KVR Audio

Sloom · Post by **Sloom** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 6:46 pm

I just picked up a little Oktava MD-120 mic. It looks like it's for table-top use: Interviews, confrences, etc., and it's got this connector that looks like a miniature xlr thing. It's kind of on the 'chincy' side, three pins, and a thin metal sleeve protecting them, like the enclosure on a male xlr. It says "CCCP" above a little logo on the back of the case, and it appears to be dated '1983'.

I procured it for cheap from a guy in Kazakhstan, while surfing ebay. I'd like to try it with my cassette 4-track. Does anyone have a clue as to where I can get the mate connector for this thing? I've left a message on the Oktava web-site, but I thought it might be interesting if I could find someone around who's in the know with this type of thing. Otherwise, I suppose I can zip it off and solder on a regular TRS plug.

Just for fun, and thanks,

Sloom.

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:59 pm

I saw mini-XLR plugs just like that last week for the first time on table-top mics they use in our tele-conference room. Did not have the chance to get a closer look, alas...

CCCP is cyrillic writing for USSR, which makes some sense in the context of Kazachstan / 1983.

If your local electronics parts shop does not have 'em, then indeed: chop it off!! Although it's cute

Doogle · Post by **Doogle** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 10:54 am

That's wierd... a friend of mine recently purchased a headset style microphone that had one of those.
Definately never seen any mini-XLR stuff in the local maplins, so I think I'm gonna be advising him to chop it off and put a normal XLR or TRS on.

Maybe it's for very small mic preamps for use by very small people.

Sloom · Post by **Sloom** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:03 am

Good description- 'cute'.

Indeed, and I hate to zap it for a TRS... but my 4-trk is on the bench for a week or so, anyway, and a local place may have the piece- so I'll check them out next.

I dunno... it's not that small. I can still use it. I bet it'd work just fine with my preamp. Actually, it's a small preamp, too: A Presonus Tube-Pre. Hmmm.... hey, wait a minute!

Note: It's an MD-201, not a 120! Oops.

Doogle · Post by **Doogle** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:27 am

Sloom wrote:hey, wait a minute!

Sascha Franck · Post by **Sascha Franck** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:41 am

I think such small XLR type of plugs these days are sometimes used for PSU adapters. maybe they fit. I'd just take the mic with me and visit a well sorted electronics shop.

John Vulich · Post by **John Vulich** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:03 am

Sloom · Post by **Sloom** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:07 pm

JohnVulich wrote:

These examples are a step up from mine, it appears. Mine is more like the Soviet version of Radio Shack.

And an adjustment in my post- I should clarify that the "CCCP" and date on the back of the case I mentioned is on the microphone case, not the cute lil' xlr case.

Many thanks for the casual interest!

Sloom.

Doogle · Post by **Doogle** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:53 am

Apparently these plugs are called a 'Lemo'. Errr.. don't know much more than that. I think mini-XLR is easier to remember though. Cos it looks like an XLR, but mini.

Sloom · Post by **Sloom** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:17 pm

Doogle wrote:Apparently these plugs are called a 'Lemo'. Errr.. don't know much more than that. I think mini-XLR is easier to remember though. Cos it looks like an XLR, but mini.

I took it to a small (

) place here in Providence (RI, USA), and was told it's properly denoted as a 'DIN' connector. There you go.

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:22 pm

Din!! Very odd to put that on a mike, seen it used on line level connections all over the place...

BTW: it does not state yet which DIN, 'cause the letters merely stand for Deutsche Industrie Norme, of which there are thousands, like ISO and NEN.

Sloom · Post by **Sloom** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:32 pm

Hmmm. It looks like a funny little mini-xlr (Heh-heh...). It consists of a plastic jacket, and the 3-pin DIN plug. The 3 pins are protected, as it were, by two thin pieces of (pretty bendable) metal, each of which is bent into a semi-circle- meeting to form the round protective sleeve for the pins. Looks like a chincy, small version of a male xlr plug at the back of a microphone, but on a skinny cable. This mic jig is a small item.

Any help to ye?

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:37 pm

Yep, that's a 3-pin DIN plug allright, sold & used in the seventies by the millions... Maybe Radio Shag/Shock still stocks them.

Edit, even more embarassing: the 5-pole version of the DIN-plug is now better known as a "standard midi" plug

http://www.accesscomms.com.au/outputplugs.htm#DIN

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:13 pm

Mini XLR connectors are common on lapel mics, and overhead "choir" mics. I've also seen them used on some podium mics.

You can purchase an adapter from this place:

http://www.cablesandconnectors.com/25500-25.HTM

I don't know anything about that company. There might be better places to buy these. It's odd that a connector which is used so commonly on small microphones is so hard to find a source for. Maybe the adapter will be good enough for you to work with?

Probably the best idea is to contact a microphone manufacturer, or an authorized service center, and purchase a replacement connector from them.

NOTE: Mini-DIN and Mini-XLR are two different things. The Mini-XLR plugs that I have seen have a locking mechanism on the plug. I don't think the Mini-DIN has this.

take care,
McLilith

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:22 pm

I finally found a place to purchase one of the connectors:

Chassis Mounted 3-pin Mini XLR Connector

I think it's the only mini-XLR connector they stock. They are in the UK, which is inconvenient for me, but it might not be a problem for you.

Update: Here is the Switchcraft data sheet for their "mini-XLR" connectors. The reason that they are so hard to find, is that they aren't actually called "mini-XLR".

TINI Q-G Datasheet

In the USA, these can be ordered from various sources. At least you can look up the proper part number and name, for the connector variation you need, using that datasheet.

I found some for sale at Arrow, and I'm sure others will have them as well. Enter "TINI QG" and "Switchraft" into the Arrow search engine to find a few matches.

You can also search for Switchcraft part numbers starting with "TA3F" and "TA3M", to look for the 3-pin varieties in particular. (Yes, they make variations with up to 6 pins.)

I always wondered what these were really named, and now I know.

take care,
McLilith

funny little connector