Hello all,
Here's the scenario:
I'm running my mic preamp straight into my recorder
currently. I would like to split
the signal from the mic preamp and send the
additional output to my mixer so I can insert
into the mix bus for headphone distribution.
Question is: can this be done as straight
forwardly as it sounds, or am I going to
screw up the signal by splitting the mic preamp
output? What's the best way to do this?
Thanks, Shane
Comments
Need more info.
-What type of mic pre?
-What kind of mixer? how many tracks and sends?
-what are you recording to?
BSeaman
BSeaman,
Here's the signal chain as I plan to use it.
Sytek pre 4 channel - Symettrix 488 compressor - Paris DAW.
I'm using a Mackie 1604 board with aux outs into
a Furman headphone distribution system (2 stereo inputs from Paris DAW and 4 mono channels from
the four buses from the Mackie.)
I'd rather just patch directly into the Mackie from the Sytek Pre if possible instead of buying
an 8-out card for Paris. It's just for a
headphone mix.
Thanks, Shane
Can you take the signal from the pre into the mackie, and then use a send to get it to Paris. If not, I would suggest putting the mackie board in front of paris in the chain. This will make it easier to control the signalflow.
I hope this helps
BSeaman
Sean,
I have several high end mic preamps that I mult (or split) the outputs with no problems. I run the mic pre outputs to a patch bay in half normalled configuration. The half normalled configuration allows a normal connection from a mic pre to my console line inputs. I can then patch from the mic pre output to say an A/D converter and both the converter and the normalled console line in receive the preamp signal. If I need to patch to my console line input the normal is broken from the mic pre to the console. You could of course half normal the mic pre output to the A/D converter and patch to your console it's just a mater of how you like to work.
Robert
All, Thanks for the comments,
Sounds like I'm going to have to either read up on
patch bays and get one set up or get an 8 output card for my DAW.
It's good that the quality of the signal
from the Sytek won't be impacted if I do split
the signal before routing to the DAW.
Thanks, Shane
Shane -
I did something similar to this for the first time the other day. I just set the input to go to the Paris tracks I was creating, but setup an External Aux send and enabled only those channels to be part of the monitor mix I wanted. I then opened up an A/FX device in the patch bay and send the 1L and 1R channels to two outputs of my 442. That got patched to one of my Mackie 1402's stereo inputs and sent out thru the headphone jack to the drummer.
In this case, I did not want him to hear the tracks he was creating, only the existing ones. Since all this was on one submix, it was pretty simple, but if I had to span mixes, I would just send the appropriate channels to Aux sends on that mix, then patch out to different Mackie ins.
Hope you figured all this out already.
- Paul Artola
Ellicott City, Maryland
Shane -
I did something similar to this for the first time the other day. I just set the input to go to the Paris tracks I was creating, but setup an External Aux send and enabled only those channels to be part of the monitor mix I wanted. I then opened up an A/FX device in the patch bay and send the 1L and 1R channels to two outputs of my 442. That got patched to one of my Mackie 1402's stereo inputs and sent out thru the headphone jack to the drummer.
In this case, I did not want him to hear the tracks he was creating, only the existing ones. Since all this was on one submix, it was pretty simple, but if I had to span mixes, I would just send the appropriate channels to Aux sends on that mix, then patch out to different Mackie ins.
Hope you figured all this out already.
- Paul Artola
Ellicott City, Maryland
Paul, thanks for the reply.
I'm not sure I understand though. I'm trying
to set this up so multiple musicians can
customize for their own mix through a Furman
HDS6 system using the Sytek Pres without using
up 4 of my 8 Mackie channels that have aux out sends.
Basically I think I need the 4 Sytek pre outs to go both to Paris and the Mackie and don't think
I can do this except via splitting the signal
prior to it entering Paris (unless I'm willing to
purchase an 8-out card).
Like this:
Sytek 1 - Paris
- Mackie aux1 - Headphone dist mono 1
Sytek 2 - Paris
- Mackie aux2- Headphone dist mono 2
Sytek 3 - Paris
- Mackie aux3 - Headphone dist mono 3
Sytek 4 - Paris -
- Mackie aux4 - Headphone dist mono 4
Paris main outs - to Headphone dist stereo ins.
From previous posts it sounds like I need a patchbay or an 8-out card to really make this work.
Shane
Well heck, the routing picture I tried to draw got all screwed up when I posted.
Sytek channel 1 to Paris input 1
Sytek channel 1 also to Mackie , then aux 1 out to mono channel of the HDS6 headphone dist system.
same for the others...
Only output from Paris I have going to headphone distribution system is the Paris main out.
Shane
Get some patchbays, you can NEVER have too many patchbays. They open up tons of creative potential as it becomes frightfully easy to try new routings that you may not have thought of before.
I would suggest ths as a basic setup:
patchbay 1 ( or part of one)
back top row: mic snakes
back bottom row : mic pre inputs
patchbay set as FULL normalled(plugging into either top or bottom of the front row breaks the connection from back top to back bottom)
patchbay 2:
back row top mic pre outs
back row bottom paris inputs (maybe the mackie line ins here too so that you can mult easily)
Patch bay HALF normalled (plugging into front top mults the signal, plugging into front bottom breaks the signal from back top to back bottom)
I wouldn't recommend using a 1/4" or TT bay for Mic signals. If you have phantom power switched on you risk blowing something up. Stick with XLRs.
The simplest solution is to go from mic-pre to line input of mixer, and let the mixer route the signals to both Paris and the headphones. By using the line inputs you'll be bypassing the mixer's mic pres, so you won't be affecting the signals much - you can go into Paris either from the direct outs on each mixer channel or even better, if you want pre-fader signal into Paris, use a TRS plug halfway into the insert point for that channel.
I would try to stay away from 1/4" PB for mic lines, BUT, I have worked in several places with TT PB on the mic lines without ANY problem at all, and I must say that many of those places had boards and mics that costs more than my whole studio, and my house, and my car, and.... :)
I'm about 99% sure that the reason people "get away with" using TT bays on mics is that the TT plugs are NOT just a miniature 1/4" TRS plug. If you look at a TT plug you will notice (especially if you lay a straight edge along the length of the plug) that the tip is noticeably smaller in diameter than the ring and sleeve. If the contact fingers of a TT bay are set up correctly, the tip of the plug would never touch the ring contact of the jack as the plug is inserted, therefore no shorted phantom power. A TRS plug, however, is the same diameter on all three contact surfaces, so that the tip has to contact the ring wiper as the plug is inserted. If it didn't, then the ring and the ring wiper would never contact each other, and the plug wouldn't work.
Did we have this same discussion a few months ago, or am I experiencing some kind of deja vu???
Yeah, LD, I think it mighta been on another forum, some of the same players, apparently you were the only one listening the last time. Guess those fumes from the Charles can't be THAT deadly - :=) BTW, nice post on the Word Clock question - for a guy who knocks his own tech abilities, you ROCK... Steve