Mini to XLR

[avkid]

That would be the same picture I made my statement based upon. If you look in the lower image, there is a red rocker switch above a white rocker switch. Reading the microprint on the top above them, it's stereo / mono on the red and ground / either on or off, I can't read the print, on the white switch...

Alright, you win.
I had to turn my monitor 90 degrees to see it, and I need new glasses.
Well then, I have a genuine vintage model!

 

[avkid]

Score, it sounds awesome, it's on my list. I should prioritize though. Maybe a working volt-tick is in order.

Charlie- I have a device like that, and I have used it maybe 4 times in as many years.
Get the DI, you'll love it forever.

 

[mixmaster]

We do this all the time here. The stock adapter that I have is a stereo mini plug to a pair of RCA connectors. about 18" long and availble at radio shack. then an adapter that has two female RCA wyed to a male TS 1/4". this is a small plug type adapter. The 1/4" plug can go into the 1/4" jack on the board. If your board only has XLR inputs or you need to push over distances of more than the length of you adaptors, use a DI box or a barrel transformer to get to an XLR. Everything is stock off-the-shelf.
I recently built my own adapter real easy. Tip and Ring of the stereo mini plug to tip of a mono 1/4". Sleeve to sleeve. That gets you to a 1/4" plug. Transform to XLR as above. Gets you to the same place, just looks better.
Another option would be a male stereo mini to stereo female 1/4 adapter and a standard insert cable but that would burn two channels on your mixer.

 

[Chris15]

I recently built my own adapter real easy. Tip and Ring of the stereo mini plug to tip of a mono 1/4". Sleeve to sleeve. That gets you to a 1/4" plug. Transform to XLR as above. Gets you to the same place, just looks better.

H hmm... That's a naughty way of doing things... It works, but it's naughty. You *should* have a resistor in line with each of the tip and ring off the stereo jack. 1k normally works, but a pair of anything in that sort of order of magnitude should do you fine...

 

[mixmaster]

H hmm... That's a naughty way of doing things... It works, but it's naughty. You *should* have a resistor in line with each of the tip and ring off the stereo jack. 1k normally works, but a pair of anything in that sort of order of magnitude should do you fine...

I suppose we *should* use a signal combiner to maintain impedance balance also. What I wired up though, is no different than using a stock y cable. There are no extra resistors there. Besides, have you ever tried to solder resistors to a mini plug and then get the rest of the plug back together?

 

[Chris15]

I suppose we *should* use a signal combiner to maintain impedance balance also. What I wired up though, is no different than using a stock y cable. There are no extra resistors there. Besides, have you ever tried to solder resistors to a mini plug and then get the rest of the plug back together?

Yes and one *should* only use a Y lead to SPLIT a signal...

Wiring up said cable is easy... use 2 core shielded cable and put the resistors in the 6.5 plug...

 

[kwotipka]

First, get an external sound card. If you are using a laptop, the noise that is generated within the unit is horrible. I have seen a Beringer external USB sound card (RCA Line level in and out appx. USD $30) in use without a DI or any other ground lift methods and it worked and sounded way better then the high imped. output of the headphone jack. Plus all of the extra "computer related" noise was not there.

http://www.behringer.com/UCA202/

Personally, by the time you make the cable and buy a decent DI you could most likely pick up something like the MAudio 410 on ebay.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410-main.html

kw

 

[Andy_Leviss]

I recently built my own adapter real easy. Tip and Ring of the stereo mini plug to tip of a mono 1/4". Sleeve to sleeve. That gets you to a 1/4" plug. Transform to XLR as above. Gets you to the same place, just looks better.
Another option would be a male stereo mini to stereo female 1/4 adapter and a standard insert cable but that would burn two channels on your mixer.

No, no, no, no, no. DON'T EVER use a Y cable to combine. EVER. Y's are only, only, I repeat only to be used to split a signal.

Here, I'll let the fine folks at Rane explain, along with circuit diagrams of how to properly combine multiple signals passively:

http://www.rane.com/note109.html

 

[Chris15]

In response to what we had discussed earlier about mono / stereo switches, I had meant to note this earlier. Whirlwind had a PC DI at Entech last month and it did have two switches, but they were two ground switches rather than a ground and a mono/stereo. Perhaps a MKIII or something?

Charlie, it's so heavy because it has transformer in it, a real one. And they are heavy. Always. The steel chassis would not be helping, but it will protect it from drop and idiots kicking it...

 

[avkid]

Charlie, it's so heavy because it has transformer in it, a real one. And they are heavy. Always. The steel chassis would not be helping, but it will protect it from drop and idiots kicking it...

I'll crack one open in a few minutes.

 

[avkid]

Here you go Charlie:

 

[howlingwolf487]

The ProCo iFace is a similar box - does the same stuff the PCDI does. Your choice.

Phil...nice to see you on this forum as well.

Also, for future reference, a stereo cable (TRS, 1'8", etc.) is a balanced cable BUT NOT if it is used in a stereo configuration. In stereo usage, the left signal is usually on the tip and the right signal is usually on the ring; the shield is shared between the tip and ring. Thus, there is not a positive leg, negative leg, AND a separate shield for the signal, it is not balanced.

Search Terms for the day: Common Mode Rejection Ratio, Balanced Cable, Unbalanced Cable

 

[DavidDaMonkey]

Most consoles will take a line level input just fine, it just depends on the distance that you are sending the line level source. Line level works fine for short distances, when you get over about 10-15' you start pushing the gear too hard. Over time, you will slowly destroy the output source. I have seen way to many computers come to me with blown sound cards because of this exact thing. Just because you can make the cable does not mean you should.

Can you explain more of this from a technical standpoint? About the sound cards frying and blowing the output source? It sounds very interesting, and is something I've never heard about.