Signal path help
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Posted on Oct 22, 2002 01:02 am
Mitch
Member Since: Apr 14, 2002
Ok, heres what I got. I have a Behringer MX602A and a Echo MIA soundcard running to a 633MHZ(?) with 320 RAM.
I want to run my signal from my guitar to my mixer, from my mixer`s Aux Send to my soundcard, run it through Cubase, then back out of the soundcard to the mixer`s Aux return.
What I need to know is if I plug my headphones into the headphone jack on my mixer board, will I hear the sound before it is sent to the PC, or after it returns?
Or will that signal path not work like I think it will? If anyone has a better suggestion or knows this won`t work, lemme know please. Thanks a bunch.
The reason I`m asking before I try it out is cause I dont have everything set up yet. I`m still trying to get everything hooked up and working properly. Which I can`t do right now cause my roommate thinks that just because he has a huge test tomorrow, he can turn out the light and go to bed. The turd.
Thanks
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Oct 22, 2002 03:33 am I tried this on the MX802. I plugged in my guitar into channel#1 preamp and inserted a distortion pedal between Aux Send#1 and Return #1 and sure enough the signal was overdriven in the headphones. But can I ask, why are you hooking it up that way? I'm still trying to figure out the best way to connect my mixer to my soundcard myself. -j
SonicoMember
Since: Apr 19, 2002
Oct 22, 2002 10:16 am Hi!!
If you turn the channel volume all the way down and send the signal the way you are saying, then you will be listening to the signal coming from the soundcard. On the other hand, if you apply some volume to the channel, then you'll be listening to a mix aof the signal before and after it goes to the soundcard.
I have an MX802 and the signal goes to my soundcard (Audiophile 24/96) from the tape outs and returns to the tape ins in my mixer, this is the way I like to work because it allows me to use the aux sends and returns with effects.
Oct 22, 2002 11:57 am hey Sonico, that's awesome. That how I've been using my minidisc as well, thru the 2track ins/outs. I think I'll go out and get some decent 1/4" to male RCA cords to make the mixer a more permanent part of my setup. What can you tell me about the "2TK To Mix" and "2TK To Ctrl Room" toggle switches? -j
Oct 22, 2002 12:36 pm :O) i dont have a soldering gun!
Oct 22, 2002 12:54 pm A soldering iron is no more costly than the hadnful of cables you are going to go out and buy...in addition they can be better cables that you make...
On the rare occasion I have a cable go bad I can almost always bet it is one of the pre-made ones, it is rarely one that I made...
Oct 22, 2002 01:29 pm right on. you know, you're right. i'll do that ;O) -j
MitchMember
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Oct 22, 2002 02:11 pm Sonico, could you explain to me how you send it through the tape out and return it through the tape in? My mixer has a left and right RCA Out and In, but my soundcard only has 1 RCA Out and In. Do I use the left or the right on the mixer?
dB, if you had my setup, how would you run the signal path? I have the mixer, soundcard, and headphones?
Oct 22, 2002 02:51 pm If there is only one RCA in and one out make sure they are not S/PDIF jacks...
Also, how I would do it depends on youyr sound card, you should fill out your gear profile so your personal profile so we can see this stuff :-)
Personally, I rarely run back out of the PC after going in, then you just leave the digital domain yet again, once I get it in the digital domain I like to leave it there unless it is absolutely necessary to leave...
SonicoMember
Since: Apr 19, 2002
Oct 22, 2002 05:27 pm dB is right!!
If you want to run the signal back to the mixer for mixing purposes then you are going to degrade the signal.
However, if you (like me) want to run the signal back from the PC to the mixer for monitoring purposes then this is the way:
1.- From the mixer's tape outs, run an RCA cable to the soundcard's ins. (now you got the signal into the soundcard and is ready to be recorded).
2.- From the soundcard's RCA outs, run an RCA cable to the mixer's tape ins (now the signal is ready for monitoring). Be sure to select the monitor mixer (or something like that)in your soundcard so you can hear what you're playing and what is already recorded.
Now, in this configuration the "2TK to Mix" switch should be disabeled otherwise you'll get feedback.
Also, I have my monitors hooked to the control room outs so I enable the "2TK to CtrlRoom" switch to monitor the signal.
Mitch, as dB said your soundcard RCA should be an S/PDIF in so is adviceable not to connect an analog signal there.
Another way to use the tape ins/outs is to get some RCA to 1/4 plug cables. This is the way I used to work in my soundblaster days.
I hope this help you guys!!
MitchMember
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Oct 23, 2002 12:32 am Yeah. Im just wanting to run it back to the mixer for monitoring purposes only.
Yeah, my RCA in and outs are S/PDIF.
Sonico, you said:
"Mitch, as dB said your soundcard RCA should be an S/PDIF in so is adviceable not to connect an analog signal there."
I don`t understand how I could connect a analog signal there. Could you explain a little?
Toodles
Oct 23, 2002 02:33 am exactly! you *can't*! you'll have to use the analog outs. -j
MitchMember
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Oct 23, 2002 01:57 pm oh ok. I guess that was easy enough.
Something else, I just tried going from the tape outs, and since I have only one RCA to 1/4 right now, I am returning the signal via the aux return. I have tried all the combinations (aux out, aux in/ aux out, tape in/tape out, aux in/ etc, and it will not let me pan the signal excpet to the left side. When I try to pan it right, the signal dies. Any clue whats going on?
I even tried using both analog outs to the mixer. I can`t figure it out.
SonicoMember
Since: Apr 19, 2002
Oct 23, 2002 04:32 pm I think you're using only a mono input of your soundcard. I don't know the MIA but it seems to me that it has a pair of inputs and a pair of outputs am I right?
If this is the case, you are sending the tape outputs of the mixer to one input of the soundcard left or right and that's why you can't hear any signal when you pan the aux return of your mixer (even if you are returning both outputs of the soundcard).
You need a "Y" cable to connect to both inputs of the soundcard.
MitchMember
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Oct 23, 2002 05:28 pm Hmm...ok. So I can buy a 1/4 inch cable that ends in a double 1/4 inch (excuse my lack of proper terminology). Then I can use that to go from my aux send to both input 1 and 2 of y soundcard. Then do the same thing from the outs of the card back the the aux return. Is that what you are saying?
SonicoMember
Since: Apr 19, 2002
Oct 24, 2002 10:12 am That's right!!
MitchMember
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Oct 24, 2002 11:57 am Cool beans.
Thanks
