Community: Message List - Line6 + Rode HS-1

Re: RE: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:14:37 GMT

I'll test it in a few days, and I'll get back with the info...

So far, the signal does not overload my mic inputs on sound desks anymore (I use Soundcraft K3, Soundcraft Spirit 16-4-2 Live and Behringer Mx8000).

But it seems to me that the microphone capsule from HS-1 mics does not handle SPL declared on the specs page, or I was given used or slightly damaged mics from my local dealer.

RE: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:13:18 GMT

hello

I'm afraid we cannot directly help you, as this needs to be tested directly on this third-party hardware

please contact Rode support, or simply try test using a potentiometer/adjustable resistor to find out the right value

line6antonio

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:13:45 GMT

Yesterday I was experimentig with the signal pads, and I found this solutiuon from the attached schematic to work well...

With the pad build like this and with these component values, I don't light up the upper led in the signal ladder on the receiver and I don't get clipped signal to my sound desks (before I was getting clip with channel gain set to min). This solution only gets me distorted sound if the capsule itself if exposed to SPL that it cannot handle. Still I got no clip on the receiver output, as the main signal amplitude is padded.

Will this have any effect oh the battery life in my xd-v70 units? I didn't get the chance to test it fully, as I cannot give connector made like this to my actors because they would destroy it (it's not yet a built in solution).

I ommitted the blockign capacitor, as 10uF cuts to much bass frequencies and adds kind of whining noise to the signal. Maybe 10pF block capacitor would do the job of DC blocking, but I assume there is one in the transmitter.

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:05:19 GMT

Ok, I got the basic picture... yesterday I was experimenting on the universal PCB making mods with variable resistors to see how does limiting the bias voltage effects the HS-1 capsule. It works almost the same when fed with 5 volts (no resistor) and with resistor set to 5K or 10K. The voltage drops almost to 0,98V when I set the resistor to 20K, and then I noticed gain reduction a bit. I also tried the blocking capacitor 10uF. It audibly reduces bass boom from the voice, not too much though. Today I will just check the possibility of reducing the signal gain with some kind of signal pad (maybe 10dB) just to see the result. I will try it with the schematic from attached picture.

I am waiting a response from Rode to see if the 0,98v will have any effect on durability of the capsule, and if it will not cause any damage, do you think will it the ok to produce connector with 20K resistor and a blocking capacitor?

Thank you for the info and replies it is very helpful.

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:26:44 GMT

Maybe the block cap is inside or part of the AKG mic head or the AKG due to its internal config does not require a blocking cap.

I use cheap mics and they don't require a cap just a resistor.

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 05:18:04 GMT

Thank you!

I mailed the info to RODE, hope it will help them.

Still I have a concern: if the DC blocking capacitor is inside the xlr, and not in the transmitter itself, how come the AKG microphone works with Line6 transmitter correctly?

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:04:03 GMT

The capacitor/ resistor on the Mini PCB in the Line6 TAF4 connector are

10K and 10uF

HTH

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:42:08 GMT

Here is something that may help us... I am not an electronics engineer, but looking at the parts made me think...

http://www.beam-wiki.org/wiki/Electret_microphone

A simple schematic of electret mics....

I noticed a resistor and a capacitor in the original Line6 Lavalier 4-pin XLR connector....

I also noticed that there is no such capacitor in Akg and Shure designs...

Maybe they put the capacitors that block DC current component inside the transmitter, and Line 6 puts theirs intro 4-pin XLR connector on a little pcb...

As Micon adapters don't have those capacitors, can it be that we are having DC issues here? Maybe the DC current component messes up with the signal current and makes it distorted and too "hot"?

What capacitor values and what kind of capacitor (block or electrolytic) should we use to achieve effective DC current block not to leak into signal?

The upper text made me think further, and I found these mod's people used to make some akg mics to work with shure transmitters:

http://shure.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7/~/pin-out-for-shure-bodypack-transmitters---ta4m-%2F-ta4f

http://shure.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/320/~/how-do-i-connect-an-akg-ck77-to-a-shure-bodypack%3F

maybe the same solution applies here in trying to use hs-1 with line6 transmitters? partly I find the answer to my previous question about capacitor model

Message was edited by: bad_ri

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:38:00 GMT

I understand that specs say one thing, and actual usage of the mics gives me a headache with the distortion.

I will try ommiting the resitor tomorrow as soon as I get to work. I did not quite understand the usage of that resitor, as you call it "pull up". What is the meaning of that term, and what it does to the voltage that is supplied from transmitter to the microphone? When we were converting AKG mics to operate with Shure LX88, we had to solder 560Ohm resistors to minixlr connectors.

At RODE they thought that we should try them with 10K resistors, as the original 4,7K were blowing-up when used with HS-1 and XD-V. They think that there is too much voltage getting to the mic and that may be the cause of overload. I will also check how voltage change with the Micon adapters equipped with 4,7K and 10K resistors.

I will also check to see how HS-1 operate with LX88, becase I want to compare it to the AKG c477 that operate perfectly on both LX88 and LINE6 transmitter/receiver system. LX88 has the gain pot on the transmitter, so I will set it as low as possible and compare the signal with the LINE6 output.

Hope we find a solution fast,

Best regards,

Srdjan

Re: Line6 + Rode HS-1

support@line6.com — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:25:56 GMT

What am I missing? The Rode mic only puts out 1/30th of the voltage necessary to clip the transmitter according to its spec.

Have you tried eliminating the pullup resistor as I suggested? What happens then?