I have a GL 1. I have the Beachtek DX 6. I have the Behringer MBX 1002 mixer and a Sennheiser ME64 with K6 mic. The way I have it setup now is:
Mic XL2 to Mixer. A y cable 1/4 phone to XLR Plug (left and right channel phone plug into a single XLR Cable) from the output from the mixer to the XLR input of the Beachtek. Then the beachtek mini plug into the GL1.

Is that the best way to do it?


Any suggestions on the Best Behringer MBX 1002 settings?

You shouldn't be using a Y cable from the mixer to the BeachTek.
You should use two standard 1/4-inch TRS to XLR male cables, connected between the mixer's main outs and the BeachTek inputs.
Read the manuals for the mixer and the BeachTek to determine proper operation for your situations.

That's the problem - neither the mixer or the beachtek have good manuals. What is TRS?

That stands for Tip, Ring, Sleeve. It's the standard connector for a balanced 1/4-inch plug that has three conductors. These three conductors carry a single balanced audio signal to the XLR male connector's three pins. You would use two of these cables to carry the mixer's left and right main output to the BeachTek's left and right inputs. Set the BeachTek to "Stereo".
Set the Pan control on the input of the Behringer where your mic is plugged in to determine which channel or channels of the camera it goes to.
Definitely read the section in the Behringer manual about setting the input trim control.

The 1/4 Phone Cables I have do have Ring and Sleeve written on the cable. One of the Y Cables says Ring and the other says Sleeve (I think in that order - don't have it in front of me). What is strange is the left output isnt putting out a signal - just the right... When you say input trim control - are you talking the gain?

The Y cable isn't for this application at all. That's what's causing your problems. You need two separate cables that are wired for carrying standard balanced mono audio.
Yes, gain is what I was calling trim. Behringer refers to that control as gain.

I figured the stereo signal would be taken from the Y Cable into the 1/4 phone plug cable in stereo - obviously not.

What is the purpose of a Y Cable?

Also - this is along the lines of what you are talking about... I have a stereo system. I have a Sony Headset. I stick the Headset 1/4 plug directly into the Stereo and I get Stereo. If I stick the 1/4 plug of the headset into a 1/4 patch cable that then goes into the stereo - I got sound in only one side of the headset.
Question - as you sound like you know what you are talking about:
1. How come this happens - I would think stereo going in, same plug - stereo coming out.
2. How can I use a patch cable (I need the length) so I get stereo...

There are three different types of audio here that use the same kind of connector.
A stereo connection uses 3 conductors to carry two different signals (Left and Right) and a shared ground connection.
A balanced mono connection also uses 3 conductors, but they are carrying a positive copy of a mono signal, a negative copy of the same mono signal and a ground connection.
A "Y" cable is for an additional type of hookup where the 3 conductors are used for carrying an output on one conductor, an input on the other and a shared ground on the third.
The three systems don't work directly together even though they are included in the same device, like an audio mixer for example, and use the same style connector. Each has its own separate function.

Ok - you are speaking a little over my head on this...
So, is a 1/4 Phono plug a mono or a stereo cable?
Basically it's a 25 ft cable that goes between the stereo receiver and my headphones - but the volume now coming to my headphones is mono. When I take the cable out and plug the headset right into the stereo its stereo.. Question are all 14/ phone plugs mono or can you get a stereo? I bought it from B&H and it didnt state which one...

If the 1/4-inch phone connector only has two conductors, it's got to be mono. If it has three conductors, then it has to be one of the 3 examples I wrote in my last reply, which can be either mono or stereo or input/output. So it depends on how the cable is wired and what you're connecting it to on each end.

Any way to tell which one it is?

Problem with buying from B&H - on some of the cables - they dont tell you.

It sounds like the Y cable you have is designed for a stereo to dual-mono conversion. Since your mixer probably already has separate left and right outputs, you don't need this. Also, this Y cable is not balanced. Hide it somewhere so you won't be tempted to use it.

I couldn't find the MBX1002 on Behringer's website to confirm its setup, but I think this is the wiring design that you're looking for:

1. Plug the ME64/K6 mic into the mixer via an XLR cable.
2. Find two separate cables with a single 1/4" TRS connector on one end and a single XLR connector on the other.
3. Plug one of these into the 1/4" Left Out on the mixer and the XLR Left In on the Beachtek.
4. Plug the other into the 1/4" Right Out on the mixer and the XLR Right In on the Beachtek.

I'm curious, though. Why not just plug the K6 mic right into the Beachtek directly?

Telling mono from stereo: If it has two silver/gold areas on the end (including the tip), it's definitely unbalanced mono.

I can see how this could be confusing -- hang in there and you'll eventually get it.

The website for my mixer is:
http://www.behringer.com/MXB1002/index.cfm?lang=ENG

The reason why I dont plug the mic right into the beachtek is because the mixer can increase the volume and I have more control over the sound. It sounds better than just putting the mic right into the beachtek.

Thanks for the mixer link. I think this is the cable that Jay was originally referring to:

XLR Male to 1/4" TRS Male Cable
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=296874&is=REG

Notice in the picture how the 1/4" end has three silver areas and two white stripes (insulators). You would use two of these cables to go from the mixer's outputs to the Beachtek.

The key here is that it's a mono 1/4" **TRS** cable, which implies that it's balanced.

Look on page 6 of your Behringer manual, it gives detailed descriptions and pictures of the connectors we're talking about and how the different signals are carried.

I have seen that before. It shows the connectors... yes, but not the optimal way to wire it all up with a mic to the camera.

I have the same mixer that you do, and also a GL1, the only thing different in my setup is that I have a Studio One XLR adapter rather than the Beachtek. So here's how I set up mine:

My XLR microphones (Shotguns, etc) plug into the Behringer Mixer via their XLR cables. The Behringer mixer has two 1/4inch plugins on the TOP RIGHT corner that say MAIN OUT, L and R. I have a balanced pair of cables that have 1/4inch plugs on one end and XLR's on the other end. I plug one in the L and one in the R on the MAIN OUT and run those to the Studio One adapter, one into the adapter's LEFT and one into the adapter's RIGHT. Then the adapter plugs into the GL1 with its miniplug. I end up with no noise that I can hear (no hum, no buzzing).

The balanced pair of 1/4 to XLR cables, I ordered from a guy over the internet, and by balanced, I mean that the cables were tested and have the same signal (impedance, resistance, or something, I'm not an expert in that field). That apparently all but eliminates problems with noise.

Jeremiah

Here is the link to some cables. Is this what you are talking about:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=230876&is=REG

And I plug one of these the MAIN L of the Mixer and the other to the Beachtek and do the same thing with a 2nd cable for MAIN R of the mixer to the Beachtek?


Here is another Kind:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=227825&is=REG

thanks

Those look like the cables that I have, and yes, one each into the L & R MAIN OUTS on your mixer, onto the XLR plugs on your Beachtek.

I really don't understand why they distinguish between stereo and mono. My instinct (and maybe someone could correct me if I'm wrong) is that mono should be better in this case, because you're only sending one channel through each cable.

I suggest you try to find someone who does custom cables. I've looked around my house for the last hour and I can't find the business card of the person I bought my balanced pair from. He was cheaper than any of the online stores (and used the best components too).

I know the box is floating around too. The guy was based on New York and he set up an item on ebay and did the transaction that way. Just can't find the guy's name.

Jeremiah

Those are the type of cable I talked about for connecting between a mixer and an XLR adapter.
They call them "stereo" because more people are aware that the 1/4-inch plug will have 3 conductors. Most people don't know the term "TRS" to mean tip, ring, sleeve.
In this case, while the 1/4-inch end does have a "stereo" connector, the cable doesn't carry a stereo signal. It carries a balanced mono signal. That's why it takes two cables to send Left and Right from the mixer to the BeachTek.
The balanced cables and the balanced circuits in the mixer and BeachTek help eliminate electrical noise and interference that can be picked up in the cable from sources like motors or light dimmers.

I found the guy I bought the cables from, he's no longer making custom cables.

FYI, he used Canare cables with Neutrik connectors. I have the balanced pair 25 feet. If you look on Ebay there are a lot of cable dealers, just don't get crappy materials and you should be fine.

Thanks for the info Jay on the mono/stereo issue. I always wondered about that.

So Mike, just make sure to get the balanced pair, and you should be okay. And make sure that the XLR-ends are the ones you need to plug into your Beachtek.

Jeremiah