Audio Mic in on GL2

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[Devin Terpstra] “Is the Mic in on the gl2 known to be a little flaky or am i a little flaky.”
Regardless of the “flake-factor” of a given mic, if you plug something into

Some small Mackies only output LINE-LEVEL.
Which Mackie are you using?
The 1202 is LINE only, but the 1402 has switchable LINE or MIC-level on the back XLR’s.

LINE is MUCH “hotter” than MIC and the noise-level would be very loud if LINE is fed into Mic-level inputs.

Solutions:
1. Use mic-level output from mixer (if available).
2. Use a Line-to-Mic-level attenuator to drop the mixer’s output level to match the camcorder.
3. Use a Beachtek (XLR bridge) or similar adapter connected to the camera’s input. Use one with a Line-Level switch.

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As I started to say before the power winked out on me…

Regardless of the “flake-factor” of a given mic, if you plug something into the Mic INPUT on the camera, the mic is switched OUT of the circuit.

But I assume you to mean that there might be something “flaky” about the mic INPUT (pre-amps, jack, etc.)

I doubt that its anything more than a level mismatch:

Some small Mackie mixers only output LINE-LEVEL.
Which Mackie are you using?
The 1202 is LINE only, but the 1402 has switchable LINE or MIC-level on the back XLR’s.

LINE is MUCH “hotter” than MIC and the noise-level would be very loud if LINE is fed into Mic-level inputs.

Solutions:
1. Use mic-level output from mixer (if available).
2. Use a Line-to-Mic-level attenuator to drop the mixer’s output level to match the camcorder.
3. Use a Beachtek (XLR bridge) or similar adapter connected to the camera’s input. Use one with a Line-Level switch.

[Devin Terpstra]

Thanks for the tips Matte, but I think the 1202 is a line/mic mixer. The back has the same +4/Mic button as the 1402. is there another setting that I’m missing on the 1402. If so I’ll yank the 1402 out of the studio to use for this project.

I’ve had a couple of friends ask if the camera was on battery or plugged in. It was plugged into the wall, would running the camera on battery make a technical difference. (I’ll try as many things as I can, but can only use the GL2 one day a week, so I want to have as many solutions as possible for that one day.)

[Ty Ford]

Maybe. When two AC powered devices are plugged in to different AC outlets, a difference in ground potentials can occur causing a minute flow of current. This is called a ground loop and is usually heard as hum or buzz in the audio and can be seen as wavy lines or bars in video. Ground lifters usually help to solve that problem.

I’ve also have had situations occur with a Mac lap top and a DAT machine. I had both devices plugged into the same extension cord. There was buzz in the laptop audio but not on the DAT. Amazingly (to me) unplugging the DAT power supply got rid of the buzz in the powerbook. I then tried a 3 to 2 AC plug on the DAT power cord and that also worked, but there was still a slight buzz in the laptop.

I reversed the two prong AC plug of the laptop and the buzz went almost co pletely away; enough to use.

I’m guessing that the DAT power supply was generating some sort of hash that was getting into the powerbook.

Also check around to see if there are any residential light dimmers being used. Even if they are not in the same room or on the same circuit, they can radiate a buzz into your audio. They either need to be turned all the way up or all the way down.

Hope this helps.

Ty Ford

Ty Ford’s “Audio Bootcamp Field Guide” was written for video people who want better audio. Find out more at https://www.tyford.com

[Cliff Elliott]

Devin I have been using an XM2 for nearly two years and have encounted this problem on a number of ocasions, you got it in one regards the AC outlet, if you run on battery while taking a line feed you will have no hum.

Regards, Cliff Elliott

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[Devin Terpstra] “but I think the 1202 is a line/mic mixer. The back has the same +4/Mic button as the 1402.”

Yes, if you have a 1202 “VLZ” version, it has the XLR outputs (mic or line) on the back.

[David Jones]

How are you trying to interface the balanced XLR outputs from the mixer
with the mic inputs on the GL2?

[Devin Terpstra]

I’m using an “XLR to Mini” connector. I’ve tried 2 different ones, both new (less than a month old)

[David Jones]

You might think about getting something along the lines of a Beachtek DXA-4P audio adapter for your GL2.
It would be a more effective way to run balanced audio, Mic or line level into your camera without
ground loops or impedance mismatches.
Good Luck!