Unbalanced XLR Cable... posted by Flubly

Unbalanced XLR Cable...

Posted on Apr 06, 2006 07:54 pm
Flubly
Member Since: Oct 22, 2005

I hooked up my condenser mic to a mixer using an XLR to XLR cable and switched on the phantom power. I got no sound except when I'd scratch the surface of the mic. I had just tried it with a live mic which worked fine. I read in a book that the levels when using a condenser mic might be too low if you have a defective or unbalanced XLR cable. I thought all XLR cables were balanced but I might be wrong. How can I tell if the cable is unbalanced? If not, what do you think the problem is?

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zekthedeadcow
Eat Spam before it eats YOU!!!
Member
Since: May 11, 2002

Apr 06, 2006 08:32 pm

try a different cable :)

Flubly
Member
Since: Oct 22, 2005

Apr 06, 2006 09:22 pm

Unfortunately I am tight on resources right now and only have one XLR to XLR. I can't go out and buy cables for experimentation at the moment. I might be able to take my stuff to a friend's house though and try it out there. But if anyone has information in the mean time it would be greatly appreciated.

pjk
Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004

Apr 07, 2006 09:31 am

are you sure the mic is good? If the mixer is working, as with a different mic, then the problem has to be with either the cable, or the mic. trying a different cable is my first choice, as it's pretty cheap, and very easy to test.

As for the mic, it may be damaged, or it may not be receiving phantom power correctly, or, your board may not be sending phantom power correctly.

If i remember correctly, a condensor mic will put out some signal without phantom power, but very very small, which could be the condition you're speaking of, where the scratch on the screen gives some signal, but nothing else short of that works.

Get a multi-meter and see if there's -48vdc (or somewhere around there) on one of the pins on the xlr cable, and also, from the mixer itself, without the cable.

If possible, try another condensor mic that works elsewhere, on that cable and mixer.

Process of elimination will ferret out the culprit.

Also, knowing how to use a multimeter for these types of things is a good thing. 'specially if you can't just go out and buy new equipment, or pay someone to get it going for you.

Good luck.