How To Connect Condenser Mic To Speaker?
Are you looking to create better audio recordings with your condenser mic?
If so, you may be wondering how to connect your mic to a speaker.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the process step by step.
How to Connect Condenser Mic to Speaker?
There are several ways to connect a condenser mic to a speaker. In most cases, you’ll need an audio interface and some cables.
Here’s how to do it:
- What kind of cable do I need?
- What Kind of Microphone Do I Need?
- When Do I Need a Mixer?
- Passive Vs. Active/Powered Loudspeakers
- Passive Vs. Active Microphones
What kind of cable do I need?
Speakers with a Jack Input
If your speaker is a powered speaker, with a headphone jack, you will need a three-pin male XLR to three-pin male TRS adaptor cable to connect your mic. If your speaker has a 3-pin male XLR (as seen on the right-most image above), it will need a female TRS to 3-pin male adapter to connect with the mic.
Speakers with an XLR Socket
For some reason, most high-end speakers with an XLR socket have a 1/8th-inch headphone jack also. If the output of your mixer is already an XLR, or you’ve got an XLR input on your mixer, this is where you connect your microphone to. If you haven’t got an XLR input on your mixer, you’ll need an XLR to 1/8th-inch (TOSLINK) cable. (A standard XLR to XLR cable won’t do, and you’ll need to buy a cable that is made for this purpose).
If you don’t have an XLR input on your mixer, or if you’re using an ordinary XLR cable for your connection, you’ll need an XLR to 1/8th-inch (TOSLINK) cable, or a special microphone cable.
Speakers with a XLR/Jack Combo Input
If your microphone has an XLR plug and your speaker has a jack input, you’re in a bit of a quandary. There are a number of adapters available to make your life easier. I personally like the ones that are sold as a ¼ to XLR adapter.
I recommend the ones that have a switchable tip, as this means you can use them as a TRS to XLR adapter and as a TS to XLR adapter. If you can’t find one that’s switchable, get one that’s a ¼ to TRS adapter. If you’ve got a TRS to XLR adapter, and are using it as a TS to XLR adapter, then you might want to get one of the ones that use a 1/4- to 3/4- adapter, as this means you can use it as a TS to TS adapter.
Microphones with a Mini-Jack Input
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What Kind of Microphone Do I Need?
You need a microphone with a 3-pin xlr connector
If you’re looking to connect your microphone to a per-existing speaker, or you just want to know what kind of microphone you need, then first of all you’ll need to identify the type of connector on your mic.
The connector on a microphone is usually denoted by two numbers.
The first number is the diameter of the pin (the part of the connector that touches the cable).
The second number is the diameter of the opening in the end of the connector.
The larger the numbers are, the larger the hole is. The smaller the numbers are, the smaller the hole is.
The size of the holes also affect the size of the cable you need. The larger the diameter of the holes, the larger the cable. The connector’s pin and opening are often combined in one number. For instance, you’ll find a connector with 2.
What Kind of Microphone Do I Need?
Condenser microphones are more often than not used for capturing vocals, instruments and audio sources through a microphone stand. They’re a bit more expensive and more sensitive than dynamic microphones.
- Connecting a microphone directly to a speaker.
You can connect a microphone directly to a speaker using an XLR or a TRS cable. The latter is usually the preferred option. The most common situation is when you have a microphone stand and you want to use a mic without a stand.
- Long rings of speaker cables.
You can connect a mic directly to a speaker using a TRS cable with long ring connectors. The length of the ring connectors (the distance between the tip and the ring) depends on the model of the microphone you’re using.
When Do I Need a Mixer?
If you’re going to be mixing your recordings, you’ll need a mixer. A lot of mic preamps and audio interfaces come with a built-in mixer. However, the best way to go is a dedicated mixer. You can choose between a mixer with a mixing desk, a mixer with a console or a mixer with a headphone and microphone input. The latter is perfect if you want to record yourself for a little bit of self-dubbing.
MXL: A perfect all-rounder, the MXL mixer has a built-in mixer with a 9-band EQ. It’s also capable of handling up to 16 inputs.
Behringer MC4000: A highly versatile mixer, the MC4000 comes with a 9-band EQ and a low-cut filter.
Passive Vs. Active/Powered Loudspeakers
As mentioned, some loudspeakers do not provide phantom power and are therefore only able to handle line level signals. Microphones that require powered speakers. Many professional microphones require some sort of power in order to function.
For example, on my Mackie SRM150, I need to plug in my Mackie Vented Microphone cable, which connects to my Mackie SRM150, and the mic level signal is the only signal that will work at full gain. In contrast, the Mackie Vented Microphone cable with a microphone that does not require a powered speaker will work at a much lower level of gain. The same is true of microphones that require phantom power.
Plugging a microphone into a speaker with cable.
Cables are always a good thing. Connecting a microphone to a loudspeaker with a cable allows us to place the microphone in a variety of locations.
Passive Vs. Active Microphones
What is the difference between passive and active microphones?
Passive microphones are built as a microphone without an amplifier, while active microphones are built with an amplifier.
This distinction is important as the passive microphone does not require an external amplifier to function properly, while the active microphone, for example, requires an external amplifier to function properly.
Let’s briefly discuss the difference between passive and active microphones and how each type of microphone is used in music production.
A passive microphone does not require any external amplifier to function properly. To use a passive microphone, you simply connect the mic to a recording device and listen to the playback. The passive microphone is a great microphone for recording vocals and other sounds.
Active microphones, on the other hand, require an external amplifier to function properly. The external amplifier is a device that provides amplification to the mic signal, which the mic then sends to a speaker.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide how to connect condenser mic with speaker, or that you have found some new strategies to help you amplify your voice.
The best way to amplify your voice is to first start with a few simple steps.
- First, speak directly into your microphone.
- Next, connect your mic to your computer with an XLR cable. From there, open up an audio recording program such as Garage Band and select the proper input for your mic.
- Then, open up your computer’s pre-installed speakers (or plug in your headphones). Your voice will be automatically routed to those speakers.
- The last step is to adjust the volume of your speakers and voice so they are at a comfortable level.
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us any time at hello@micforyou.com. Thanks for reading.
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