only one channel only out of a field recording setup,help!

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:16 am

I've been googling a bit and searching the forum but nothing has come up, so i thought id go ahead and ask.

Basically, Ive got a Rode NT1A > Rolls IIB PB224 Phantom Power Supply > Sony RH1 minidisc recorder.

I'm getting good sound out of it, but it is ONLY in the left ear of the headphone, thats abnormal, right?

The cable from the phantom power unit to the recorder is balanced, but I cant verify if the cable I bought that connects the mic and phantom power is balanced, could that be the issue?

HOWEVER, when I plug in an MXL 990 mic http://www.mxlmics.com/condenser_mic/900_Series/MXL990/mxl990.htm to the same setup,
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I get 2 channels of sound in the headphones.

I just got the mic and phantom power unit used off of ebay, so I have yet to verify that either works properly in other equipment situations.

Very confused, thanks in advance...

-Stephen

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:58 am

What you're experiencing is a result of the fact that that you're monitoring only one of a pair of inputs. This is normal behaviour. You're essentially recording one mono input to a stereo pair.

Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:59 am

ok, i'd read about these mics coming in 'matched pairs' so thats essentially the reason why, that i'm only using one mic instead of two?

to follow up on that, should i use a sort of 1/4in stereo to 1/8in mono adapter, to hear it in both ears?

Thanks in advance,

-Stephen

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:14 am

sponge wrote:

to follow up on that, should i use a sort of 1/4in stereo to 1/8in mono adapter, to hear it in both ears?
Stephen

I can't understand how you got the MXL to come out both sides, but not the Rode...with nothing changed except the mic? If you were going through only one input of the Sony, it would have only come out one side. That makes no sense. It should have exhibited the very same exact behaviour, because it’s not in the mic, it’s in the connections, and the actual connections didn’t change…at least from what you’ve said.

You could safely use a “Y” adapter to take one output to the two Sony inputs, if you wish. (Just never try to take two outputs to one input).

It's not the cable. If it's a 3-pin XLR mic cable, it's probably balanced. If it wasn't, you'd get no power from the mic. By the way, (in case you didn't know) don't plug in (or unplug) a condenser mic with power "On" at the Rolls. Power the Rolls down, plug in the mic, then power up. And to disconnect, power down the Rolls, then unplug the mic.

Kapt.Krunch

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