controlling mic on/off with a stomp box?

[moody07747]

with my gear review videos i just noticed that I've been recording the strings though the mic that i leave on all the time.  This helps me in editing so i don't have to take out all the "Pops" when the mic goes on and off.

I'm looking for a stompbox that can plug in line with my mic and allow me to turn the mic on and off by foot without that pop from the plastic switch on the cheap mic.

anyone have any plans, products, ideas?

I'd like to keep the XLR connectors

i was thinking a box with a pair of outlets in XLR with a 3PDT switch

[David]

Santa R.G. brought you a present, Moody.  Look at his "Automatic Mike Muter" on GEO.  Might be just the ticket.

[moody07747]

Thanks, yea I looked into it.

I don't need any pad to stand on..just some type of switch that I can click once to turn the mic on and off

Ss there some other way to do it? Like with a SPST or SPDT switch and no relays or IC chips?

I want some way that wont pop or click but wont hum when its off.

I was thinking of just trying to disconnect one or two of the wires from the mic line...

The problem here is I have no idea how a mic works...they have 3 pins for 3 wires but I thought mics used just 2 wires...

Anyone have any basics on XLR connected mics and  all that?

[R.G.]

Low impedance mikes with three wires have two signal wires and a ground wire. If you short the two signal wires together, it mutes the mike. You can do this with an SPST footswitch if you like. It's quieter if you run the mike wires into the box and out the other side of the box, with leads from the switch to mike signal wires all inside the same shielded metal box.

The mute switch on a mike shorts the two signal wires together.

[petemoore]

  I thought about getting very close to mute using a little resistor or a big cap, whether having say a 1k or smaller resistor, or a 1uf or larger cap getting switched from signal path to ground would reduce signifigantly or eliminate popping..I dont' know, the Mute switch on my guitar is direct to ground, just clicks a small amount under certain conditions. For that applictaion I wanted complete muting, I guess a 1k to ground would about mute it?
  For mic application you're discussing, and many others, it would seem that  a 90% or better reduction might provide sufficient mic deadening, I was just wondering if some simple component or two would reduce the clicking when the switch connects shunting to the signal path.

[moody07747]

Low impedance mikes with three wires have two signal wires and a ground wire. If you short the two signal wires together, it mutes the mike. You can do this with an SPST footswitch if you like. It's quieter if you run the mike wires into the box and out the other side of the box, with leads from the switch to mike signal wires all inside the same shielded metal box.

The mute switch on a mike shorts the two signal wires together.

What pins are normally the signal wires?

[Pushtone]

http://www.radialeng.com/re-hotshot-dm1.htm

Passive, needs no power.

Momentary switch, but other models have a latching switch.

[dosmun]

http://www.procosound.com/coughdropsindex.htm

[moody07747]

http://www.procosound.com/coughdropsindex.htm

yea i saw the pro co at MF and then the Radial here...both are pricy.

ok so reading my mixer manual pin 1 - Ground, pin 2 - Hot (+), and pin 3 - Cold (-)

so all i need now are some XLR jacks and a box