Rebel SL3 Outboard Mic Issues

[davemac]

I teach a high school Media Tech class. I have ten SL3's. I'm having some issues with plugging in hard-wired lavalier mics. I'm using Sony ECM-44B lav mics with XLR to TRS 3.5mm adapters. The mics work fine in our camcorders with XLR inputs. As far as I know, there's no audio output to plug in headphones to monitor audio. 

Aside from that, I will try to test the audio before doing an interview by rolling for a few seconds and playing it back. In the playback, there's only silence. I was about to return the adapters when I decided to put the video into Premiere and test it. You can hear the audio very clearly on a computer, even on a VLC player or other media player. 

So from what I can gather, you can only listen to your sound when you play it through a computer. Is there a reason I can't hear it when I play it back through the camera? I have a cheap little vlog lav mic that works just fine in playback. Also, am I wrong in thinking there's no headphone jack?

Thanks for any feedback. 

[jaewoosong · Accepted solution]

might want to go through these series of tests:

1. check playback level is set to max
2. check video recording audio level is set to AUTO (for now)
3. record video with onboard mic, check playback, do you hear from camera playback? if not, do you hear when played on computer?
4. record video with cheap lav, check playback, do you hear from camera playback? if not, do you hear when played on computer?  was it louder or softer than onboard mic?
5. record video with sony ecm-44b, check playback, do you hear from camera playback?  if not, do you hear when played on computer?  was it louder or softer than onboard mic?

My guess is that you need to check the AA battery on the sony ecm-44b.  Battery is likely weak and will allow to record at low levels but not loud enough to play via in camera but listenable when played on computer with volume set to high.  When comparing the audio level with the first control recording,

I had battery powered Rode mic that went dead on me so I know carry a battery tester in my camera bag with spare 9V battery.