Microdot Splitter? Transmit & Record on a budget?

[Luke Zimmer]

I can't quite afford Zaxcom wireless but want the capability to record my lavs on-body while monitoring them. I've got some small bodypack-type 32-bit recorders by Zoom (F2's) with a TRS input and output. For test sake, I connected my lavs into the recorder packs and output them into my Sennheiser G3 transmitters. Of course, the recorders sounded great but there was a noticeable drop in sound quality coming through the transmitters. So, my natural next inclination is to bypass the Zoom f2, and the best way that I can imagine to do that is with a Y-splitter that allows me to send the Lavalier's signal into both my transmitter and recorder at the same time.

Is there anyone that you know who sells a microdot to TRS cable splitter? Or has anyone here made one?

If I were to make a splitter, should I expect to experience a 50% loss in volume at each TRS connector?

Or is there a better way of transmitting/recording on a budget?

 

As you might imagine, I'm fairly green. Any knowledge shared would be knowledge appreciated.

Thanks!

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

I doubt it exists unless you make it yourself.  Yes, I would expect a 50% drop in signal, or, stated another way, an increase in noise floor.  It's not something I would want to do with a lav signal that is already prone to high noise.

And, you'll have both devices trying to feed 5V power to the mic, which may just work, or, equally likely, could destroy the electronics in any and all of the devices you have connected.

Long story short, it doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

Doing it "correctly":  You might want to look into whether you were feeding the correct signal level into the G3.  I believe they can accept either mic or line level depending on how the cable is wired, so you could potentially make your original setup work with an appropriate cable.

Or look into Deity's recording transmitters.

My preference would be that you charge appropriately so that you can afford the Zaxcom transmitters that you aspire to.  This isn't something you need to offer as part of your base service.  And you'll be inconveniencing your actors by asking them to wear multiple bodypacks with the extra bulk and wiring that that entails.

[RadoStefanov]

On 11/28/2023 at 1:31 PM, Luke Zimmer said:

I can't quite afford Zaxcom wireless but want the capability to record my lavs on-body while monitoring them. I've got some small bodypack-type 32-bit recorders by Zoom (F2's) with a TRS input and output. For test sake, I connected my lavs into the recorder packs and output them into my Sennheiser G3 transmitters. Of course, the recorders sounded great but there was a noticeable drop in sound quality coming through the transmitters. So, my natural next inclination is to bypass the Zoom f2, and the best way that I can imagine to do that is with a Y-splitter that allows me to send the Lavalier's signal into both my transmitter and recorder at the same time.

Is there anyone that you know who sells a microdot to TRS cable splitter? Or has anyone here made one?

If I were to make a splitter, should I expect to experience a 50% loss in volume at each TRS connector?

Or is there a better way of transmitting/recording on a budget?

 

As you might imagine, I'm fairly green. Any knowledge shared would be knowledge appreciated.

Thanks!

Zaxcom wireless used is the cheapest 2nd hand wireless

 

[Philip Perkins]

There is (or was) a version of the Tascam DR10L that had both an input and a parallel output--I have one of these.  I used to use it with the lav mic adapted to mini

for the DR10L, then made a cable to jump from the DR10's output to a Lectro TX.  It was not a pretty rig, but it saved me a few times when I needed remote recording as well as transmission for director etc monitoring.  The DR10 sounds quite good, and I got its internal clock to be "close" to my recorder timecode.  The audio it passed to the TX was not degraded in any way.

[Display Name]

On 5/16/2026 at 4:58 AM, Philip Perkins said:

There is (or was) a version of the Tascam DR10L that had both an input and a parallel output--I have one of these.  I used to use it with the lav mic adapted to mini

for the DR10L, then made a cable to jump from the DR10's output to a Lectro TX.  It was not a pretty rig, but it saved me a few times when I needed remote recording as well as transmission for director etc monitoring.  The DR10 sounds quite good, and I got its internal clock to be "close" to my recorder timecode.  The audio it passed to the TX was not degraded in any way.

That’s the DR-10C right?

With replaceable connector plates. 
 

https://tascam.jp/int/product/dr-10c

Edited May 26 by Display Name
Spelling

[Philip Perkins]

11 hours ago, Display Name said:

That’s the FR-10C right?

With replaceable connector plates. 
 

https://tascam.jp/int/product/dr-10c

Yeah they even made these with TA4 and 5 connectors until you-know-who got a little shirty with them.  I had to buy mine from a UK dealer.  Works great, still.

[RadoStefanov]

For the record the patent has 2 more years