Recording through the MIC input with a battery box

[deadwing]

Been recording with my Sony MZ-NH1 Hi MD in both stealth and open taping modes at all manner of gigs for about 3 years now. I use one of Greenmachines battery boxes, recording via the line in with manual recording levels and get great results.

The last couple of recordings I've made 'something' is happening to make the recording come out only on the left channel - the thing is, it's not happening ALL the time so it's hard to pin down. I tend not to touch the recorder when it's in rec mode, so it's not that that is causing it- I've also tried my mics recording onto another unit through the battery box and those recordings work just fine.

I've tried to recreate the 'one channel only' problem by recording onto the MD recorder at home and I've found that I can replicate it. It seems to come from the line in socket. If I stick the mics through the MIC socket, no problem at all, line in, I get an intermittent and seemingly random failure on the right channel.

I guess in the three years I've had it, that socket has taken a bit of a hammering, so what I'm wondering is, would I still get the same results using the mics through the batt. box into the MIC input? If so, would I need to reduce the recording levels at all?

I'm making a recording of one of my favourite bands on Tuesday (4th) so I'd love to get some feed baack before then.

Cheers folks

Edited November 4, 2008 by deadwing

[Strungup]

there would need to be some step down resistance to go to the mic input , also Signal Capacitors to keep any residual voltage from being transfered thru the mic in , you only want Mic signal going thru.

[greenmachine]

There are already DC filtering capacitors built into the battery box. The mic-in has a preamp behind it so the signal will be amplified, which may lead to overload at a loud show. Attenuation via an external headphone volume control would be a possibility, albeit less optimal than going directly into line-in.