Microphone to 1/4"

[Perry]

Hi

I appreciate the advice from this forum so here's another question:

On some gigs I use a Fishman Loudbox mini with a Rode M3 mic for my mando/guitar.
If I wanted to add a vocal mic for the occasional vocal I would have to use the
unused channel which is 1/4" input.

Is the solution as simple as using an XLR to 1/4" convertor? Are these convertors all the same quality wise?

What about those old high impedance microphones with a built in 1/4 cable?
Do they even make them anymore?

Does that high impedance low impedance even matter with short cable run?

Thanks

[Mandobart]

On most acoustic amps the signal level is different on a 1/4 and XLR input. A mic usually doesn't work well going into a 1/4 TR or TRS input. Certainly a mic requiring phantom power won't work. I would use an ART Tube preamp like this for your mic:

http://www.wwbw.com/ART-Tube-MP-Studio-Mic-Preamp-180581-i1171932.wwbw?source=TWWR5J1BB&country=us&currency=usd&gclid=CKmplKaizcsCFdgPgQod-PEGfw

You can try just using an XLR to TRS adapter, and see if it works.

[pops1]

An XLR to 1/4 adapter is just an impedance transformer to match the low impedance of the mic to a higher (1/4") impedance. They go either way so be careful which adapter you buy. And yes that would work just fine. I carry a couple with me in case the need arises, which it seldom does, but if so I have it.

And yes it matters no matter how short the cable run.

[almeriastrings]

The Channel 1 input on the Loudbox mini is a 10M high impedance input designed for piezo transducers... the other issue, however, is that is is much lower in sensitivity than the Channel 2 mic input. That said, the M3 does have a pretty hot output (9 mV/pascal) when running from an internal battery, so an impedance converter transformer should work. These are decent quality:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LittleIMP

However... if using a low output dynamic mic, such as an SM58, you may run out of gain on that channel.

[Mandobart]

There are cable adapters (http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=5311&gclid=CL-sraHIzcsCFcgjgQod-F4KiQ) of various kinds (http://www.guitarcenter.com/Livewire/1-4-Male-to-XLR-Male-Patch-Cable-3-ft-1274034477670.gc) and there are impedance matchers (http://www.amazon.com/XLR-Audio-Adapter-Matching-Transformer/dp/B000UX3OVY), again of various types (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LittleIMP?adpos=1o3&creative=54989267161&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CIbthu_IzcsCFUwvgQodF-8KnQ). Not the same.

[Charlieshafer]

Yeah, and as most will use an sm58 or equivalent, it's nice to have a little mic preamp to give a boost. I use this as a problem solver, as it also has phantom power if needed and sounds just fine:
Presonus (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TubePREv2)

or the cloudlifter (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CL1Cloud)which is popular, I just haven't used one. Both are simple tools that will solve a lot of interface problems

I never need these for the fixed sound system in the hall where we have all our concert, but always seem to use them when we're dragging the fiddle club outdoors with the p.a.

[Mandoplumb]

I've fooled with cheep PA's and cheep mics all my life ( no reflection on what you have, just qualifying my statement) and have found that in a pinch things will work that professionals will frown on or even deny that it will work. The transformers that was talked about changes impdeance an adaptor cord does not, but some times it will work, not as good but less expensive, a Y cord into the one mic imput may work if it's just you and you experiment to get your mix right. What I'm saying is you never know till you try if something works, good, if not try something else.

[mandroid]

http://www.rode.com/microphones/m3 Rode M3 optionally runs the capacitor/condenser off a 9v battery , So ..

It can short the R&S connectors together and use a simple Impedance Matching Transformer

and Plug into a Guitar amp much like a SM 57 can also just use a impedance matching Transformer

to do the same thing ..

have another Mic than Needs Phantom power? use that where the XLR provides that power .

there are XLR to 1/4" adapters that Dont include a transformer
(One gender or the other XLR .. to TRS also F or M)

..as well as those which have a switch , to Bypass the transformer when you just want a different plug style (again Dynamic Mic has no Phantom needs )

I got one of those long ago.. ;)

[mtm]

On most acoustic amps the signal level is different on a 1/4 and XLR input. A mic usually doesn't work well going into a 1/4 TR or TRS input. Certainly a mic requiring phantom power won't work. I would use an ART Tube preamp like this for your mic:

http://www.wwbw.com/ART-Tube-MP-Studio-Mic-Preamp-180581-i1171932.wwbw?source=TWWR5J1BB&country=us¤cy=usd&gclid=CKmplKaizcsCFdgPgQod-PEGfw

You can try just using an XLR to TRS adapter, and see if it works.

I use an ART Tube MP, which is a nice unit ....

[John Adrihan]

I have a loud box mini. I use a mic vocal mic plugged into the vocal side and a sm58 plugged into the instrument side with an adapter thingy and it works great. No need for a pre amp with that thingy.

Edit: I had to go look at, it is a Hosa transformer, again with the mini and a sm 58 I see no need for a pre amp.

[Perry]

Thanks I bought a whirlwind little imp. As note din OP this is for use with a Fishman Loudbox mini where I have already used the XLR input for my instrument sound...which is priority. I'll use the 1/4" for occasional vocal.

[kkmm]

I simply use a karaoke MIC cable, not a standard XLR MIC cable. The said cable connect to the MIC with XLR and the other end is 1/4". However, I had to crank volume knob to max to have volume. A standard XLR cable only requires setting the knob to 1/4 or 1/3 of max to get same volume level on the same amp.

[pops1]

I simply use a karaoke MIC cable, not a standard XLR MIC cable. The said cable connect to the MIC with XLR and the other end is 1/4". However, I had to crank volume knob to max to have volume. A standard XLR cable only requires setting the knob to 1/4 or 1/3 of max to get same volume level on the same amp.

That is because you are using a low impedance mic in a high impedance input. If instead you bought an XLR to 1/4" converter with a transformer in it your volume would be similar.

[Perry]

UPDATE:

I ended up using the Whirlwind Little Imp to plug a SM58 into the 1/4" input on the Fishman Loudbox Mini and it worked perfectly.

Thanks again.
Perry

[kkmm]

Quote Originally Posted by kkmm View Post
I simply use a karaoke MIC cable, not a standard XLR MIC cable. The said cable connect to the MIC with XLR and the other end is 1/4". However, I had to crank volume knob to max to have volume. A standard XLR cable only requires setting the knob to 1/4 or 1/3 of max to get same volume level on the same amp.
That is because you are using a low impedance mic in a high impedance input. If instead you bought an XLR to 1/4" converter with a transformer in it your volume would be similar.

Thanks for the tip. are the XLR to 1/4" converters the one shown below.
145281

[kkmm]

The XLR adapter I show in the post above will not work as it's a male XLR, so can't take an XLR MIC cable.
Probably the one below is the correct one.
145282
Is this the correct one to use ?

[pops1]

The ones above are for stereo also not mono which you would want. kkmm shows the correct one.

[Charlieshafer]

They also make male-to-female adaptors, but then you're just adding to the chain of connections, which I try to avoid, but are sometimes unavoidable..