Modmic + Pre-Amp doesn't work

[cookiesfordays]

Hey guys, I recently purchased the ModMic hoping to use it with my Behringer MIC-100 preamp, connected to the amp via a 1/8" to 1/4" stereo connection, and it gets ZERO signal even if I turn gain up to the highest. The mic itself works when connected to the ports on the computer, but I would much prefer to use it with an amp. The amp also works with my other microphones as does the adapter I'm using. Any idea why this is the case, and if so how would I fix? 

[Gert]

Hey guys, I recently purchased the ModMic hoping to use it with my Behringer MIC-100 preamp, connected to the amp via a 1/8" to 1/4" stereo connection, and it gets ZERO signal even if I turn gain up to the highest. The mic itself works when connected to the ports on the computer, but I would much prefer to use it with an amp. The amp also works with my other microphones as does the adapter I'm using. Any idea why this is the case, and if so how would I fix?

Your pre-amp or software might not be recognizing it as a microphone. As for fixes why don't you just hook it up directly to the computer if it works?

[ShearMe]

Is the amp's input mono? The modmic's noise cancellation feature could funk up with a mono jack, but I'm not completely sure.

[cookiesfordays]

Your pre-amp or software might not be recognizing it as a microphone. As for fixes why don't you just hook it up directly to the computer if it works?

 

It works fine hooked up directly to the computer but there's a rather significant amount of background static that I want to get rid of.

 

Is the amp's input mono? The modmic's noise cancellation feature could funk up with a mono jack, but I'm not completely sure.

 

The amp's input is a balanced input so I'm not sure how that works with the noise cancelling modmic...

[ShearMe]

It works fine hooked up directly to the computer but there's a rather significant amount of background static that I want to get rid of.

 

 

The amp's input is a balanced input so I'm not sure how that works with the noise cancelling modmic...

 

Oh, yeah, that'd be the problem. Balanced signals are opposite polarity, but the mic is connected in stereo, where the signals are the same polarity. Once those signals reach the ADC, they get cancelled out. 

[mr moose]

Which pre amp Are you using?

[cookiesfordays]

Oh, yeah, that'd be the problem. Balanced signals are opposite polarity, but the mic is connected in stereo, where the signals are the same polarity. Once those signals reach the ADC, they get cancelled out. 

Any way I could fix this? Or can I just not preamp a modmic...

 

Which pre amp Are you using?

I'm using a Behringer MIC-100.

[Gert]

It works fine hooked up directly to the computer but there's a rather significant amount of background static that I want to get rid of.

 

 

The amp's input is a balanced input so I'm not sure how that works with the noise cancelling modmic...

Did you try the input on the back of your computer?

[mr moose]

Any way I could fix this? Or can I just not preamp a modmic...

 

I'm using a Behringer MIC-100.

for that model pre-amp the ring and sleeve have to be bridged to operate as unbalanced.  The sleeve is ground shield and the ring is -ve so the +v mic needs to be connected to the tip and -v to the ring+sleeve.

 

Or you need to get a DI box and plug it straight into the xlr input.

 

EDIT:  here's the manual if it helps.

[cookiesfordays]

Did you try the input on the back of your computer?

 

Yep, there's still a bit of noise though

 

for that model pre-amp the ring and sleeve have to be bridged to operate as unbalanced.  The sleeve is ground shield and the ring is -ve so the +v mic needs to be connected to the tip and -v to the ring+sleeve.

 

Or you need to get a DI box and plug it straight into the xlr input.

 

EDIT:  here's the manual if it helps.

 

That's all well and good...but how would I bridge the ring and sleeve? I'm not too sure how to go about that

[mr moose]

Yep, there's still a bit of noise though

 

 

That's all well and good...but how would I bridge the ring and sleeve? I'm not too sure how to go about that

 

That depends on the plug on the modmic,  you might have to make an adapter, however a mono plug will do this for you, so if you can get a modmic to mono adapter it will work.

[cookiesfordays]

That depends on the plug on the modmic,  you might have to make an adapter, however a mono plug will do this for you, so if you can get a modmic to mono adapter it will work.

 

I've tried a mono plug, no sound whatsoever...

[t0wer]

it could have been a straight mono?

you may need a stereo 3.5mm > 6.3mm mono.

 

but I'm not 100% sure because I don't know the modmic pinout.

[mr moose]

 

but I'm not 100% sure because I don't know the modmic pinout.

ditto

[cookiesfordays]

ditto

 

I'll get back to you guys once I find a stereo to mono adapter to try out. Thanks for the help so far

[cookiesfordays]

Update: stereo-mono adapter did nothing helpful, any more solutions?

[Dickon]

Bottom line: tricky. Use a PC soundcard with a 3.5mm microphone input. I like the Behringer Xenyx 302USB. 

 

Really old thread which google found for me.

 

Different PC headsets and PC microphones work differently and what works with Creative soundcards is about as close as you'll find to a standard. In the case of the modmic along with many PC headsets requires an an operating voltage of about 5V supplied from the preamp (for the Modmic it is 1V to 10V supplied according to the spec). A standard professional microphone preamp using XLR such as the Mic-100 can either supply 48V phantom power or nothing. Neither will work without electronics and I failed to find a good ready made circuit. Antlion are considering an XLR version of the preamp which I'd love to see them do.