Re: Microphone wiring

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 01:48:30 GMT, Reg <reg@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<O%qEh.1049$LF6.369@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


>
>I have one mic so far, currently direct connected to a
>PC:
>
>Acoustic Magic Voice Tracker
>http://www.acousticmagic.com/products/
>
>I've read they work well for VR so I expect
>to add 3 Crown pressure zone mics:
>
>Crown PZM Series microphones
>http://www.crownaudio.com/mic_web/pzm.htm
>
>As far as mixers, my first choice would be:
>
>ClearOne XAP 800
><http://www.clearone.com/products/product.php?cat=1&prod=1>
>
>Otherwise, I expect to use:
>
>Shure SCM810 Eight Channel Microphone Mixer
>http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/MixersAndDSP/us_pro_SCM810_content
>
>4 mics total. One or two might possibly be added in
>the future, but no more than that. Longest run from
>mic to mixer would be about 40-50 ft.
>
>The application is voice recognition using Homeseer 2.2
>with some custom vb.net code.
>
>I appreciate the help.


Hi Reg,

I have Crown PZM-11LLWR, PZM-11, PZM-6FS, PZM-6D and PCC-130SW mics and
HomeSeer but use IVIE automixers, not Shure or ClearOne.

If you haven't already, do try out HomeSeer's Voice Recognition (VR) software
and satisfy yourself that it works adequately for your purposes with a single
near-field, optimal microphone placement. The expensive mic and mixers you
propose serve to reduce the severity of distribution problems and
multiple-input problems but will do nothing to help the situation if a
simple, local, minimal background-noise, one-mic setup does not perform
adequately.

If you do proceed, avoid mics without built-in active electronics for
line-level distribution. The PZM-11LL (Line Level) and PZM-11LLWR (Weather
Resistant) have line-level output amps that can be powered from 12-24vdc. use
one twisted pair of the CAT-5 for signal and another for power.

Be sure to provide current limiting of the DC power over CAT-5.  Phantom
power from the mixer will handle that automatically, but will require
modification or special order of the PZM-l1LL.

If you should pick up too much noise, you can add baluns if and where needed
but if your CAT-5 is well installed, noise typically isn't an obstacle for
VR. The biggest single problem I've had with audio noise in recent years has
been minor buzzing picked up from flaky X-10 dimmers (now resolved).

HTH ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org