The common XLR adapters include models from Beachtek (http://www.beachtek.com), Sign Video (http://www.signvideo.com), and Studio 1 Productions (http://www.studio1productions.com). Each has advantages and disadvantages, and you can probably find users more than willing to share their opinions about them here and in other forums. One possible issue as you evaluate them is cable dress/management and control positions. Will they be convenient and/or in the way for what you are doing.

But I've not used them (can't speak to battery life) - I've been quite satisfied with the MA-100. And it provides the nice shoulder mount and accessory mounting platform to boot which none of the others have. But if doing 4-channel sound, a second adapter is nice to have.

I received the replacement MA100, but the problem remained. Still a high-pitched hiss/squeal. It sounds like someone blew up a balloon and is squeezing the tip to slowly let the air out. I'm sending the replacement back to BH today.

I think I'm going to go with either a Beachtek DXA-6 or a DXA-4P. My big questions now is "how important to me would it be to buy an adapter with phantom power?" My microphone can be powered by a battery and as far as I know Beachtek has a decent preamp, so why would I need phantom power?

Is it just because in the future I may find myself with a battery that requires phantom power... and then I'll wish I spent the extra $70?

Is there another advantage to phantom power that I am over looking?

The primary advantage to phantom power is the wider selection of microphones. A second potential advantage is that some microphones have somewhat better output characteristics with phantom power than with battery power; e.g., a wider dynamic range, lower output impedance, or higher sound pressure levels for same level of distortion. But you will have to read the mic specs carefully to see if it applies to the mic you are considering.

Only you can answer whether or not it is a worthwhile benefit to you.

It appears that the phantom power plug for my MA-100 is shot. Wiggle that puppy up at the flexible part right by the plug and the mic goes on and off. But I can't find a replacement plug anywhere. Tried Fry's, Radio Shack, etc, Any suggestions where to get a new plug? I tried a search in the threads and came up empty. Need this solved ASAP as I have a shoot this weekend! Argh!

Jim

Just for clarification, that's not phantom power for the mic, it's dc power for the mic pre-amps in the MA-100.

Nevertheless, you might have to go with a more robust electronics store. We have a couple like that in Dallas with a lot more variety than the typical RS.

Look to see if Arrow Electronics or Allied Electronics might have what you need and a location that's local to you.

-gb-

Thanks, Greg.
Any idea how I describe this thing over the phone? Like "It's a 1/8th inch whosieewhatsie blah blah blah?" Everyone keeps trying to sell me a mono or stereo mini audio plug to replace it and I hold it up side by side and you can clearly see the difference.

Jim

What is the difference? (I ask as I've never seen a MA100 or associated connectors). Any chance of a piccie?


CS

Thanks, Greg.
Any idea how I describe this thing over the phone? Like "It's a 1/8th inch whosieewhatsie blah blah blah?" Everyone keeps trying to sell me a mono or stereo mini audio plug to replace it and I hold it up side by side and you can clearly see the difference.

Jim

Sorry Jim, I know it's smaller than the standard 1/8 (or 3mm) mini-phone jack. There is a slightly smaller size plug which IIRC is a 3/32 phone plug. I believe that's the size of the LANC connector (same size as many cell phone head sets). I haven't had my XL-1 for awhile so I can't check it out. I looked in my old Owner's manual and it doesn't say what size either.

-gb-

It is a 2.5 mm sub-mini mono phone plug. (aka 3/32" mono phone plug).

Some Radio Shack stores do carry them: part #274-290

It is a 2.5 mm sub-mini mono phone plug. (aka 3/32" mono phone plug).

Some Radio Shack stores do carry them: part #274-290


That's a little vague, Don. Could you be a tad more specific? LOL! Thanks! The only way you could have been more helpful is to have knocked on my door, part in hand!

Jim

It is a 2.5 mm sub-mini mono phone plug. (aka 3/32" mono phone plug).

Some Radio Shack stores do carry them: part #274-290

Was hoping you'd see this and respond, Don. Knew I could count on you to shake the fuzz out of my memory banks.

-gb-

[Quote}The only way you could have been more helpful is to have knocked on my door, part in hand! [/Quote]

And a soldering iron in the other hand?

Good luck in the repair. Not sure about the mic wiring, but based on the XL1 body wiring, you may find that the power connector only uses the tip of the connector for the +5 volts, and the ground return is through the common ground lead of the 3.5mm stereo audio plug.

Realized I never ended my repair story. I know that some of you have been wondering day in and day out "Did Jim fix his rig?" LOL

The $3.99 fix that saved my shoot. I had been to Radio Shack before and they could not match the plug. But with Don's description I was able to look it up on their website, print the page and take it to them and say this is what I want.

"Oh, I guess we DO have that. . ."

Thanks Don!

Jim

Thank heavens, now I can sleep again.

You goof ball!

Ha ha ha!

Do y'all realize this thread started 6 years ago!? I can be away for a year and pick up where I left off.

Ahh, DVInfo - there's nothing like it.

There's a reason for that, Ozzie... I gathered up all of the MA-100 discussions I could find and combined them into one big thread. Just trying to keep things consolidated. Cheers,

Ah ha! Very smart of you, Chris. Now-a-days I have so much to talk about, mainly questions, that I'm overwhelmed and end up just reading instead.

Merry Christmas!

Just recently I bought an MA100 to adapt an AT-897 mic to my Canon Xl-1 through the audio 1 input. For some reason, the MA100 is not outputting to the camera in stereo. During record and playback only one channel can be heard through the headphones. I've connected it with an XLR cable that I use in my home studio, so I wouldn't see why that would be the problem. When you use the stock microphone through the mic input the sound is in stereo. When you plug the XlR into the right input of the MA100, it's only heard out of the right earphone. If you plug it into the left input it's only heard out of the left earphone. The only thing I could think of to fix this is to use an adaptor to connect two XLR cables to one microphone. Or maybe the MA100 is intended to be used with two mics. Either way, that's pretty stupid so it can't be right. Does anyone know what's going on?

Thanks,
Nathan Reece

Hi Nathan,

Based on your description, there's nothing wrong with your MA-100 and everything is working properly. Your Audio-Technica shotgun mic is monophonic, so one channel is all you should expect from it. In other words, there's nothing to fix. The stock mic is stereo, so it produces two channels. The 897 is mono, so it only produces one channel. Hope this helps,

Or maybe the MA100 is intended to be used with two mics. Either way, that's pretty stupid so it can't be right. Does anyone know what's going on?

Bingo. The MA100 provides input connections for two mics, and outputs for the same two mics. A typical configuration is one mic to the left and one to the right channel for stereo or for two channels, depending on your mode of operartion. If you need an external stereo mic, consider the AT-825.

If doing mono work you could pan the single mic to both channels in post (that is what most folks will do) , or you could add a bit of weight to you rig and use an "Y" adapter to feed the mic signal to both channels.