RFsound Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 I've been trying to set up a wireless boom system using the following: Senn 416-P48 (or Senn 8050), Senn MZA14 48v power supply, XLR to TA-5 cable, Lectro 200 transmitter, Lectro 211 receiver. Here's the issue: all the component parts work perfectly by themselves–the power supply does a fine job of powering the mic when plugged directly into my mixer and the cable works with a dynamic mic –but when hooked up together, I can barely hear the mic through a very loud hiss. Could the Senn power supply have some funky wiring that is not compatible with the transmitter input? I tried this same thing with a Denecke PS-1A 48V power supply and it worked beautifully. What's up with the Senn power supply? Any thoughts or suggestions from this esteemed group? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Some wireless transmitters and some power supplies don't like each other. I haven't seen this that often, but when I did, this was usually the conclusion. I've never run the setup you are using, though, so I can't be 100% sure, but based on the testing you have done, I would say this could be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryF Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 XLR to TA-5 cable. If ours, which one? If not, how is it wired? Best, Larry F Lectro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 You could try a phase inverter between the power supply and the transmitter. I recall having an issue like this once with an Oktava MK012 and a Denecke PS2 and this solved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFsound Posted February 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Thanks dfisk, Larry, and Christian for your thoughts and suggestions so far. Larry, the XLR adapter cable is custom. I have two of them, both wired the same. The pin out is as follows: XLR pin 1 to TA-5 pin 1, XLR pin 2 to TA-5 pin 3, XLR pin 3 to TA-5 pin 1. How does that sound to you? Christian, I was hopeful with your suggestion about phase reverse, but, alas, it sounds the same with or without it. I remember having to rewire the XLR connector on my Oktava MK012 in order to get it to work with the Sennheiser power supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryF Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 What you have should work. (!!) Try lifting pin 3 of the XLR from the TA5 pin 1, i.e., un-ground pin 3 of the XLR. This would make a difference if they have a grounded center tap transformer output. This would be weird but then this problem is weird. Best, Larry F Lectro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
André Boisvert Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 I've got the same Sennheiser power supply that I once tried to use with my Neumann 81 and Lectro 195 (this was years ago) as a plant mic. I got the same results you're getting. My XLR to TA5 worked with everything else. I blame Obama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
André Boisvert Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 I lifted pin 3, plugged everything back in (this time using a UM400), and I could hear my mic nice and loud... along with a whole lot of RF garbage including a radio station. Touching the antenna made it worse, so I removed it and voilà! Perfect sound! I think my TA5 is not wired correctly. I'll look into it. Thanks Larry, and thanks RFSound for posting your question here. Apologies to Obama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFsound Posted February 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 It was a nice shot, Larry, but that didn't do it either. Pins 1 & 3 were tied at the XLR end so I snipped the jumper. Weird, indeed…any other ideas? But now that I hear what Andre wrote, I'm beginning to lose hope that this system will ever work. The Sennheiser is a rather expensive power supply and I hate to discard it, but I may just switch to a Denecke, PSC, or some other power supply. Andre, this gear predates Obama…might have been Bush's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Lestage Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 Is the Sennheiser P/S accidentally set to 12v T powering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
André Boisvert Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 Is the Sennheiser P/S accidentally set to 12v T powering? It's 48V only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Lestage Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 Got it. I remember having one model back in the day that had both with tiny little toggle switches... :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
André Boisvert Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 I made a new XLR to TA5 today according to this diagram; which I now realize is a different configuration than the OP's. I tested it in my UM400. The level I got from the mic was fine, but there was also a very high level of constant hiss. I removed the jumper (I put it in the XLR, I don't know if it makes a difference in a foot-long cable), and heard a big improvement. I could go from perfectly quiet to a bit hissy, depending on how I moved the Tx around. It's better, but still not a solution. For kicks, I pulled out my 195b. It's much better. The only way I get hiss, is if I stick the Tx right against the p/s. And that's as far as my knowledge of these things can take me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audio911 Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Try this set up: http://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/gallery/image/856-sennheiser-skp300/ Steve Wytas www.audio911.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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