What Do I Do If My Camera Doesn’t Provide “Plug-In” Power?

You have four options if your DSLR camera, or audio recorder, doesn’t provide “plug-in” power for your microphone. (In basic terms, “plug-in” power is a small voltage applied to the microphone connector that powers the microphone’s internal components.)

The first option is to use a self-powered microphone. This is a microphone that has its own battery that powers the microphone’s electrical components.

The second option is to use an in-line battery pack that can be used with a standard microphone. We have tested the battery pack from Microphone Madness and it performed well for us. We can provide this battery pack along with your Sound Shark upon request. (Please note that this product is no longer available.)

The third option is to use a pre-amp along with your standard microphone. The pre-amp not only provides the required voltage for the microphone’s electronics but also includes a built-in amplifier. We have found that this amplifier provides better audio quality than the amplifier built into our cameras. This is especially true in quiet situations where electronic noise, or hiss, is most noticeable.

We offer an in-line amplifier that works with either with either a 3.5mm TRS microphone or a XLR microphone. We really like this combination.  (Please note that this product is no longer available.)

The fourth option is to use a mixer. The mixer will provide the same functions as the pre-amp but will allow you to bring in multiple microphones into your camera.  We would suggest considering the and Beachtek unit.