the audio has always been a problem.

So people will the Canon MA-100 adapter work?

Thanks

As Jarrod Whaley said, that's a dynamic mic and as such does not need any power supplied to it. When you say it isn't working, just exactly what's the symptom ... is it the sound is very low or is there no sound at all?

The first thing I would expect is that you have the wrong adapter cable for that application, as that's often the case. To check it you need a basic multimeter or continuity checker, very low cost at an electronics store such as Radio Shack in the States. IMHO every videograpaher needs to have one in his basic tool kit he carries into the field so if you don't already have one, now is a good time to get one. Look at the XLR connector with a bright light and you'll see tiny numbers beside the holes (f) and pins (m). To be wired properly for connecting a balanced mic to a stereo, unbalanced, mini input, it should be connected as follows - XLR pin 2 to both the TRS tip and the TRS ring, XLR pins 1 & 3 both to TRS sleeve. This is different from adapters wired to take an XLR balanced to a TRS balanced, they go XLR 2 to tip, XLR 3 to ring, and XLR 1 to sleeve. Using that to connect a mono balanced mic to a stereo mic input on a camera will result in all sorts of reversed phasing issues in the resulting recording and possible partial or even complete cancellation. You can also encounter adapters wired XLR 2 and 3 together to tip and XLR 1 to ring and sleeve. These are intended as stereo to mono converters - XLR is sometimes used for unbalanced stereo connections - but with a balanced mic, connecting XLR 2 and 3 together results in a direct short between signal hot and signal cold and no signal comes through.

[Simon Duncan]

Hi Steve,

The problem is when I plug in the microphone using the mini jack to xlr adapter I get no sound at all.

[Cole McDonald]

mini jack on the XL1 is some screwed up level that is neither line, nor mic...I struggled with this for 2 years with no definitive answers (even from this board, which is shocking). Use an XLR > line level adaptor and go in through audio 1 on the back of the handle. beachtek or canon ma100/200. Period, end of story.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Simon Duncan

Hi Steve,

The problem is when I plug in the microphone using the mini jack to xlr adapter I get no sound at all.

Dynamic mics tend to have pretty low output levels. I think the Byerdynamic is down around -58dB as I recall. It may just be that the mic input isn't sensitive enough for that mic to drive it properly. But I'd still checkout the cable wiring first - it depends on where you got the adapter but if you just bought an XLR to mini adapter at the music store instead of one that's explicitly labeled to adapt a mono XLR mic to a mini stereo camcorder mic input, it's very likely that it's not wired correctly.

[Cole McDonald]

I'll be more specific in mine even with adaptors; XLR Mono > mini Mono > mini Stereo, we didn't have any luck.