Recording Set-Up Overload
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Posted on Oct 14, 2003 01:46 am
Ilan
Member Since: Sep 25, 2003
Hey guys,
In case you don't remember me, I'm the totally confused guy who's very green around the ears in recording... here is my gear:
Studio Projects B1 & MXL 603 mics
Alto S-12 mixer
FMR Audio RNC
M-Audio Delta 44
Cool Edit Pro 2.0
You guys have helped me a great deal in acquiring the right stuff and figuring some things out, but now that I have everything, I'm still finding myself a couple of steps away from being set to go. Actually, at this point, I would probably pay someone 50 bucks just to come here and visually show me the connections and explain things in layman's terms. But I guess that's not happening. So I'm asking for some help... again.
Issue #1) Playing a track back while I overdub another one.
When I plug my headphones into ANY of the outputs of the Delta 44, I only hear things in my left ear. Yet, when I play back a track already recorded, it's in both ears. Why? Is there a way around this? Is it a possibility to send the output of the Delta to the tape inputs of the mixer and listen from there? And if I do that, do I need to do that with one or two cables? Or do I need a Y-cable?
Issue #2) Running my compressor through my mixer.
I just got the mixer today and only had a little while to fool around with it, but what I did was I ran ONE 1/4 inch cable from the channel 1 insert jack to the RNC mono left input jack. That's it. And I could easily hear the compression. Where I'm confused is, why is there an output jack on the RNC? Or is my signal not "really" getting compressed? Do I need a Y-cable of some sort? What a dork I am.
Issue #3) REALLY STUPID QUESTION. Is it better to go from the mixer to the Delta 44 inputs by
a) the tape out jacks
b) the main mix out XLR jacks
or
c) the main mix out unbalanced 1/4" jacks?
Issue #4) If I'm not using any outboard effects, do I need to worry about the AUX sends and returns for now? And am I right in thinking that the control room outs would go to an amplifier connected to speakers for mixing purposes?
Bonus question: Are Hosa cables decent?
Ok, I think that's it for now. Once again, THANK YOU for any and all replies. Everyone here has been really patient with me, and I hope it holds up. :)
takin' it slow,
Ilan
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Oct 14, 2003 02:36 am 1) don't plug your headphone directly into the Delta 44. I did this with two 1/4" to RCA adapters and an RCA to 1/8" Y-plug for years, and admittedly it worked, but it's not the proper way to do it; line level amp isn't the same as a headphone amp and there's no telling what kinda of damage you may possibly cause to your gear.
The reason you only hear left is because each output on the Delta is mono. each group of 1/2 and 3/4 can make a stereo pair. I suggest setting up Delta Outs 1/2 as "monitor mixer" in the driver software control panel and sending those outputs 1/2 to your mixer's tape ins with a pait of unbalanced 1/4" to RCA cables, provided you have the option to route those directly to the headphones section of you mixer like I do on my Behringer mx802.
2) you lost me, i better let someone else handle this
3) balanced XLR using balanced XLR to balanced TRS 1/4" cables. If you don't have these, just go with the 1/4" to 1/4". Taht's what I do.
4) correct and correct, unless the answer to #2 is "hook your compressor up to the aux loop" lol!
as for Hosa cables, I've heard one of our admins on here talking them up, but personally I've found them to be nothing but plastic molded junk. ::shrugs:: go figure
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Oct 14, 2003 02:57 pm As far as #2 goes, I may be being too simplistic, but I'm pretty sure the RNC is to feed back to your mixer so the compressed sound can be fed into your Delta from the mixer. Otherwise, my guess is the signal is going into the mixer and being sent to your Delta and RNC in two seperate directions, and the compressed signal is never getting to your computer. Does that make sense?
I think Jamie might be right with his answer for #4.
IlanMember
Since: Sep 25, 2003
Oct 15, 2003 10:54 pm
Hey, thanks a lot for the advice and answers, guys. Everything seems to be cool now, I got the right cables for everything and it all works perfectly! Awesome, it's pretty exciting. Now the hard part will be explaining to my fiancee how everything works -- she took one look at the Alto mixer and went "........riiiiiiight." Hehe...
Thanks,
Ilan
