I have a portable digital recorder that accepts 1/8" inputs. I want to
use it with a good lavalier microphone for personal recordings, but all
the 1/8" terminating ones that I could find (from relatively
respectable vendors) are either omnidirectional with really cheapo
sound to noise ratios, or so cheap that you just know they're toys. I
want to get one like the shure WL184 and WL185, but all the better ones
terminate in the 4pin mini connectors or the mini-XLR 5 pin connectors.
Those connections are for bodypacks for wireless systems, but I don't
need to go wireless as the recorder is right in my pocket. I'm pretty
sure I'm not the only person who might have needed something like
this...but right now I'm a bit confused...are there mini transformers
for something like this ... or another alternative? I've done some
recording, setups, and mostly digital editing as an avocation, but I
know that by putting something bad in the loop I'll just be adding hum
and other unpleasantries...I'd appreciate any help for somebody who'd
know how to do something like this...so basically any good lavalier
setup that can record to a 1/8" input...thanks

On 15 Apr 2006 12:40:57 -0700, wrote:

I have a portable digital recorder that accepts 1/8" inputs. I want to
use it with a good lavalier microphone for personal recordings, but all
the 1/8" terminating ones that I could find (from relatively
respectable vendors) are either omnidirectional with really cheapo
sound to noise ratios, or so cheap that you just know they're toys. I
want to get one like the shure WL184 and WL185, but all the better ones
terminate in the 4pin mini connectors or the mini-XLR 5 pin connectors.
Those connections are for bodypacks for wireless systems, but I don't
need to go wireless as the recorder is right in my pocket. I'm pretty
sure I'm not the only person who might have needed something like
this...but right now I'm a bit confused...are there mini transformers
for something like this ... or another alternative? I've done some
recording, setups, and mostly digital editing as an avocation, but I
know that by putting something bad in the loop I'll just be adding hum
and other unpleasantries...I'd appreciate any help for somebody who'd
know how to do something like this...so basically any good lavalier
setup that can record to a 1/8" input...thanks

the reason the WL184/185 comes with a multi-pin connector is that it
needs bias voltage (not the same as phantom power)
you can buy a unit from shure that will power the mic from a 9v
battery and it gives you an XLR output (which could be adapted to
1/8")

but you might be better off looking for a dynamic mic which won't need
a bias voltage. then you could chop the connector off and replace it
with a 1/8"

Jason

wrote:

I have a portable digital recorder that accepts 1/8" inputs. I want to
use it with a good lavalier microphone for personal recordings, but all
the 1/8" terminating ones that I could find (from relatively
respectable vendors) are either omnidirectional with really cheapo
sound to noise ratios, or so cheap that you just know they're toys. I
want to get one like the shure WL184 and WL185, but all the better ones
terminate in the 4pin mini connectors or the mini-XLR 5 pin connectors.
Those connections are for bodypacks for wireless systems, but I don't
need to go wireless as the recorder is right in my pocket. I'm pretty
sure I'm not the only person who might have needed something like
this...but right now I'm a bit confused...are there mini transformers
for something like this ... or another alternative? I've done some
recording, setups, and mostly digital editing as an avocation, but I
know that by putting something bad in the loop I'll just be adding hum
and other unpleasantries...I'd appreciate any help for somebody who'd
know how to do something like this...so basically any good lavalier
setup that can record to a 1/8" input...thanks

If your a real scavenger, look at a surplus cell phone hands free mike

Bob


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"Jason Lavoie" wrote ...
the reason the WL184/185 comes with a multi-pin connector is that it
needs bias voltage (not the same as phantom power)
you can buy a unit from shure that will power the mic from a 9v
battery and it gives you an XLR output (which could be adapted to
1/8")

Note that virtually all consumer camcorders, computer
sound-card mic inputs,and most portable digital recorders
with 1/8" mic jacks supply the required "bias" voltage.

Although "ActionNotMotion" crippled us by not disclosing
exactly WHICH portable digital recorder he is asking about,
chances are pretty good that he can select most any small
lav-type microphone (even a $500 DPA, etc.) and it will
run properly from his recorder if wired properly.

wrote:
I have a portable digital recorder that accepts 1/8" inputs. I want
to use it with a good lavalier microphone for personal recordings,
but all the 1/8" terminating ones that I could find (from relatively
respectable vendors) are either omnidirectional with really cheapo
sound to noise ratios, or so cheap that you just know they're toys. I
want to get one like the shure WL184 and WL185, but all the better
ones terminate in the 4pin mini connectors or the mini-XLR 5 pin
connectors. Those connections are for bodypacks for wireless systems,


Most of the AKG ones such as C417 you can chop the TA3F and stick on a 3.5mm
mono jack. Only use signal/power (common) and screen.

There are one or two AKGs (obscure and/or old) that need a negative bias.

geoff

Thank you so much for all your answers...you definitely gave me
directions in which to go. As to the cross post: from
groups.google.com i noticed that if I post the ORIGINAL question to two
different groups any reply would be sent to both questions in both
posts...so that would undo the non-niceness of people giving answers
unknowing what others had typed. If I would post this to 30 groups at
once then i'd get it, but I just did it to 2 or 3, because I didn't
know what the response would be: it was really great, so I'll never do
it more than 2 when I do it in these groups...thanks again.

the sennhieser ME-2 is respectable too, it has a 1/8" plug but it also
needs phantom power.

On Sat, 15 Apr 2006 14:58:48 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
wrote:

"Jason Lavoie" wrote ...
the reason the WL184/185 comes with a multi-pin connector is that it
needs bias voltage (not the same as phantom power)
you can buy a unit from shure that will power the mic from a 9v
battery and it gives you an XLR output (which could be adapted to
1/8")

Note that virtually all consumer camcorders, computer
sound-card mic inputs,and most portable digital recorders
with 1/8" mic jacks supply the required "bias" voltage.


but the WL series expects bias on a separate wire.. can you just tie
the two together?

Jason

"Jason Lavoie" wrote ...
"Richard Crowley" wrote:
"Jason Lavoie" wrote ...
the reason the WL184/185 comes with a multi-pin
connector is that it needs bias voltage (not the same
as phantom power) you can buy a unit from shure that
will power the mic from a 9v battery and it gives you
an XLR output (which could be adapted to 1/8")

Note that virtually all consumer camcorders, computer
sound-card mic inputs,and most portable digital recorders
with 1/8" mic jacks supply the required "bias" voltage.

but the WL series expects bias on a separate wire.. can
you just tie the two together?

The wiring diagram is shown in this document...
http://www.shure.com/pdf/userguides/...l184_wl185.pdf

If it were me, I would connect the black wire and shield
together and connect to the "sleeve" of the 1/8" phone
plug, and connect the red wire to the "tip".

But note that you could just as easily blow up the mic
with this wiring scheme. Since we don't know what
you are plugging this into, we are making wild guesses
in complete darkness.

Also since we don't know what your "digital recorder"
is, it is quite possible that something like a WL-series
mic is horrible overkill and a waste of money. Have
you tried a $5 "computer mic"? I actually use them
often for some of the things I do and they work remarkably
well.

wrote in message
ups.com...
the sennhieser ME-2 is respectable too, it has a 1/8" plug but it also
needs phantom power.


Sennheiser used to do a mic similar to the ME-2 but with an in-line power
supply....it used a small button cell and rotated the battery in and out of
circuit as an on/off switch. Sorry...but I'm on the road as I type this and
don't have my catalogues to hand.

Bob

I have a portable digital recorder that accepts 1/8" inputs. I want to
use it with a good lavalier microphone for personal recordings, but all
the 1/8" terminating ones that I could find (from relatively
respectable vendors) are either omnidirectional with really cheapo
sound to noise ratios, or so cheap that you just know they're toys. I
want to get one like the shure WL184 and WL185, but all the better ones
terminate in the 4pin mini connectors or the mini-XLR 5 pin connectors.
Those connections are for bodypacks for wireless systems, but I don't
need to go wireless as the recorder is right in my pocket. I'm pretty
sure I'm not the only person who might have needed something like
this...but right now I'm a bit confused...are there mini transformers
for something like this ... or another alternative? I've done some
recording, setups, and mostly digital editing as an avocation, but I
know that by putting something bad in the loop I'll just be adding hum
and other unpleasantries...I'd appreciate any help for somebody who'd
know how to do something like this...so basically any good lavalier
setup that can record to a 1/8" input...thanks

If your a real scavenger, look at a surplus cell phone hands free mike

Bob


Those are most likely smaller than 1/8", but cutting off the connector
and adding a 1/8 is easy. I just did something similar with a pair of
these mikes, got them on closeout at Best Buy for $3 each.

-John O