Problems with a 2 transmitter 1 receiver setup, any advice?

Audio

Problems with a 2 transmitter 1 receiver setup, any advice?

Posted by Dallas Campbell on March 25, 2018 at 2:56 am

Hello!

In just weeks, I’ll be in Japan being the sole videographer on the project. I thought I had my sound set up all figured out until it came time to test it:

2 Saramonic Transmitter Lav mics
1 Saramonic Receiver
1 Tascam DR-40
1 Tascam DR-05

What I need to be able to do is mic 2 people and have it record Person A on L and Person B on R so that I can separate them in post. My problem is that the DR-40 isn’t recording the tracks separately through the single XLR input. The Receiver is outputting exactly how it should with A on L and B on R in Stereo, but the DR-40 only sees it as one track, mixed down through the XLR port.

I know the mics are doing what they need to because when I use the 3.5mm connection for the DR-05, it works perfect. I pull it into premiere and I can separate them as I need.

I was hoping to throw in a Rode Mic into the other XLR slot. I was really hoping that I could record it all on the DR-40 and separate all three as need be. As it stands, I’m going to need both Tascams. That complicates everything.

Is there a way I can make each mic a different channel on just the DR-40? Or if you have any other suggestions….

Richard Crowley replied 8 years, 5 months ago 3 Members · 6 Replies
6 Replies

Ty Ford
March 25, 2018 at 1:43 pm

Hello Dallas and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

If I’m reading you correctly. you have two transmitters and only one receiver., a Saramonic RX9 two channel receiver.

https://www.saramonicusa.com/products/rx9

You appear to have a plumbing problem. stereo output of the Saramonic and mono XLR input of the Tascam DR-40.

You would need to use BOTH XLR inputs for the DR40 and have a cable that splits the output of the RX9 into to legs, one for each channel of the DR40. I don’t know if one is made, but Eric Toline, a member of this form, specializes in custom cables. Contact him at audioetc@bellsouth.net.

The four channels of the DR 40 use their two built in mics plus whatever you plug in to the XLRs. I’ve seen a hand-held recorder like the DR-40 with a modular design for the built-in mics. The Zoom H5. One of the modules will allow you to record using all four tracks with separate mics. Here’s my review of the Zoom H5.

https://tyfordaudiovideo.blogspot.com/2014/08/zoom-h5-somewhere-between-4-and-6.html

I don’t know which Rode mic to which you are referring, and how you intend to use it.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog
Dallas Campbell
March 25, 2018 at 4:17 pm

Ty,

Thanks for the quick reply. So is that just a functionality difference between an 3.5mm input and an XLR input? That 3.5 can do stereo and XLR is only Mono?

So with no time or money to get any more devices, it sounds like I’m going to have to have the RX9 go into the DR-05 and use the DR-40 or the camera input for the Rode (mounted on the camera). Is that about right? On the fly, that’s a lot to handle.

This is the Rode mic.
https://www.amazon.com/Rode-VMPR-VideoMic-Rycote-Shockmount/dp/B00QCMEXIU

Thanks!
Dallas Campbell
Ty Ford
March 25, 2018 at 4:23 pm

Hey Dallas,

One could wire an XLR to be unbalanced stereo but the TASCAM won’t understand it and it would likely cause you problems later when you forgot that it was wired that way and tried to use it elsewhere.

Having Eric make a custom cable for you would work. The TASCAM XLR inputs – are they the type that also accept 1/4″ male plugs?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog
Dallas Campbell
March 25, 2018 at 4:59 pm

Hey Ty,

It doesn’t sound like it will be worth it with the time crunch I’m under. Mostly because it will take up my other XLR port that I was hoping to use for other mics. I just wish I knew that XLR is only mono. Is that all XLR inputs or just the Tascam’s? Would have made a huge difference when I was picking gear.

Thanks again.
Dallas
Ty Ford
March 25, 2018 at 5:48 pm

Dallas,

Except for some really weird, hand-made permutations XLRs are always mono.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog
Richard Crowley
March 25, 2018 at 9:30 pm

Probably a very large percentage of 3.5mm TRS connections are un-balanced stereo. Mic-level, line-level, or headphones/earbuds, etc. 3.5m is a common and popular consumer connection style.

Virtually 99.999% of XLR connections are balanced monaural. Whether mic-level or line-level.
XLR is a professional (and prosumer) connection style.

It is not clear what the microphone on the camera is for?
Or why you think you need an external recorder for it?
Why not simply plug the on-camera mic into the camera and record in-camera?

———————————————————————————
Recording audio without metering and monitoring is exactly like framing and focusing without looking at the viewfinder.

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