Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone
in order to get measurements that will give the answers the course
wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.
Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?
--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Glenn Booth wrote in message ...

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

.... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.
The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work. Therefore You must it connect to additional
battery or (higher complicated) using internal phantom source of the
mixer. In first case drive hot wire of microphone with resistor (must
try to get from 1k to 5k Ohm) and connect second pin of it to +9V,
then cut off DC on signal wire by serial capacitor 10uF ("+" must be
connected to junction of resistor and hot microphone wire) ...

good luck !
Rob.

Glenn Booth wrote in message ...

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

.... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.
The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work. Therefore You must it connect to additional
battery or (higher complicated) using internal phantom source of the
mixer. In first case drive hot wire of microphone with resistor (must
try to get from 1k to 5k Ohm) and connect second pin of it to +9V,
then cut off DC on signal wire by serial capacitor 10uF ("+" must be
connected to junction of resistor and hot microphone wire) ...

good luck !
Rob.

Glenn Booth wrote in message ...

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

.... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.
The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work. Therefore You must it connect to additional
battery or (higher complicated) using internal phantom source of the
mixer. In first case drive hot wire of microphone with resistor (must
try to get from 1k to 5k Ohm) and connect second pin of it to +9V,
then cut off DC on signal wire by serial capacitor 10uF ("+" must be
connected to junction of resistor and hot microphone wire) ...

good luck !
Rob.

Glenn Booth wrote in message ...

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

.... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.
The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work. Therefore You must it connect to additional
battery or (higher complicated) using internal phantom source of the
mixer. In first case drive hot wire of microphone with resistor (must
try to get from 1k to 5k Ohm) and connect second pin of it to +9V,
then cut off DC on signal wire by serial capacitor 10uF ("+" must be
connected to junction of resistor and hot microphone wire) ...

good luck !
Rob.

On 24 Feb 2004 10:32:57 -0800, (-) wrote:

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Tell me more about this assignment? Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment? What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

On 24 Feb 2004 10:32:57 -0800, (-) wrote:

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Tell me more about this assignment? Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment? What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

On 24 Feb 2004 10:32:57 -0800, (-) wrote:

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Tell me more about this assignment? Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment? What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

On 24 Feb 2004 10:32:57 -0800, (-) wrote:

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but I
want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input, as
that's all I have.
The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this microphone

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Tell me more about this assignment? Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment? What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

Hi,

In message , Laurence Payne
writes

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Well... Yeah, I suppose so! They'll probably rumble me if I record some
waveform on another mic that's flat out to 16kHz though - this
microphone is only one step up from a telephone.

Tell me more about this assignment?

It's part of an Open University course in Technology of Music. Not bad,
actually, but a bit shy of maths. It costs 240 UKP all in, and you get a
copy of Audition and a copy of Cubasis thrown in. I call that a bargain
:-)

I don't know why they also send three cardboard tubes and a drinking
straw though...

Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment?

No, the Spirit is mine.

What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Yes, I'm guessing a 'bog standard' PC sound card, with microphone input.
My Audiophile 24/96 doesn't have one (nor would I want it to!). The only
microphone inputs I have are on the Soundcraft. It's the kind of cheap
microphone you get free with PCs, voice recognition software etc. Not
nice.

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

There's a big underlined section in the course notes that says it's VERY
important to use only the supplied equipment. No mention of why, though.
I guess I'll give the cable another go, and if that fails, cheat :-)

--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , Laurence Payne
writes

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Well... Yeah, I suppose so! They'll probably rumble me if I record some
waveform on another mic that's flat out to 16kHz though - this
microphone is only one step up from a telephone.

Tell me more about this assignment?

It's part of an Open University course in Technology of Music. Not bad,
actually, but a bit shy of maths. It costs 240 UKP all in, and you get a
copy of Audition and a copy of Cubasis thrown in. I call that a bargain
:-)

I don't know why they also send three cardboard tubes and a drinking
straw though...

Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment?

No, the Spirit is mine.

What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Yes, I'm guessing a 'bog standard' PC sound card, with microphone input.
My Audiophile 24/96 doesn't have one (nor would I want it to!). The only
microphone inputs I have are on the Soundcraft. It's the kind of cheap
microphone you get free with PCs, voice recognition software etc. Not
nice.

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

There's a big underlined section in the course notes that says it's VERY
important to use only the supplied equipment. No mention of why, though.
I guess I'll give the cable another go, and if that fails, cheat :-)

--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , Laurence Payne
writes

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Well... Yeah, I suppose so! They'll probably rumble me if I record some
waveform on another mic that's flat out to 16kHz though - this
microphone is only one step up from a telephone.

Tell me more about this assignment?

It's part of an Open University course in Technology of Music. Not bad,
actually, but a bit shy of maths. It costs 240 UKP all in, and you get a
copy of Audition and a copy of Cubasis thrown in. I call that a bargain
:-)

I don't know why they also send three cardboard tubes and a drinking
straw though...

Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment?

No, the Spirit is mine.

What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Yes, I'm guessing a 'bog standard' PC sound card, with microphone input.
My Audiophile 24/96 doesn't have one (nor would I want it to!). The only
microphone inputs I have are on the Soundcraft. It's the kind of cheap
microphone you get free with PCs, voice recognition software etc. Not
nice.

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

There's a big underlined section in the course notes that says it's VERY
important to use only the supplied equipment. No mention of why, though.
I guess I'll give the cable another go, and if that fails, cheat :-)

--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , Laurence Payne
writes

Could you lie, and just SAY you used this mic? :-)

Well... Yeah, I suppose so! They'll probably rumble me if I record some
waveform on another mic that's flat out to 16kHz though - this
microphone is only one step up from a telephone.

Tell me more about this assignment?

It's part of an Open University course in Technology of Music. Not bad,
actually, but a bit shy of maths. It costs 240 UKP all in, and you get a
copy of Audition and a copy of Cubasis thrown in. I call that a bargain
:-)

I don't know why they also send three cardboard tubes and a drinking
straw though...

Is the Soundcraft mixer also part
of the required equipment?

No, the Spirit is mine.

What do they EXPECT you to plug it to?
Maybe a crappy portable cassette, or a SoundBlaster type soundcard?

Yes, I'm guessing a 'bog standard' PC sound card, with microphone input.
My Audiophile 24/96 doesn't have one (nor would I want it to!). The only
microphone inputs I have are on the Soundcraft. It's the kind of cheap
microphone you get free with PCs, voice recognition software etc. Not
nice.

Is making this mic work what you're being tested on? If not, why not
ask if you can use better gear?

There's a big underlined section in the course notes that says it's VERY
important to use only the supplied equipment. No mention of why, though.
I guess I'll give the cable another go, and if that fails, cheat :-)

--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , -
writes

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)

Oops. Yes, ground!


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

That's what I thought, thanks for the confirmation.


But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

good luck !
Rob.

Thanks, I'll keep trying.
--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , -
writes

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)

Oops. Yes, ground!


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

That's what I thought, thanks for the confirmation.


But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

good luck !
Rob.

Thanks, I'll keep trying.
--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , -
writes

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)

Oops. Yes, ground!


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

That's what I thought, thanks for the confirmation.


But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

good luck !
Rob.

Thanks, I'll keep trying.
--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

Hi,

In message , -
writes

this means it is real mono microphone :-)

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
~~~~~~
ground ~? :-)

Oops. Yes, ground!


I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

Ok, if You want to connect dynamic microphone (unbalanced) it is correct

That's what I thought, thanks for the confirmation.


But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

good luck !
Rob.

Thanks, I'll keep trying.
--
Regards,
Glenn Booth

"Glenn Booth" wrote in message

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers
the course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.

This would probably be one of your little Panasonic-type electret mics.

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

http://www.eclectic-web.co.uk/index....electret_a.htm

Yup, it needs power.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

No battery, resistor, or coupling cap.

"Glenn Booth" wrote in message

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers
the course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.

This would probably be one of your little Panasonic-type electret mics.

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

http://www.eclectic-web.co.uk/index....electret_a.htm

Yup, it needs power.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

No battery, resistor, or coupling cap.

"Glenn Booth" wrote in message

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers
the course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.

This would probably be one of your little Panasonic-type electret mics.

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

http://www.eclectic-web.co.uk/index....electret_a.htm

Yup, it needs power.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

No battery, resistor, or coupling cap.

"Glenn Booth" wrote in message

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together. I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers
the course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.

This would probably be one of your little Panasonic-type electret mics.

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

http://www.eclectic-web.co.uk/index....electret_a.htm

Yup, it needs power.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

No battery, resistor, or coupling cap.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...


There's a special sort of phantom powering used on these animals.
Compatible only with itself :-)

If you really must use this mic, preamp it through a consumer unit, as
you suggest. Write a note to the course organiser reminding him
that someone interest in the subject just MIIGHT have something better
than a crap soundcard in their computer!

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...


There's a special sort of phantom powering used on these animals.
Compatible only with itself :-)

If you really must use this mic, preamp it through a consumer unit, as
you suggest. Write a note to the course organiser reminding him
that someone interest in the subject just MIIGHT have something better
than a crap soundcard in their computer!

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...


There's a special sort of phantom powering used on these animals.
Compatible only with itself :-)

If you really must use this mic, preamp it through a consumer unit, as
you suggest. Write a note to the course organiser reminding him
that someone interest in the subject just MIIGHT have something better
than a crap soundcard in their computer!

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:

Yes. However, having toyed with it a bit more, I'm not sure what type of
mike it is, as it doesn't seem to need power (see below).

So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit mixer.

... and is there a phantom power on the XLR mic. inputs of Spirit ?

It does have phantom power, but I don't think this mike is up to taking
48volts...


There's a special sort of phantom powering used on these animals.
Compatible only with itself :-)

If you really must use this mic, preamp it through a consumer unit, as
you suggest. Write a note to the course organiser reminding him
that someone interest in the subject just MIIGHT have something better
than a crap soundcard in their computer!

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power. And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring. I believe that the sockets/plugs of these
mics are a little "unusual", having a longer or shorter depth (can't remember)
so that ordinary MC styles can also be used without jamming the limited supply
current down it's guts. Course, this might be "urban myth" so Google
frequently.

As a starter
http://www.vxicorp.com/support/faq_p...translator.asp

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power. And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring. I believe that the sockets/plugs of these
mics are a little "unusual", having a longer or shorter depth (can't remember)
so that ordinary MC styles can also be used without jamming the limited supply
current down it's guts. Course, this might be "urban myth" so Google
frequently.

As a starter
http://www.vxicorp.com/support/faq_p...translator.asp

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power. And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring. I believe that the sockets/plugs of these
mics are a little "unusual", having a longer or shorter depth (can't remember)
so that ordinary MC styles can also be used without jamming the limited supply
current down it's guts. Course, this might be "urban myth" so Google
frequently.

As a starter
http://www.vxicorp.com/support/faq_p...translator.asp

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power. And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring. I believe that the sockets/plugs of these
mics are a little "unusual", having a longer or shorter depth (can't remember)
so that ordinary MC styles can also be used without jamming the limited supply
current down it's guts. Course, this might be "urban myth" so Google
frequently.

As a starter
http://www.vxicorp.com/support/faq_p...translator.asp

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably)
and it need a small current to work.


"Glenn Booth" wrote ...
Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it
with another machine, and it works straight into the mic
input on a SoundBlaster. I'm not aware that they have any
kind of plug-in power, but I could be wrong.

All the SoundBlaster boards I've ever seen *DO HAVE* the kind
of power this type of microphone requires. More info here...
http://www.epanorama.net/links/pc_so...ml#interfacing

It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC.

Many (most? all?) Minidisc portables *ALSO SUPPLY* the
kind of power this microphone requires.

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably)
and it need a small current to work.


"Glenn Booth" wrote ...
Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it
with another machine, and it works straight into the mic
input on a SoundBlaster. I'm not aware that they have any
kind of plug-in power, but I could be wrong.

All the SoundBlaster boards I've ever seen *DO HAVE* the kind
of power this type of microphone requires. More info here...
http://www.epanorama.net/links/pc_so...ml#interfacing

It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC.

Many (most? all?) Minidisc portables *ALSO SUPPLY* the
kind of power this microphone requires.

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably)
and it need a small current to work.


"Glenn Booth" wrote ...
Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it
with another machine, and it works straight into the mic
input on a SoundBlaster. I'm not aware that they have any
kind of plug-in power, but I could be wrong.

All the SoundBlaster boards I've ever seen *DO HAVE* the kind
of power this type of microphone requires. More info here...
http://www.epanorama.net/links/pc_so...ml#interfacing

It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC.

Many (most? all?) Minidisc portables *ALSO SUPPLY* the
kind of power this microphone requires.

But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably)
and it need a small current to work.


"Glenn Booth" wrote ...
Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it
with another machine, and it works straight into the mic
input on a SoundBlaster. I'm not aware that they have any
kind of plug-in power, but I could be wrong.

All the SoundBlaster boards I've ever seen *DO HAVE* the kind
of power this type of microphone requires. More info here...
http://www.epanorama.net/links/pc_so...ml#interfacing

It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC.

Many (most? all?) Minidisc portables *ALSO SUPPLY* the
kind of power this microphone requires.

Glenn Booth writes:

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.


Here are two plans that could be of some use to you
(use fixed width font like courier to view the images)


General powering circuit for computer microphones designed
originally to work with Sound Blaster and similar souncards:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- Audio signal out
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V)
| | | -
| |-------------------+------------- Ground
+=======+
| |


Multimedia microphones to normal microphone input:

Soundcar microphone
Normal mic in Microphone
10 uF
/ \ ||+ / \
| |----------------||------------------------------| |
\ / || \ /
+===+ +===+
| | +5V ----------------Resistor-----------| | 3.5mm plug
| | power 2.2 kohm |===| to microphone
| | | | |
| |----------+------ ground -----------------------| |
| | | |
+=======+ +=======+
| | | |


Both circuits are my designs from
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/mi...html#soundcard

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together.

This is typical to most PC electret microphones connected to PC
soundcards (but you can't count on it on all microphones).

I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers the
course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.
So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

The circuits are described above and here is modification for
this for XLR connections:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- XLR 2
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V) +-- XLR 3
| | | - |
| |-------------------+----------+-- XLR 1
+=======+
| |


Do not use mixer "phantom power" when using this circuit,
because turnign "phantom power" can damage the microphone.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

THat is the best idea to build the converter.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

The microphone need operating power to work.
When connected to PC the soundcard supplies that power.
But the mixer does not supply suitable power to microphone
(the possibilities are no power and "phantom power" that
is too much for this microphone type).

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/

Glenn Booth writes:

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.


Here are two plans that could be of some use to you
(use fixed width font like courier to view the images)


General powering circuit for computer microphones designed
originally to work with Sound Blaster and similar souncards:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- Audio signal out
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V)
| | | -
| |-------------------+------------- Ground
+=======+
| |


Multimedia microphones to normal microphone input:

Soundcar microphone
Normal mic in Microphone
10 uF
/ \ ||+ / \
| |----------------||------------------------------| |
\ / || \ /
+===+ +===+
| | +5V ----------------Resistor-----------| | 3.5mm plug
| | power 2.2 kohm |===| to microphone
| | | | |
| |----------+------ ground -----------------------| |
| | | |
+=======+ +=======+
| | | |


Both circuits are my designs from
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/mi...html#soundcard

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together.

This is typical to most PC electret microphones connected to PC
soundcards (but you can't count on it on all microphones).

I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers the
course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.
So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

The circuits are described above and here is modification for
this for XLR connections:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- XLR 2
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V) +-- XLR 3
| | | - |
| |-------------------+----------+-- XLR 1
+=======+
| |


Do not use mixer "phantom power" when using this circuit,
because turnign "phantom power" can damage the microphone.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

THat is the best idea to build the converter.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

The microphone need operating power to work.
When connected to PC the soundcard supplies that power.
But the mixer does not supply suitable power to microphone
(the possibilities are no power and "phantom power" that
is too much for this microphone type).

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/

Glenn Booth writes:

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.


Here are two plans that could be of some use to you
(use fixed width font like courier to view the images)


General powering circuit for computer microphones designed
originally to work with Sound Blaster and similar souncards:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- Audio signal out
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V)
| | | -
| |-------------------+------------- Ground
+=======+
| |


Multimedia microphones to normal microphone input:

Soundcar microphone
Normal mic in Microphone
10 uF
/ \ ||+ / \
| |----------------||------------------------------| |
\ / || \ /
+===+ +===+
| | +5V ----------------Resistor-----------| | 3.5mm plug
| | power 2.2 kohm |===| to microphone
| | | | |
| |----------+------ ground -----------------------| |
| | | |
+=======+ +=======+
| | | |


Both circuits are my designs from
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/mi...html#soundcard

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together.

This is typical to most PC electret microphones connected to PC
soundcards (but you can't count on it on all microphones).

I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers the
course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.
So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

The circuits are described above and here is modification for
this for XLR connections:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- XLR 2
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V) +-- XLR 3
| | | - |
| |-------------------+----------+-- XLR 1
+=======+
| |


Do not use mixer "phantom power" when using this circuit,
because turnign "phantom power" can damage the microphone.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

THat is the best idea to build the converter.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

The microphone need operating power to work.
When connected to PC the soundcard supplies that power.
But the mixer does not supply suitable power to microphone
(the possibilities are no power and "phantom power" that
is too much for this microphone type).

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/

Glenn Booth writes:

Hi,

This should be easy, but it's driving me nuts.

for various reasons, I need to record some stuff using a really nasty,
cheap condenser microphone that is fitted with a 3.5mm connector, but
I want to find a way to feed it into a balanced XLR microphone input,
as that's all I have.


Here are two plans that could be of some use to you
(use fixed width font like courier to view the images)


General powering circuit for computer microphones designed
originally to work with Sound Blaster and similar souncards:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- Audio signal out
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V)
| | | -
| |-------------------+------------- Ground
+=======+
| |


Multimedia microphones to normal microphone input:

Soundcar microphone
Normal mic in Microphone
10 uF
/ \ ||+ / \
| |----------------||------------------------------| |
\ / || \ /
+===+ +===+
| | +5V ----------------Resistor-----------| | 3.5mm plug
| | power 2.2 kohm |===| to microphone
| | | | |
| |----------+------ ground -----------------------| |
| | | |
+=======+ +=======+
| | | |


Both circuits are my designs from
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/mi...html#soundcard

The microphone was supplied to me as part of the materials for an
acoustics course. It has the type of connector found on stereo
headphones - 3.5mm, with three (Tip, ring, shield) sections, but it's
definitely a mono unit. A quick check with a continuity tester shows
that tip and ring are connected together.

This is typical to most PC electret microphones connected to PC
soundcards (but you can't count on it on all microphones).

I have to use this
microphone in order to get measurements that will give the answers the
course wants, so using another mike is not acceptable.
So, I need to build an adapter cable to feed a Soundcraft Spirit
mixer. Anyone care to suggest how I should wire it?

The circuits are described above and here is modification for
this for XLR connections:

Soundcard
Microphone

/ \
| |--------------------------------- XLR 2
\ /
+===+ ____
| |-----|____|--------+
|===| 2.2 kohm | +
| | Battery (3--9V) +-- XLR 3
| | | - |
| |-------------------+----------+-- XLR 1
+=======+
| |


Do not use mixer "phantom power" when using this circuit,
because turnign "phantom power" can damage the microphone.

I could chop off the end of the mike cable and just fit an XLR, but I
have to return this microphone, so the alternative is to wire a cable
from a female 3.5mm jack to a male XLR, and put it between mike and
mixer. Sounds easy, but my first effort was a failure.

THat is the best idea to build the converter.

The Soundcraft is wired pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold, pin 1 screen.
I wired tip to pin 2, ignored the ring (it's shorted to tip) and wired
screen to pin 3. No go. What did I do wrong?

The microphone need operating power to work.
When connected to PC the soundcard supplies that power.
But the mixer does not supply suitable power to microphone
(the possibilities are no power and "phantom power" that
is too much for this microphone type).

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/

Bazza writes:

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power.

Yes.

And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring.

The standard approachj is to supply +5V through 2.2 kohm resistor
to the ring of the connectors. There can be slight variations of this
scheme on the soundcards (slight different voltage and resistor values etc.).

PC99 standard lists following PC microphone interface details:
Three-conductor 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) tip/ring/sleeve microphone jack
where the mic signal is on the tip, bias is on the ring, and the
sleeve is grounded. This design is optimized for electret microphones
with three-conductor plugs, but will also support dynamic microphones
with two-conductor (ring and sleeve shorted together) plugs. Minimum
AC input impedance between tip and ground: minimum, 4 kOhm;
recommended 10 kOhm. Input voltages of 10.100 mV deliver full-scale
digital input, using software-programmable .20 dB gain for low output
microphones.Bias should be less than 5.5V when no input and at least
2V with 0.8mA load. Minimum bias impedance between bias voltage source
and ring: 2 kOhm. AC-coupled tip to implement analog (external to ADC)
3 dB rolloffs at 60 Hz and 15 kHz. Most sound card inputs require a
minimum signal level of at least 10 millivolts.

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/

Bazza writes:

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power.

Yes.

And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring.

The standard approachj is to supply +5V through 2.2 kohm resistor
to the ring of the connectors. There can be slight variations of this
scheme on the soundcards (slight different voltage and resistor values etc.).

PC99 standard lists following PC microphone interface details:
Three-conductor 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) tip/ring/sleeve microphone jack
where the mic signal is on the tip, bias is on the ring, and the
sleeve is grounded. This design is optimized for electret microphones
with three-conductor plugs, but will also support dynamic microphones
with two-conductor (ring and sleeve shorted together) plugs. Minimum
AC input impedance between tip and ground: minimum, 4 kOhm;
recommended 10 kOhm. Input voltages of 10.100 mV deliver full-scale
digital input, using software-programmable .20 dB gain for low output
microphones.Bias should be less than 5.5V when no input and at least
2V with 0.8mA load. Minimum bias impedance between bias voltage source
and ring: 2 kOhm. AC-coupled tip to implement analog (external to ADC)
3 dB rolloffs at 60 Hz and 15 kHz. Most sound card inputs require a
minimum signal level of at least 10 millivolts.

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/

Bazza writes:

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:36:32 +0000, Glenn Booth
wrote:



But Your mic is semi-condenser type (electret probably) and it need
a small current to work.

Good theory, but it doesn't seem to need power. I tried it with another
machine, and it works straight into the mic input on a SoundBlaster. I'm
not aware that they have any kind of plug-in power, but I could be
wrong. It also works into a minidisc, so at a pinch I guess I could use
the minidisc as a sort-of preamp and run a line out to the PC. What a
kludge though!

Glen. As a general rule (this is where I get my head chopped off), those
little mics are probably electret types and they DO require power.

Yes.

And, yes,
it probably will work with a SB card because those cards will supply phantom
(+5V ? ) supply from the tip/ring.

The standard approachj is to supply +5V through 2.2 kohm resistor
to the ring of the connectors. There can be slight variations of this
scheme on the soundcards (slight different voltage and resistor values etc.).

PC99 standard lists following PC microphone interface details:
Three-conductor 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) tip/ring/sleeve microphone jack
where the mic signal is on the tip, bias is on the ring, and the
sleeve is grounded. This design is optimized for electret microphones
with three-conductor plugs, but will also support dynamic microphones
with two-conductor (ring and sleeve shorted together) plugs. Minimum
AC input impedance between tip and ground: minimum, 4 kOhm;
recommended 10 kOhm. Input voltages of 10.100 mV deliver full-scale
digital input, using software-programmable .20 dB gain for low output
microphones.Bias should be less than 5.5V when no input and at least
2V with 0.8mA load. Minimum bias impedance between bias voltage source
and ring: 2 kOhm. AC-coupled tip to implement analog (external to ADC)
3 dB rolloffs at 60 Hz and 15 kHz. Most sound card inputs require a
minimum signal level of at least 10 millivolts.

--
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at
http://www.epanorama.net/