XLR plugs and connectors

A forum to share ideas and opinions on the equipment and technical aspects of film, video and AV making.
User avatar
TimStannard
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:20 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: XLR plugs and connectors

Post by TimStannard »

Tom, I've not had occasion to try this but would a dynamic mic like the Shure SM57 or SM58 be suitable (and not too expensive - and there's a very high probablility someone you know has got one they can lend you)? These are used all the time for micing up full range instruments at high volume like guitar amp/speakers in sound reinforcement systems and are legendarily built like tanks. Sure, the highs might lose a bit of sizzle and the very bottom end might drop off a bit but if the option is shoving a mic in a high volume speaker, I'd have thought it's a pretty good bet. Comments?
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
User avatar
John Roberts
Posts: 320
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:42 am
Contact:

Re: XLR plugs and connectors

Post by John Roberts »

+1 for that suggestion, Tim.

As a musician of more years than I care to remember, I've had a fair few dealings with miking up high pressure sound systems, and agree that the ubiquitous SM57/58 and that ilk can indeed withstand those sort of sound pressure levels without breaking up. Signal output level should be manageable too, and all balanced microphones can be wired unbalanced to feed into a standard camcorder style audio input if an unbalanced input is not available, as long as the cable run is relatively short.

I would probably recommend, if you have no opportunity to soundcheck before you need to record, that recording levels are set low. It's easier and more pleasing to the ear to boost a low level signal than it is to try and reduce a distorted one - once clipping is present in the recording you can't get rid of it! Most modern camcorders have very high quality audio recording capabilities, in fact I generally set my GH3 at a recording level of 1 (i.e. the minimum) when using an external microphone, and then 'normalise' or boost the audio level in post. Never had a problem with overload and never had a noisy/hissy soundtrack.

Good luck!
Post Reply