Extending XL1 Mic Cable

[Barry Gribble]

I would like to try to boom the on-board mic for my XL1 - is there any way to extend the existing cable?

I can't find anything in the documentation that tells what the connectors are... there is a stero mini which I am guessing is the microphone, then another connector which is what? phantom power?

Thanks in advance...

[Don Palomaki]

Correct

The 3.5mm stereo mini phone connector is the mic audio leads, tip = left, ring = right, sleeve = ground.

The 2.5mm mono submini phone connector is the 5 VDC power to the mic. It is not true phantom power. And the ground return for the DC power is the sleeve of the 3.5mm audio connector. (This is to reduce the chance of a short circuit of the power supply by accidently plugging something in to the 2.5mm jack on the XL1.)

Not difficult to build a extension cable if you can find the necessary connectors. Be aware that the mic is unbalanced, so long leads might pickup some noise in electrically busy locations.

[Ken Tanaka]

Barry,
Honestly, even if you manage to rube a boom together for the mic it won't be worth the effort. The XL1's onboard mic is a stereo omni mic, not a shotgun. You will still get oodles of background noise. Plus, if you twist the mic out of its natural left/right orientation you will end up with a very odd-sounding field.

Better to boom a true shotgun mic, even a relatively modestly-priced unit.

[Don Palomaki]

Per the XL1 Service manual, the standard mic has electric capsules, and uses a MS (mid-side) directivity scheme to form the stereo image. I've not seen any directivity plots for the standard mic, but were it true omni, in each channel you probably would not have much of a stereo image.

While not the best option for a boom mic by any means, extender leads is a reasonable way to get it closer to the sound sources/talent, and that will provide an improvement in sound.

[Trig Simon]

I am looking for the same thing. What I want to elimnate is the sound of touching the camera or tripod noise. I would only need about 12' extension.

I will continue to watch your thread to see if anyone has an extension cord. I don't see the problem in the stereo orientation, I am doing theater and will be picking up from 2 xl1s from each side, and gl-2 in the middle.

thanx for letting me hop on

Trig

[Ulrik [fC]]

Sorry for bringing up that very old topic, but I got somehow the same problem.

Some production wants me to do some interviews, but they are not willing to spend any more money for it. Thats why I can't lend any good mic and have to use the one that is attached to the XL1s (which I actually like a lot).

My problem is that I want the standard xl1s mic to be right next to the actors, but I have no idea where to get a "The 2.5mm mono submini phone connector" to build my own extension cable .. I was in various electronic shops all around the city and they never ever saw that cable/ connection .. and it seems as if nobody sells such a cable in germany. (the 3.5mm stereo mini phone is no problem to get).

Any advice for getting such a cable would help me a lot !

Thanks a lot.
Ulrik

[Don Palomaki]

Can't speak to Germany, but Radio Shack has them in the USA. It looks like a standard mono 3.5 mm mini phone jack/plug, but is 2.5 mm in diameter and a bit shorter. (The same connector as on the MA-100 and the smaller plug on the mic.) Maybe if you show the electronics parts folks the connector they can find one.

[Chris Soucy]

Just to clarify this, as, having read through the posts I can see how someone could get a tad confused:

The two connectors on the XL1s are:
1 X 3.5 mm Stereo (Ground, Left, Right)

1 X 2.5 mm Mono (+5 volts - ish)

To make an extension cable (for the supplied Canon mic) you need:

1 X 3.5 mm Stereo Plug
1 X 2.5 mm Mono plug

1 X 3.5 mm Stereo Line socket
1 X 2.5mm Mono Line socket

4 core cable. (I managed to find a 3 core, overall shielded which did the job famously).

For my set up (which worked a treat) I wired the two plugs via flying leads to a 4 pin XLR socket which, with a bit of tape wrapped around it, fitted into the mic holder perfectly. From there I used a matching 4 pin XLR plug to another 4 pin XLR socket, which mated with yet another 4 pin XLR plug taped to the end of the boom. From there two flying leads with the approprate 3.5 & 2.5 mm sockets went to the mic (the two sockets can be taped together giving pretty well a perfect physical separation for the two pin plug on the mic)

It sounds a bit over - kill but it enabled me to set it up and knock it down in no time flat, and the "XLR in the mic holder" trick stopped me ripping the sh*t out of the camera sockets in the event someone tripped over the trailing cable!

I then got all ambitous and built a battery powered "mic to line" amp which let me use the same mic up to 60 feet away with little or no hum pickup (but that's another story).

Hope this is usefull.

Cheers,


Chris

[Don Palomaki]

Just a thought: If going to all that effort, you could add balanced-to-unbalanced transformers at each end (600 ohm-to-600 ohm) and this will give the advantage of balanced cable for most of the distance without needing to use additional amplifiers for the longer cable runs.

[Chris Soucy]

as the amp was designed for both balanced & un balanced I/P and O/P. I tried just the transformers trick but it was such a "noisy" environment and the cable length was so long it really didn't cut the mustard - hence the amp. I designed it to take both types of I/P just to cater for all possible options. Stereo to boot.

Neat little gizmo, still works a treat after all this time. Built like a brick out house!

Cheers,


Chris