Connecting Line-out to MIC

[Capercaillie71]

After some difficulties trying to record bat calls from my bat detector, I deduced that the problem was that I was connecting a Line-out socket to a Microphone socket, which apparently isn't a good idea, Some searching on the internet tells me that it is possible to get something called an in-line attenuator to allow the microphone socket to cope with a line-out signal. However, I can't find anywhere that sells such a thing. Does anyone know where I might find one?

[griffin]

After some difficulties trying to record bat calls from my bat detector, I deduced that the problem was that I was connecting a Line-out socket to a Microphone socket, which apparently isn't a good idea, Some searching on the internet tells me that it is possible to get something called an in-line attenuator to allow the microphone socket to cope with a line-out signal. However, I can't find anywhere that sells such a thing. Does anyone know where I might find one?

Hi Paul,

Are you recording the Bat box from its line out into a computers mic in ?

Some MD recorders need a booster between the mic and a the line in but I suspect yours is the opposite problem. If it isn't Ermine on the forum will surely have a DIY solution for you to try - an off the shelf one can cost a few quid - try FEL Electronics, whose stuff is really good.

Cheers,

Linz

[Capercaillie71]

Hi Linz

The bat detector only has a line out socket and the wav recorder (the same one I use for bird sounds) only has a mic in socket. When I connected the two I just got terrible noises.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=86324

I may have to bite the bullet and look at replacing my recorder with a minidisc (with line in and mic in sockets) as you originally suggested

[ermine]

I may have to bite the bullet and look at replacing my recorder with a minidisc (with line in and mic in sockets) as you originally suggested

Go for it. You really won't regret it. Ebay can be your friend.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/minidisc

check the model number you are considering with

http://www.minidisc.org/equipment_browser.html

to make sure it has a mic input (for your bird recordings). Not all of them do have a mic input! If you can stretch to a HiMD model then you get low noise input stages and the ability to transfer out your recordings losslessly to PC. It'll be a different world :)

Loads of bat guys use MD to record the output of their bat detectors via line in.

If you really want to attenuate the output of the bat detector it's easy enough if you can solder - it's about four components. The principle is here

http://www.megalithia.com/elect/mdmicatten.pdf

use the lower diagram, drop C1 and replace C2 with a short, and switch R1 for something bigger like a 2k2 resistor.

But a MD will blow you away...

[Capercaillie71]

Go for it. You really won't regret it. Ebay can be your friend.


Thanks Ermine. I was looking for HiMD but there seemed to be very few on offer at Ebay with mic and line-in inputs. I missed one by a couple of hours and it seemed to have attracted quite a few bidders.

However, this morning I found one on Amazon marketplace for £40 (and no bidding required). If it turns up (and works) that should be the problem solved. Better than making my own attenuator anyway (although I have done my share of soldering resistors and capacitors onto circuit boards in the dim and distant past).

[Big Phil]

I bought an ebay HiMD a few weeks back and have been very pleasantly surprised by how good it is....as ermine says, you won't be disappointed and I'm glad that I followed advice on these boards and went for this outdated format!. The gain is so good that I was using it paused to hear Owls and Bitterns in Sweden a few weeks back (I'm a bit deaf and couldn't hear them unaided!).