Are these any good? XLR to Jack

Art Angel · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2008, 11:43 PM

Rode VXLR VideoMic XLR Adaptor | Dolphin Music

I've just bought a Canon XH A1. I already use a Canon XM2 and with it the Sennheiser MK300 mic which uses a mini Jack. The XH A1 is XLR. I want to know two things.

1. Any advice on good XLR shotgun mics for under £200

2. I still want to use the Sennheiser MK300 - are these adaptors any good?
Rode VXLR VideoMic XLR Adaptor | Dolphin Music

Thanks people.

MarkOneMusic · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 09:24 AM

It's an adapter. What more is there to say? It'll be fine for any mic with a mini-jack.

As to sub £200 shotgun mics - This one has a really nice spec (but I don't own one, so I can't say for sure how good it is) Beyerdynamic MCE 86 II.2 Condenser Shotgun Microph at DV247.COM - Needs Phantom Power. I've always liked Bayer Dynamic stuff for audio

And then there are the Rode mics - This one for instance: Rode NTG-2 Lightweight Condenser Shotgun Microphon at DV247.COM

Mark W · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 10:36 AM

I am sure the adaptor will work fine but a much better soloution is to get a XLR soldered onto the lead for the mike. I have had numerous probs with adaptors over the years, they are sometimes the source of crackles from poor connections as you move about - something the xlr is designed to avoid.

Art Angel · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 11:36 AM

Thanks for the replies. I actually had to re-solder my MKE300 mic due to cutting out but I'd rather keep using that mic for my XM2. That might be my preferred option though with a new mic. surely there are decent mics under Â£200 that ARE XLR though??? Perhaps not.

Going to check them out now. Thanks again

Mark W · #5 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 11:45 AM

I have a sony c74 s gun mic that i no longer use if you are interested in purchasing it.

It is a genuine top quality mic and was big bucks new. I paid 200 on e bay 3 years back. It uses a fiddly to find battery that lasts 50 to 100 hours and I kept leving it turned on accidently and I got bored of buying betteries for it.

I am broke as susual, make me an offer if you are interested.

Art Angel · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 12:01 PM

My Network is slow at the mo. Just trying to check your mic out on the net....would be very interested.

OK, the C74 mics brand new are
What I would have to base my offer on would be Â£130 for a brand new or less for your mic

Art Angel · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 12:11 PM

Believe it or not I'm struggling to find one on the net? Based on what I said earlier how does £100 sound??

Mark W · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:01 PM

Google Image Result for http://www.sanyo-densi.com/dai2/sony_c74_01.jpg ( mic only, not the cage / case in the pic.)

£ 100 sounds good to me. Let me get a pic of the actual mic and pm it to you. Will do today.

Art Angel · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:11 PM

Sounds great Mark. Thanks. Would I need a cage to use it?

Jerry Hill · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:23 PM

If you do ever go for the adaptor a good tip is to always give the mini jack plug a few twists when you plug it in, this cleans up the contacting surfaces of the conductors, and loop the cable around so that's it's parallel to the body of the adaptor and use a vecro strap/tape/elastic band to hold it there, that prevents any potential for differing pressures on the contacts which can show as a crackle when the plug is disturbed.

XLR's use a 'balanced line' principle, which is quite clever, when noise is generated in a normal signal cable you're going to hear it, in a balanced line for every positive voltage of noise generated there's an equal and opposite negative one, so they cancel each other out.

Sorry, just tought I'd say that!

Typically I was about to start looking for mics soon, so if anyone else has something decent up for grabs please let me know. There's a few other bits I'd like, so I'll put a proper request in the wanted section soon.