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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

These Cables Work. (And why)

D Fuller

D Fuller

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There is a lot of confusion about the kind of cable required to get audio into an Epic or Scarlet. Let's clear that up.

One of the popular choices for XLR-to-Epic/Scarlet TRS inputs are the Hosa XVS102F. It's a 2-foot cable with a female XLR on one end and an angled 1/8" (3.5mm) TRS plug on the other. It works. Feed a balanced mic-level signal into the XLR end and you'll get good audio to your Epic/Scarley out of the TRS end.

Hosa calls this a "Stereo" cable. For our purposes, it is not. It is a cable that is capable of passing a balanced signal, and is wired to RED's spec. It works on Epic and Scarlet.

Hosa also makes a mono version of this cable, the Hosa XVM102F. It looks exactly the same, but it will not work. (Note the "M" in the part number. It stands for MONO.)

Here's why:

This is a wiring diagram for Hosa's XVM mono cable:

XVM_wiring.jpg


Pin 2 is wired to both the Tip and the Ring, 1 and 3 are both wired to ground (the Sleeve). This cable is not gonna work on an Epic/Scarlet.



Now, here's a wiring diagram for Hosa's XVS stereo cable:

XVS_wiring.jpg


Pins 1, 2 and 3 are are wired straight through to the proper places. This cable will work on an Epic/Scarlet.


These same principals can be applied to any other manufacturer's cables. They have to pass all three signals to their proper place: 1 to the Sleeve, 2 to the Tip, 3 to the Ring. If they don't, they will not work. Most adapter cables have a wiring diagram on the package, so you can check it out pretty easily.

I hope this helps.
 
Thank you. Great summary, very clear.
 
The part I'm confused about is phantom power. Are you getting phantom with that configuration?
 
Bob Pierce said:
The part I'm confused about is phantom power. Are you getting phantom with that configuration?
Click to expand...

Phantom power isn't currently enabled. If it is eventually, the proper cable would be able to pass it through.

It may not ever be enabled though, because if you used the wrong type of cable (like the first one) or pulled out the cable while phantom was on, very bad things will happen to either the camera's audio circuitry and/or your mic. Hopefully RED have worked out some kind of protection so it's not a problem.
 
Bob Pierce said:
The part I'm confused about is phantom power. Are you getting phantom with that configuration?
Click to expand...



No. As Stephen says above, there is no phantom power to get. The release notes for every firmware build so far have said:

Operational notes specific to Build X vX.X.X:

Phantom power disabled
...
.
Click to expand...

If I'm not working with an audio recordist with a TC recorder, I run all audio through a Sound Devices Mix Pre-D. It provides phantom power, great preamps, meters, mic-level outs and has a nice, small form factor. I use the Hosa XVS cables to connect the Mix Pre-D to the Epic.
 
D Fuller said:
If I'm not working with an audio recordist with a TC recorder, I run all audio through a Sound Devices Mix Pre-D. It provides phantom power, great preamps, meters, mic-level outs and has a nice, small form factor. I use the Hosa XVS cables to connect the Mix Pre-D to the Epic.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this thread, would have saved me hours of headaches.

Do you have to pad the output of the mix pre?
 
James Brundige said:
Thanks for this thread, would have saved me hours of headaches.

Do you have to pad the output of the mix pre?
Click to expand...

You're welcome. Your problems were the inspiration for this thread, so at least some good has come of it.

Sound Devices makes both something called a "MixPre" and something called a "MixPre-D". I have the "MixPre-D". I do not have to pad the output, because its output is switchable between Mic level and Line level. I just switch it to Mic level.

I have never used the "MixPre" so I can't tell you whether it can put out a Mic level. From other posts I've seen here, I suspect that it may not be able to do that, but I try not to speculate too much on things I really don't know.
 
Had I seen this sticky first it would have saved me a lot of wasted time... Maybe RED should throw one of the proper cables, with a wiring
description, in with their Epic/Scarlet packages??? That would cost RED very little and save their customers some headaches.
Rob Sweeney, DP
 
Does anyone know if Wooden Camera's A box is wired this way?
 
PROBLEM SOLVED: FRESH BATTERIES IN MIC :)


I have just recieved two of these cables and am trying to use them with a Senheiser shotgun mic. I am getting lots of noise and feeback from the camera...

Maybe I have the wrong mic? It is an unidentified Senheiser shotgun. It has a AA battery, a little black switch ("BATT. ON") and then an inlayed switch that is red with a line and an angled line next to it. The LED doesnt seem to illumitate when I push the switch up to BATT ON. I am not sure if this mic is needs phantom power or not...maybe that is the problem?

However when I put the dB above 35-40 I can hear noise/feedback from the fan (which changes pitch as per fan speed), also clicking while recording, which all amount to an unusable signal...

Any advice out there? How to ID an unmarked Senheiser Mic? How to know if thats the problem?

EDIT: I tried multiple batteries....

EDIT 2: When AC power is attached the noise is DEF greater.

EDIT 3: I think I am using the Sennheiser ME66/K6
 
Last edited:
Nice
Thanks
 
D Fuller said:
No. As Stephen says above, there is no phantom power to get. The release notes for every firmware build so far have said:



If I'm not working with an audio recordist with a TC recorder, I run all audio through a Sound Devices Mix Pre-D. It provides phantom power, great preamps, meters, mic-level outs and has a nice, small form factor. I use the Hosa XVS cables to connect the Mix Pre-D to the Epic.
Click to expand...

+1 on the sound devices. Gorgeous sounding pre amp. For a cheaper run and gun application I believe you can use one of those zoom recorders to pass the audio on to the epic. Use the onboard mics or plug in your own condenser. It provides phantom power.
 
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