Marty Michener wrote:
>
> Unshielded? Yes, a lot of XLR connectors rely on the contact between the
> single phillips-head screw and the outer metal connector case to convey
> ground shielding from cable shield to recorder grounding. I have always
> wondered about this, and actually had a lot of trouble when I first bought
> my ME-66, using it in the field and getting radio stations, power line hum,
> and loud intermittent clicking. Some lacquer had gotten between the screw
> head and the case, and all I had to do was remove the screw, clean both
> with an abrasive, and replace the screw. But they corrode with time. Are
> other versions of the XLR designed better?
You are using the cheap ones, you need to try some good stuff. Try
Neutric, preferably the NC *X-HD connectors (* - F/female, M/male).
These have no little screws at all and they are gold contact. The ground
is a 4th solder connector, and uses a spring contact to connect the
case. The HD versions also have O-ring seals on the hood and when
connected to each other are waterproof. Even connected to other things
they do a pretty good job of keeping water out. For instance the boot on
the female connector seals to the end of my MKH 816's, making that
connection waterproof. I actually use the NC *X-HD-B series, which are
all black except the male stainless barrel. A little less reflection,
though very hard to find to buy, the version with the silver boot and
female barrel is easier to find. The black version also costs more.
I've noted these connectors before, only reason anyone should be using
anything else is that they simply have to save every penny. I'd never
use the setscrew style.
If you don't feel that stainless steel and waterproof seals are
necessary, Neutric makes a series that's a little cheaper, same design
but no water seals on the boot, etc. This is the X series.
http://www.neutrikusa.com/index.html
> Every time I make up cables, now, I worry about rosin from the soldering
> getting into either of these holes and leaving the mic shield
> floating. What am I missing, here, is pin 1 supposed to do all this properly?
It's only the casing of the XLR itself that depends on the 4th solder
connector. I've found it's optional in my system if I connect that, I've
left it unconnected with no ill effects a couple times, pin 1 I connect
to the cable braided shield, which provides shielding except at the connector.
I'm wondering what sort of cable you are using. I use Canure star quad
for all my balanced cables I make. If your cable is foil shielded, that
stuff is not designed for other than fixed installations and will
develop breaks in the shielding with time, and such breaks can provide
the kind of problems you mention. You want braid, good coverage braid,
like the Canure has. Even the spiral wound wire shielded cable will
develop gaps with flexing. The star quad core is probably overkill if
out away from electrical sources as we are most of the time, but it
won't hurt. My experience with the hydrophone lead to finding that all
these radio towers are using the entire water table as one leg of their
system, something I knew, but the hydrophone brought that home. That's
what it would sense I think, the ground leg of the radio stations.
Sometimes many miles from a tower.
Walt
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