Hooking up Pro mics to a HiMD

[FPK]

How do you experienced users connect pro mics to your HiMd's? By pro I mean something like a Sennheiser K6/ME series that has a battery powered phantom power unit in it. If I hook this up to the mic line-in, will it work? What sorts of outboard boxes do you use to hook up pro mics that don't have phantom power? Has anyone tried a Sound Devices MixPre with a HiMD? Did it make a difference? Is it overkill?

Thank you,

FPK

[akijikan]

The mic-in is for unpowered mics as it provides plug-in power. If you have power, you'll be able to get better recordings of loud situations by using the line-in. It saves some clipping.

[ozpeter]

Here I can use a Sennheiser MZA-MS preamp with my Sennheiser MKH series mics if I need to - I connect the output from the preamp (XLR connectors) via an adapter cable which is quite simple to make up - just buy a lead such as 2 x RCA phone to 1 x stereo miniplug, chop off the phono plugs and solder on XLRs. That avoids having to do battle with soldering the tiny stereo connector - XLRs are easy, and some solderless designs are available too. Obviously it goes into the MD's line in socket, as it's a line level signal from the preamp.

[MDfreak]

Here you can find some cable's to hook up professional dynamic mics to your MD:

http://www.mdcenter.nl/artikelen/mdcpro/kabels.php

And here a very cheap DIY phantom power supply for non-dynamic mics:

http://www.mdcenter.nl/artikelen/mics/portablephantom.php

Off course all proposed cables and circuits I used myself to make recordings and they work perfectly!

P.s. I just put the portable phantom-power in a box. It is not realy compact but hey, neither are most professional mics:

Edited December 14, 2005 by MDfreak