Members Acid Hazard Posted February 21, 2009 Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 How exactly do direct outs on a mixer work? Do they pass the audio directly after the input? Or does the audio pass through the EQ, Inserts etc... before being bussed to the direct out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted February 21, 2009 Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 The former. No EQ, no inserts, etc. Sometimes they bypass the pre (if there is one), sometimes they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acid Hazard Posted February 21, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 Bummer. I'd really like to get an A&H Mixwizard, but the lack of sub outs kinda kills it for me. And using the direct outs is useless, cause i want those killer EQs =o] This old A&H board i just got is nice, but it's so big! And it doesn't have the same EQs as the newer A&H boards. I need the sub outs for recording. I may have to end up with the 1604. But damn i don't like the Mackie EQs. Very unmusical! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mediterranean Posted February 21, 2009 Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 I think mixers color everything you plug into them, plus they introduce noise no matter what. I have 2 synths plugged directly into the audio interface. EQ, etc. is done with software. But I have a problem: the recorded signal is low [even with the synths' volumes all the way up] and the audio interface has no gain adjustment in its software control panel:cry: So I always end up "normalizing" the audio in Wavelab. I hate having to do that, but I have no choice with this setup. I only compose & record music at home, though. If you're a gigger, you'll need a mixer of course:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acid Hazard Posted February 21, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 I know they color everything, but some mixers have a better color pallet than others =o] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Lozada Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Let me know the exact model and I'll find out for you.Some are PRE/POST EQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scarecrowbob Posted February 21, 2009 Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 It really depnds on which model you're thinking about, but the aux outs on a lot of Mixwizards are switichible pre/post in blocks, so that you could just run them to individual aux sends... ie. Mic-> pre ->eq -> aux -> recorder. If what you want is the EQ, then just run it back through the board at mixdown (assuming that you can do a multichannel playback), and you can eq each channel. Also, I find that most things sound better if I don't have to use EQ, so I don't find myself needing a bunch of EQs during tracking. But YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted February 21, 2009 Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 Larry, be more specific about what you want to do. I'm guessing the MixWiz can do what you want, but maybe in a way that hasn't ocurred to you. If it's as simple as separate feeds for recording and monitoring, the MixWiz should be able to do it via the bus outs and monitor outs. Not trying to be condescending here, I just know that the more time I spend learning about my particular mixer, the more ways I realize it can accomplish various routing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gearaholic79 Posted February 21, 2009 Members Share Posted February 21, 2009 i have a mix wiz 2 not 3 and my direct outs are post. i talked w/a&h and they say you can configure it per chan w/jumpers. i prefer pre... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acid Hazard Posted February 22, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 Larry, be more specific about what you want to do. I'm guessing the MixWiz can do what you want, but maybe in a way that hasn't ocurred to you.If it's as simple as separate feeds for recording and monitoring, the MixWiz should be able to do it via the bus outs and monitor outs.Not trying to be condescending here, I just know that the more time I spend learning about my particular mixer, the more ways I realize it can accomplish various routing. Basically, since the Mixwizards don't have sub outs, i thought one could use the direct outs, which you could. But then they would bypass the EQ, which would be a scenario i wouldn't want. But as stated above, someone says you can configure it via jumpers. Of course, this is all wishful thinking at this point, as i don't even have a Mixwizard =o] I use the 4 Bus Outputs on my mixer for recording. I have an M Audio Delta 44, so 4 sub outs work perfect. There is always the Korg D3200 rout as well. That will give me 12 channel recording. But i don't get the killer A&H EQs =o] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Don Solaris Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 How exactly do direct outs on a mixer work? Do they pass the audio directly after the input? Or does the audio pass through the EQ, Inserts etc... before being bussed to the direct out? There's no rule what does it pass through - that part is left to designers. Answer to your question is explained in the (each) mixer manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Don Solaris Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 I have 2 synths plugged directly into the audio interface. EQ, etc. is done with software. But I have a problem: the recorded signal is low This is why we have preamps. You could get yourself a GreatRiver, or if want to save some cash, build yourself a Hamptone preamp with J-FET transistors. If you add a good quality transformers at i/o stage you'll get a kickass preamp in the class of API with really HUGE sound (there is coloration, but a GOOD one, specially with the harmonics mod). For stereo you'd need two. But even just the basic Hamtpone w/o transformer will give you sound like the $700 Avalon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nightsynth Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 Also, alot of audio interfaces have a switchable attenuation (-10, 0, +4). It's usually software controlled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Acid Hazard Posted February 22, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 It appears that the Allen & Heath 14:4:2 would be what i need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mediterranean Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 Also, alot of audio interfaces have a switchable attenuation (-10, 0, +4). It's usually software controlled. Yes. I always set my audio interface to match the unbalanced outputs of my synths: Synth [-10] ----> 1/4" unbalanced cables ----> audio interface [set to -10] The recorded signal is always weak/low volume. There's no "0". It's either -10 or +4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mediterranean Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 This is why we have preamps. You could get yourself a GreatRiver, or if want to save some cash, build yourself a Hamptone preamp with J-FET transistors. If you add a good quality transformers at i/o stage you'll get a kickass preamp in the class of API with really HUGE sound (there is coloration, but a GOOD one, specially with the harmonics mod). For stereo you'd need two. But even just the basic Hamtpone w/o transformer will give you sound like the $700 Avalon. Thanks for trying to help, Don. But according to that link, DI boxes are needed. Another variable. And that preamp is $720, wow! I bought a stereo preamp once, to test it specifically with my synths. All it did was increase the noise level. I tried all kinds of tests: synth on max volume and preamp on low gain. Synth on low volume with preamp on high gain. Used unbalanced cables between preamp & interface and set interface to -10. Used balanced cables between preamp & interface and set interface to +4. Never used it again since then. Still in mint condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oldgearguy Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 If you just need multiple channels of line balancing, you can go with something like the Synth Driver. You buy them in blocks of 8 channels, and they used to be around $100/channel, but then everything is running balanced and +4 into your mixer/interface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mediterranean Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 If you just need multiple channels of line balancing, you can go with something like the Synth Driver. You buy them in blocks of 8 channels, and they used to be around $100/channel, but then everything is running balanced and +4 into your mixer/interface. Wow! Never heard of such a device specifically designed for synths. The info alone is interesting. Thank you:) But I don't understand that kind of output interface [DB25?]. Why isn't it the standard 1/4" jacks on the back? How does DB25 connect to the 1/4" inputs of an audio interface? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cram1960 Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 One of these: DB25 to 1/4" x 8 snake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cram1960 Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 Thanks for trying to help, Don. But according to that link, DI boxes are needed. Another variable. And that preamp is $720, wow!I bought a stereo preamp once, to test it specifically with my synths. All it did was increase the noise level. I tried all kinds of tests: synth on max volume and preamp on low gain. Synth on low volume with preamp on high gain. Used unbalanced cables between preamp & interface and set interface to -10. Used balanced cables between preamp & interface and set interface to +4.Never used it again since then. Still in mint condition. That Presonus Blue Tube thing doesn't really count as a quality preamp. Certainly nothing at all like a Great River or Hamptone. For all intents and purposes of this discussion, you didn't try a real preamp yet. IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mediterranean Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 at all like a Great River or Hamptone. For all intents and purposes of this discussion, you didn't try a real preamp yet. IMO. Thanks Cram. Please let me know when you come my way [suffolk]. We're 50 miles apart. Food & gas on me. I don't know what I'm doing wrong to get such sucky recordings:cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cram1960 Posted February 22, 2009 Members Share Posted February 22, 2009 The recorded signal is always weak/low volume.There's no "0". It's either -10 or +4. My FF800and MOTU 24 I/O interfaces are both set to +4dbu for input and output. Try that (since it's free and simple). See if it helps. My Minimax still has a low output though, so I usually normalize that.(Although sometimes I run it through the D.I. of my Sebatron tube pre). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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