Hi,

I am trying to solder a female 3.5mm microphone jack to 2 RCA cables
(left and right), and I'm not sure how to wire it.

On the mic jack there is a tail and the 2 prongs (one silver and one
copper).

I have a white RCA cable (left) and red RCA cable (right). When I strip
the black shield there are copper strands and within the copper strands
there is a smaller shielded wire. The smaller wires are color coded to
correspond with the RCA jack color.

I tried soldering the copper strands of both RCA cables to the tail of
the mic jack, the small white wire to the silver prong and the small
red wire to the copper prong, which doesn't seem to work.

Can someone please explain how to wire this setup for what I need?

Thanks.

The easiest way to figure it out is like this

the 3.5 mm plug at the tip will have 3 distinct sections, seperated by
plastic between them

http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/wiring.htm half way down the page

the two braid from the wires to the RCA plugs are connected together and
then connected to the sleeve of the 3.5 mm plug.

The thin white wire is connected to the tip of the 3.5 mm plug

The thin red wire is connected to the ring of the 3.5 mm plug

Paul

loedown wrote:
The easiest way to figure it out is like this

the 3.5 mm plug at the tip will have 3 distinct sections, seperated by
plastic between them

http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/wiring.htm half way down the page

the two braid from the wires to the RCA plugs are connected together and
then connected to the sleeve of the 3.5 mm plug.

The thin white wire is connected to the tip of the 3.5 mm plug

The thin red wire is connected to the ring of the 3.5 mm plug

Paul



Be a little bit careful here. If the microphone (3.5mm)plug is to be
plugged into the PC soundcard Mic jack, then one of the wires will be a
Bias voltage to power an electret mic.

Chris

No mention of PC, just the straightforward connection

Paul

Thanks for the info loedown. It works. I had wired that way already, but
I guess for what I'm doing I require a pre-amp.

I'm not connecting to a PC.


loedown wrote:
No mention of PC, just the straightforward connection

Paul

I forgot to mention my set up was actually a female 3.5mm not a male.

Pasquale wrote:

Thanks for the info loedown. It works. I had wired that way already, but
I guess for what I'm doing I require a pre-amp.

I'm not connecting to a PC.


loedown wrote:

No mention of PC, just the straightforward connection

Paul

Pasquale wrote:

I forgot to mention my set up was actually a female 3.5mm not a male.


It works the same, no matter if it is a male or female.
You have connected it correctly, something else is the problem, like
lacking a preamp, as you say.


--
Roger J.

Thanks Roger.

I am now using a Stereo Pre-Amp and I am getting a little bit of signal
noise. Is there something you or anyone can suggest to reduce it?

Thanks.

Roger Johansson wrote:
Pasquale wrote:


I forgot to mention my set up was actually a female 3.5mm not a male.



It works the same, no matter if it is a male or female.
You have connected it correctly, something else is the problem, like
lacking a preamp, as you say.

Pasquale wrote:

I am now using a Stereo Pre-Amp and I am getting a little bit of signal
noise. Is there something you or anyone can suggest to reduce it?


You have not told us what you are trying to connect to what, you only
told us about a connector.

We need more details to be able to help you more.


--
Roger J.

My connection is a microphone into a small stereo pre-amp, out to a DV
camcorder. How can I reduce or get rid of the little bit of signal noise?


Roger Johansson wrote:
Pasquale wrote:


I am now using a Stereo Pre-Amp and I am getting a little bit of signal
noise. Is there something you or anyone can suggest to reduce it?



You have not told us what you are trying to connect to what, you only
told us about a connector.

We need more details to be able to help you more.

My set up is a microphone connected to the adaptor I made with the 3.5mm
female jack and dual female RCA's into a small stereo pre-amp via an RCA
cable, out to a DV camcorder.

How can I reduce or get rid of the little bit of signal noise?


Roger Johansson wrote:
Pasquale wrote:


I am now using a Stereo Pre-Amp and I am getting a little bit of signal
noise. Is there something you or anyone can suggest to reduce it?



You have not told us what you are trying to connect to what, you only
told us about a connector.

We need more details to be able to help you more.

My set up is a microphone connected to the adaptor I made with the 3.5mm
female jack and dual female RCA's into a small stereo pre-amp via an RCA
cable, out to a DV camcorder using the RCA to 3.5mm cable supplied with
the camcorder.

How can I reduce or get rid of the little bit of signal noise?


Roger Johansson wrote:
Pasquale wrote:


I am now using a Stereo Pre-Amp and I am getting a little bit of signal
noise. Is there something you or anyone can suggest to reduce it?



You have not told us what you are trying to connect to what, you only
told us about a connector.

We need more details to be able to help you more.

Pasquale wrote:

My set up is a microphone connected to the adaptor I made with the
3.5mm female jack and dual female RCA's into a small stereo pre-amp via
an RCA cable, out to a DV camcorder using the RCA to 3.5mm cable
supplied with the camcorder.

How can I reduce or get rid of the little bit of signal noise?

It depends on exactly how much noise you have there.

It is impossible to get rid of all noise, you can only get it a lot lower
than the audio signal.

How much lower depends on the quality of the microphone and the preamp.
It could be the mic preamp which is to noisy. Is it a real mic preamp?

You should test the setup by singing into the mic, adjust levels for
optimum quality and check how much noise there is compared to the audio
signal. Can you hear the noise through the audio signal, is it at a disturbing level?

When you do not sing into the mic and turn amplification up to max you
will always hear noise, but that is not a normal way of using a
microphone.

There is a device called noise gate which blocks the noise from the
microphone when you are not using it.



--
Roger J.

I'll see where I can find a noise gate, any suggestions?

Also, is it true that a capacitor would reduce noise? If so, how would
it be done?


Roger Johansson wrote:
Pasquale wrote:


My set up is a microphone connected to the adaptor I made with the
3.5mm female jack and dual female RCA's into a small stereo pre-amp via
an RCA cable, out to a DV camcorder using the RCA to 3.5mm cable
supplied with the camcorder.

How can I reduce or get rid of the little bit of signal noise?


It depends on exactly how much noise you have there.

It is impossible to get rid of all noise, you can only get it a lot lower
than the audio signal.

How much lower depends on the quality of the microphone and the preamp.
It could be the mic preamp which is to noisy. Is it a real mic preamp?

You should test the setup by singing into the mic, adjust levels for
optimum quality and check how much noise there is compared to the audio
signal. Can you hear the noise through the audio signal, is it at a disturbing level?

When you do not sing into the mic and turn amplification up to max you
will always hear noise, but that is not a normal way of using a
microphone.

There is a device called noise gate which blocks the noise from the
microphone when you are not using it.

"Pasquale" wrote in message
news:7EEBd.41149$Y72.19723@edtnps91...
I'll see where I can find a noise gate, any suggestions?

Also, is it true that a capacitor would reduce noise? If so, how would it
be done?

You're throwing equipment at a problem when what you need to do is
understand the problem. That almost never works, and almost always costs
more than solving the problem the right way. A noise gate would cost you
more than getting the right kind of microphone and/or preamp. And anyway,
all it will do is reduce the noise when there is no signal; it will not do
anything about the situation when there is a signal. And no, a capacitor
will not reduce noise.

You still have not adequately described the problem you have. In
particular, please answer ALL of the following questions:

What is the microphone you are using?
What kind of connector does it have?
Do you have any reason to believe that it is intended as a general-purpose
microphone, or is it intended to mate with some particular piece of
equipment (that is, did it come as an accessory to some other piece of audio
gear such as a tape recorder)?

What is the camcorder you are using?
What audio inputs does it have? (It might have more than one - for
instance, it might have both line inputs and an auxiliary mic input.)
What kind of connectors does it use for its audio inputs?
Are they intended for line level or mic level signals, and if the latter, do
they provide DC supply voltage for an electret mic?


Most likely, your problem is that are trying to use an electret type mic,
which has a little preamp built into it, and it needs DC supply voltage to
be provided by whatever it's plugged into; and your camcorder inputs are
intended for line level signals rather than a mic. In this situation, a
preamp will not help unless it is intended for that sort of mic. But, based
on what you've said so far, there is no way to tell if that is actually the
problem. You need to answer the above questions and then people might be
able to help you.

see below...

Walter Harley wrote:

"Pasquale" wrote in message
news:7EEBd.41149$Y72.19723@edtnps91...

I'll see where I can find a noise gate, any suggestions?

Also, is it true that a capacitor would reduce noise? If so, how would it
be done?


You're throwing equipment at a problem when what you need to do is
understand the problem. That almost never works, and almost always costs
more than solving the problem the right way. A noise gate would cost you
more than getting the right kind of microphone and/or preamp. And anyway,
all it will do is reduce the noise when there is no signal; it will not do
anything about the situation when there is a signal. And no, a capacitor
will not reduce noise.

You still have not adequately described the problem you have. In
particular, please answer ALL of the following questions:

What is the microphone you are using?
What kind of connector does it have?

I have a Universal Microphone with 1/4" jack and the adaptor to 3.5mm.

Do you have any reason to believe that it is intended as a general-purpose
microphone, or is it intended to mate with some particular piece of
equipment (that is, did it come as an accessory to some other piece of audio
gear such as a tape recorder)?

On the package it says it can be used with karaoke, camcorders, portable
stereos, etc.


What is the camcorder you are using?

Panasonic. Just purchased a couple of weeks ago. FYI... Model PV-GS200.

What audio inputs does it have? (It might have more than one - for
instance, it might have both line inputs and an auxiliary mic input.)
What kind of connectors does it use for its audio inputs?

It has A/V in/out 3.5mm(?) jack. With the camera came a A/V cable with
video, and left and right RCA on one end and the 3.5mm plug on the
other. I am getting the video no problem. As for the audio, I am getting
sound, I just need it to be amplified.

I put together a adaptor cable to go from the 3.5mm microphone jack to
the dual RCA ends. I think it may be from here where I am getting the
static/hum/noise. It seems that if it is held right the noise is pretty
much gone. Maybe poor solder or bad connection to the tail of the
microphone jack (ground).

The way I did the soldering was:

- RCA white inner core wire to the silver tab of the mic jack
- RCA red inner core wire to the copper tab of the mic jack
- copper wire surrounding each are both solder to the tail of the mic jack


Are they intended for line level or mic level signals, and if the latter, do
they provide DC supply voltage for an electret mic?


Most likely, your problem is that are trying to use an electret type mic,
which has a little preamp built into it, and it needs DC supply voltage to
be provided by whatever it's plugged into; and your camcorder inputs are
intended for line level signals rather than a mic. In this situation, a
preamp will not help unless it is intended for that sort of mic. But, based
on what you've said so far, there is no way to tell if that is actually the
problem. You need to answer the above questions and then people might be
able to help you.

"Pasquale" wrote in message
news:kJHBd.42865$KO5.28365@clgrps13...
I have a Universal Microphone with 1/4" jack and the adaptor to 3.5mm.

Sounds like a mono microphone, and could be the kind that doesn't need an
external DC supply voltage. So that's good.

You say "jack". Do you mean "plug"? Jacks are female, plugs are male.

Are the plugs stereo or mono?


[The camcorder] has A/V in/out 3.5mm(?) jack. With the camera came a A/V
cable with video, and left and right RCA on one end and the 3.5mm plug on
the other. I am getting the video no problem. As for the audio, I am
getting sound, I just need it to be amplified.

That definitely sounds like a line-level input. So you do need some sort of
microphone preamp. You mentioned you were using a preamp; is it in fact a
microphone preamp? What kind? How are you connecting to it?


I put together a adaptor cable to go from the 3.5mm microphone jack to the
dual RCA ends. I think it may be from here where I am getting the
static/hum/noise. It seems that if it is held right the noise is pretty
much gone. Maybe poor solder or bad connection to the tail of the
microphone jack (ground).

The way I did the soldering was:

- RCA white inner core wire to the silver tab of the mic jack
- RCA red inner core wire to the copper tab of the mic jack
- copper wire surrounding each are both solder to the tail of the mic jack

It sounds like the "mic jack" you're describing here is the 3.5mm jack into
which you're plugging the mic plug. Or am I confused? If I'm right, it
also sounds like you're describing a stereo 3.5mm jack.

Is the mic plug mono or stereo? If you're plugging a mono plug into a
stereo jack, you will have problems - at the least, one channel will be
missing. So, it sounds to me like you may not have this wired correctly.
But it does also sound like there's a soldering problem.

Are you somewhere near a Radio Shack, or a TV repair shop or something?
This sort of problem would take about one minute to diagnose and give you
the right answer, for someone who could actually see what you're talking
about. Trying to do it in text, with inaccurate terminology and incomplete
information, is going to be slow going.

"Walter Harley" wrote in message
...
Are the plugs stereo or mono?

In case that was unclear:

Do the plugs have three contacts (tip, ring, sleeve) or just two (tip,
sleeve)?

Thanks for all your help. Comments below...

Walter Harley wrote:
"Pasquale" wrote in message
news:kJHBd.42865$KO5.28365@clgrps13...

I have a Universal Microphone with 1/4" jack and the adaptor to 3.5mm.


Sounds like a mono microphone, and could be the kind that doesn't need an
external DC supply voltage. So that's good.

You say "jack". Do you mean "plug"? Jacks are female, plugs are male.

The reference above should have been "1/4 plug" instead of "1/4 jack".
The rest of my references are correct.


Are the plugs stereo or mono?



[The camcorder] has A/V in/out 3.5mm(?) jack. With the camera came a A/V
cable with video, and left and right RCA on one end and the 3.5mm plug on
the other. I am getting the video no problem. As for the audio, I am
getting sound, I just need it to be amplified.


That definitely sounds like a line-level input. So you do need some sort of
microphone preamp. You mentioned you were using a preamp; is it in fact a
microphone preamp? What kind? How are you connecting to it?


The pre-amp... "Permits use of a turntable with a magnetic stereo phono
cartridge with an amplifier not equipped with the appropriate connections."

I know its not meant for what I am trying, but I just need something
temporary. I will get the proper mic pre-amp after the holidays, when
the stores are back to normal hours.

http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Prod...duct=4 202111

I am connecting my mic to the adaptor I made and then to the input of
the pre-amp with RCA cable. Then out from the pre-amp to the camcorder
with the A/V cable.



I put together a adaptor cable to go from the 3.5mm microphone jack to the
dual RCA ends. I think it may be from here where I am getting the
static/hum/noise. It seems that if it is held right the noise is pretty
much gone. Maybe poor solder or bad connection to the tail of the
microphone jack (ground).

The way I did the soldering was:

- RCA white inner core wire to the silver tab of the mic jack
- RCA red inner core wire to the copper tab of the mic jack
- copper wire surrounding each are both solder to the tail of the mic jack


It sounds like the "mic jack" you're describing here is the 3.5mm jack into
which you're plugging the mic plug. Or am I confused? If I'm right, it
also sounds like you're describing a stereo 3.5mm jack.

You are correct.


Is the mic plug mono or stereo? If you're plugging a mono plug into a
stereo jack, you will have problems - at the least, one channel will be
missing. So, it sounds to me like you may not have this wired correctly.

The mic plug is mono. The mic jack on my adaptor is stereo. So, I'm just
losing a channel.

I used the link below that was given to me in a earlier response for wiring.
http://www.vandenhul.com/artpap/wiring.htm

But it does also sound like there's a soldering problem.

I'm going to buy another 3.5mm jack for my adaptor and do a better
soldering. Now that I take a closer look at it, it's not so great.
Thinking about, I remember the tabs getting too hot because the tabs
were moving back-and-forth in the plastic core. I'm going to be more
careful this time.

Hopefully that will fix the problem. If not I'll try a repair shop or
Radio Shack and see what they have to say.

Thanks again.


Are you somewhere near a Radio Shack, or a TV repair shop or something?
This sort of problem would take about one minute to diagnose and give you
the right answer, for someone who could actually see what you're talking
about. Trying to do it in text, with inaccurate terminology and incomplete
information, is going to be slow going.

3 contacts

Walter Harley wrote:

"Walter Harley" wrote in message
...

Are the plugs stereo or mono?


In case that was unclear:

Do the plugs have three contacts (tip, ring, sleeve) or just two (tip,
sleeve)?

"Pasquale" wrote in message
news:jBXBd.45974$KO5.45393@clgrps13...
I'm going to buy another 3.5mm jack for my adaptor and do a better
soldering. Now that I take a closer look at it, it's not so great.
Thinking about, I remember the tabs getting too hot because the tabs were
moving back-and-forth in the plastic core. I'm going to be more careful
this time.

Hopefully that will fix the problem. If not I'll try a repair shop or
Radio Shack and see what they have to say.

Based on everything you said - I suspect the problem is just a combination
of inappropriate preamp and defective soldering.

Rather than doing all this soldering, you might consider just purchasing
ready-made adapters. But don't do that until you have the mic preamp,
because what you need will depend on the connectors on the preamp; if you
get the right thing you might not need any adapters at all.

I'm inferring the mic you have is something like the Philips/Magnavox
PM62080 "Universal Mic", as shown at
http://www.gemini-usa.com/a5/modelDe...oAccessor ies.
This mic has what we'd call a "high impedance unbalanced" output. That is
different than most professional mics, which use "low impedance balanced"
outputs. That means that a typical mic preamp will *NOT* work properly with
it. The giveaway is that most mic preamps have "XLR" (three-pin)
connectors, rather than 1/4" mono connectors. You could build an adapter
but it wouldn't get you anywhere, because the signal levels are different.

It is hard to find preamps for this kind of microphone. Your best bet is
probably going to be to find a consumer-grade "mic mixer", even though you
aren't actually mixing anything. For instance, an excellent choice would be
the Radio Shack 32-2056:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...t%5Fid=32-2056.
This has 1/4" mono inputs for the mic (meaning it is intended for exactly
your kind of microphone); it has stereo RCA outputs, so you don't even need
to buy any adapters; and it can run on a 9V battery. It lists for $40. You
might also be able to find something like it cheaper somewhere else.
Another possibility would be to find a DJ mixer.

If any of that is unclear, let me know.

"Pasquale" wrote in message
news:sMmCd.50368$KO5.42614@clgrps13...
I also have a XLR microphone that is probably 11 - 12 years old in
excellent condition. It is a Electro-Voice MC100 that is dynamic,
directional, low impedance. I couldn't find any info about it on their web
site. Probably because it is so old. I did find the sheet with specs and
info that came with it.

Yes, I'm sure that would be better sounding. You would need a mic preamp
for it. Something along the lines of the Rolls MP13 (Google for it) or an
equivalent. Then, you would come out of the 1/4" output, using a mono 1/4"
to dual RCA adapter from Radio Shack; and from there to the camcorder.


What's the difference between Directional and Uni-directional? Is one
better than the other?

Both of them are imprecise terms, too vague to tell apart.

Microphones are generally classified as "omnidirectional", "cardioid",
"supercardioid", "hypercardioid", or "figure-of-8". These refer to
different amounts and patterns of directionality, where "omnidirection"
means that it is about equally sensitive in all directions, and
"figure-of-8" is just what it sounds like.

What you have is somewhere in the spectrum of cardioid patterns, but there's
no way to tell which one other than by trying.

Directional mics do still pick up a bit of sound from the "off axis" -
particularly at low frequencies. So it's just an approximation.