On Mon, 19 May 2003 07:49:05 -0700, "Richard Crowley" <rcrowley7@xprt.net> wrote:

>"Neuman - Ruether" <d_ruether@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>news:3ec9c0eb.8950289@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu...

>> On Mon, 19 May 2003 06:58:51 GMT, "Ellen"

>> <ellenjl@yahoo.com> wrote:

>> >I understand that Beachtek makes an xlr adaptor for my Sony VX-2000.

>> >What I do not understand is why the adaptor is necessary when I can buy

>> >cables that connect mini jack to XLR. Pardon my ignorance- been spending

>the

>> >night researching this online and can't find an easy answer.

>> As "R D-R" points out, there are advantages to using

>> the Beachtek - but you can adapt XLRs to mini-plug

>> and plug in one (mono, one side, or mono, both channels,

>> or two mics, depending on adapters) without it - though

>> the levels of two different mics may not match, and the

>> unmodified level of any given mic may not be ideal for

>> the VX2000 input (the Beachtek cannot offer gain, but

>> can offer attenuation...).

>Don't they also offer transformer isolation?

>Or are they just a passive "adapter" box?

>Or is transformer isolation rarely need with battery-operated camcorders

>anyway?

They do offer transformer isolation and balanced-line

input, but I've generally found neither really necessary

in most situations - but, then, there is always that

miserable first time...;-)