Basic question on A/D converters
Home > Home Recording Forum > Gear Gab > Basic question on A/D converters
Posted on Oct 08, 2009 02:09 pm
Quincysan
http://www.unitedmusicians.info
Contributor Since: Nov 11, 2007
Specifically on the API a2d.
I got some positive recommendations on the API a2d and now I'm in a position to buy one. However the manual on the website doesn't clear up some usage confusion I'm struggling with.
For each pre-amp, there is an XLR in, out, and also what appears to be a TRS 1/4" input that says "a to d input". How would that work exactly? I'm used to the straight forward; turn off phantom power on my interface, plug the mic to the input of the pre-amp, connect the xlr from the output of the pre-amp to an input on my interface. What do I do with the a to d input? I want to know I can use the features of this device before I buy it...
To recap, I use a ProjectMix I/O with 8 1/4" TRS/XLR switchable inputs and 4 TRS outputs. The ProjectMix is connected to my PC via firewire.
Thanks in advance.
[ Back to Top ]
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 08, 2009 11:18 pm Hey Quincy, the 1/4" TRS plugs next to the XLR i/o are basically an insert point. It is so you can use insert processing such as compression or what have you directly inserted into the chain. Less noise and it becomes part of the A2D signal chain by doing it that way.
It works great.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Oct 09, 2009 09:23 pm So a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm not sure I'm understanding you correctly...is this how the insert works??? How is the compressor going to do its job without an input? I'm sure I'm conceptualizing this incorrectly...
Oct 10, 2009 01:42 am you need a Y cable that has one TRS connector on one end (plugged into the insert jack) and two (2) mono 1/4" jacks on the other end (plugged to the input and output of your compressor).....the "insert" is a send AND receive on yer converter.
Oct 10, 2009 01:57 am And with most gear, the side marked TIP goes To InPut (T.I.P.) and RING completes the circle (ring=circle). A ring also looks like an "O" so it goes to the Output.
And LEFT (a four-letter word ending in "T") is PORT (another four-letter word ending in "T"). STARBOARD is RIGHT.
And in Irish dance, a JIG goes J-I-G, J-I-G, J-I-G (123, 123, 123) and a REEL goes R-E-E-L, R-E-E-L, R-E-E-L, R-E-E-L )1234, 1234, 1234, 1234).
Oct 10, 2009 01:58 am wow man, i NEVER put that together before....what a cool way to remember that.
Oct 10, 2009 02:00 am Yeah, well with some British gear, it's backwards. But usually, it works.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Oct 10, 2009 02:29 pm Hah! Quite a cornucopia of interesting tidbits. I'm glad I know to get that Y cable and know how to use it...I HATE having knobs, buttons, and inputs/outputs that I don't know what to do with.
You would think they would mention that kind of thing in their manual...oh well, now I know.
Thanks guys. I was doing a little reading the other day and found out Chris Cornell uses an Sm7b and some pretty intense compression to get the sound he gets on his vocals...I think I might just see what I sound like through a similar setup...I can't wait to pick up that a2d...
Eventually I should upgrade this plastic picnic table that is currently my mixing desk too...ugh, the upgrade list is never-ending.
Oct 10, 2009 02:53 pm Now there's one I didn't know - Although it makes sense. I'm not a big fan of the intense amount of compression he (Cornell) uses, but I'm always amazed at how good his vocals actually sound under such freakish quantities of gain reduction...
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 10, 2009 08:30 pm I see they got ya Squared away so I'll leave it at that. And nice description MM. I was chuckling away as I read it.
