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Audio-Technica U100 received as donation – question
I work as a volunteer with a group serving a low income, at-risk young population. We recently received, as part of a donation, an Audio-Technica U100 transmitter (ATW T101) and receiver (ATW R100) set.
I know this is probably older than what you would normally use, but it’s all we have, so we would like to make the most of it. We downloaded the manual and got familiar with the equipment, its uses and limitations.
I was hoping to find some hands-on expertise here from those who may have used this type of equipment back in the day.For instance, I noticed that if I turn on the receiver without turning on the transmitter, I get noise (static), which goes away when I turn on the transmitter. I have not seen this behavior in other wireless sets I have used.
Is this characteristic of this model, or maybe it was the norm (static noise when no transmitter is on) back in the day? In other words, is this something I should worry about? I have not found any reference to this behavior in the user’s manual.
BTW, we are using this wireless set with a Canon HF R20 camcorder. We use a Hosa XLR female to stereo mini-jack male to connect the back of the receiver to the microphone input on the camera. We monitor audio through the headphone jack on the camera. If we monitor audio through the monitor jack on the receiver, we get the same behavior (static when transmitter is off).
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7 Replies
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Before you get to excited… Is the system still in the ‘LEGAL’ band?
Recently there has been a major restructure of RF allocation in many countries and the chance is that you have been given someones castoff.Please find out if the system you have fits into the legal band in your country before we go any further.
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Hearing hiss in the absence of a signal is normal for all FM receivers. Most modern receivers have an internal circuit called “squelch” which mutes that hiss noise unless it is tuned to a transmitter. And many modern receivers have a user-adjustable squelch control. However, the ATW R100 does not appear to have a squelch adjustment available to the user.
NOTE CAREFULLY that using a “normally-wired” XLR to 3.5mm TRS plug cable will give you BIG PROBLEMS when you go to edit and distribute the video. It will record the microphone signal to both the LEFT and RIGHT channels, but the right channel will be OUT OF PHASE and when combined with the left channel it will CANCEL out almost all the audio. This has happened to many people and it seems quite likely to affect your use as well.
You need a cable that is specially wired for that kind of application. For example this Hosa cable/adapter made specifically for camcorders…
https://hosatech.com/product/xvm-100f/
NOTE ALSO that it is no longer legal to use 700 MHz wireless microphones in the United States. If your transmitter and receiver has an “X” at the end of the model number, then it is a 700 MHz version and is now illegal.
https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/wireless-microphones
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That’s a good suggestion, I didn’t even think of that.
I did use this tool from Audio-Technica:
https://ff.audiotechnica.com/cgi-bin/tvfreqcheck/tvfreqcheck.cgi
It tells you what specific channels (and associated frequencies) can be used in a specific zip code area. I used 14304 for Niagara Falls (NY) and the tool came back with 94 channels (out of 100 on this specific wireless system) that can be used in the area.
I did not see an equivalent tool for Canadian frequencies (on the other side of the river).
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Thank you for the clarification. It makes sense now (old tech vs. newer tech).
Regarding the cable, this is what we got:
https://www.sweetwater.com/images/closeup/750-XVM110F_detail1.jpgI noticed a difference between the link you sent out and the link I included above: pins 1 and 2 are on opposite sides of the connector. The connection is still the same (pins 1 and 3 to ground/sleeve, pin 2 to tip/ring), but on your diagram pin 2 is on the left, while on my diagram pin 2 is on the right. Pin 3 is at the bottom of the connector on both diagrams.
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This is what I found on the Audio-Technica website:
“x” systems: 656.125-668.500 MHz
non-“x” systems: 728.125-740.500 MHzI don’t see an X printed on the receiver or transmitter, so that’s too bad…no more wireless setup.
Thank you for the info, though.
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Yes, you are correct. The “X” indicates the 600 MHz version. So if your kit does not have an “X”, then, yes, it is not legal to use any more in North America) at least US and Canada). Many 700 MHz kits were sold to users in other parts of the planet where 700 MHz is still legal.
The pin NUMBERS shown on the XLR connectors are the determining factor. The pins LOCATION can actually be either way (left or right) depending on whether you are looking at the front or the back, and depending on whether you are looking at a male or a female connector. So you have the correct cable.
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Hello Roberto and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.
Yes, the 7OO MHz spectrum can not be used for wireless mics. Audio Technical stopped making the U100 around 2000, I think, just because of this. I know a bit about it because I had a pari myself.
I gave them to a friend in Miami who has at least one on display in his store.
I don’t know how or if the RCMP (or whomever) enforces those things up there, but don’t bring ’em south.
I found in firing up my receivers here in Baltimore that they were definitely picking up something and it was pretty strong. YMMV. If you were operating them in the basement of a sturdy building, they might actually still work (illegally).
The lavs that come with them are pretty good, actually.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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