Setup examination for commentary [EASY SYNC] (see pic)

[Imagination]

This picture is my setup used to record video and audio of a game but also audio of a MIC. (Game in left speaker MIC in right speaker) aka commentary

A breakdown:

• The MIC is converted from 3.5mm to 1/4 inch then plugged through an AMP and then converted into rca connector to be plugged into one of the two (left or right) audio in's on the VCR.

• The VCR has the CONSOLE's video and one side of audio on input, while outputting the video to the TV afterwords.

• The TV has video from the VCR and the CONSOLE's other audio side plugged into the TV. The TV is set to mono and the other audio port is left opened.

so on the VHS tape we're getting everything in realtime which saves time having to sync an audio track recorded digitally elsewhere. The only problem is the mic itself isn't working... I cannot get anything on the mics output. What's interesting is that I can replace the mic in the picture with a pair of headphones and the headphones will act as a mic. I don't know why and I think that's ******** but it works. Any ideas why that could happen?

tl;dr my mic won't work but a pair of headphones will... wtf

 

[Bread~]

Headphones for top tier