Trouble with Tape Output on Xenyx 1204FX Desk

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Member Since: Feb 19, 2010

Hi all,

I have the 1204FX Behringer desk and the UCA200 USB interface. I only have a simple setup, using Macbook Pro speakers/headphones to hear.

This is what I have setup:
Guitar into Channel 1
Trim is turned clockwise slightly.
Tape output to input on UCA200
USB Cable into Mac (which says "The selected device has no input controls")

On the desk under source, the CD Tape, ALT 3-4 and Main Mix buttons are pressed in. Alt 3-4 faders are on 0 and Main Mix faders also showing a signal.

I have tried the CD Tape - Main button both pressed in and not and it doesn't appear to make a difference. I have tried speakers directly connected to the tape outputs and nothing. I would like to use the tape outputs instead of the outputs out the back (control room, alt 3-4) as this is just for demo recordings at home.

I am guessing it might be a case of having the correct buttons pressed in and others not, but I am very new to this and have tried many different combinations only to get no results.

If anyone can point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it.

Many thanks ^_^

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Member
Since: Jan 17, 2010


Feb 19, 2010 01:16 pm

So you should first try this. Plug in headphones on the mixer and see if you get a sound out of it, if so then try this:
I have the same mixer and I have these buttons pressed and it works great: on the "source" CD/TAPE pressed. ALT 3-4 not pressed. MAIN MIX pressed. CD/TAPE TO MAIN not pressed. the "mode" pressed down.

none of the solo buttons are pressed down. Keep your main mix faders turned up, keep your fader on the channel turned up as well as the trim and also remember to keep the Eq pretty much turned up to begin with.

You tape output goes to the UCA200 input and vise versa and that's pretty much it. Tell me if it worked

Member
Since: Apr 07, 2010


Apr 07, 2010 07:26 am

hey man !!!

i jjust bought the same mixer !!! and im trying to hook it up so i can record vocals on a beat threw garage band ... but the signal of the mic isnt gettin to garage band and im having difficultys getting my voice and the beat comming threw the headfones!!! i have studio monitors hooked up to the mixer and using the usb interface to hook it up to my macbook pro !!! but still having those difficultys !!!! :( if some can help i would really appreciate it...

Kind Regards
Castro =)

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Apr 07, 2010 12:15 pm

Without getting into huge detail, be sure to set the trim on the mixer channel. This dial sets how 'hard' the preamp should be listening for signal. If this is set to low, then not enough signal will get through the mixer. Set too high, and you can overdrive the circuits inside the mixer, and then possibly have distortion going into the MAC ( - NOT - the good kind).

I'd say break the steps down to individual steps:

mic plugged into mixer, if condenser mic, then you need phantom power turned on. Set the trim knob appropriately. If totally unsure, shoot for half way, I'd guess. But it's much better to gain stage properly, then you know you're not over-driving the preamp.

Send mic to MAINS bus, and see if there's any signal in control room headphones. Turning up the CR dial, of course.

You should have signal in the headphones, before you worry about the USB/MAC part of it. It would help to read up on gain staging, as you need to have decent signal, but not overly loud to send to the next step.

Once you know there's decent signal coming out of the MAINS, or CTRL-ROOM, or TAPE OUTS, then you can go into Garage band (GB) and tell GB to listen on the USB inputs. You also want to turn up the volume dial on the UCA outputs, as I think there is a dial for that.

Inside GB, after you set the inputs, arm a track, and press record. Hopefully the track will have a waveform on the screen.

More to follow, if you're still stuck.

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