Members Coppertone Posted February 12, 2007 Members Share Posted February 12, 2007 Hi guys, I am new to this forum, and have learned alot already, but I think I've missed a couple basics. I DJ a couple local things around here, and right now I connect my laptop to my mixer using the laptops 1/8" headphone out to the 1/4" Left and Right "in's" on my Behringer Eurorack 802. I was wondering if this is the best way to hook up my laptop to my mixer? Would a USB audio interface provide better sound quality? If so, do you guys recommend one? Also, right now I just play music through windows media player. Is this the standard amongst party DJ's, or do yall use another better program? Thank you in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted February 12, 2007 Members Share Posted February 12, 2007 Passive (w/ transformer) DI's feeding balanced inputs will eliminate any hum or buzz that you might get. Otherwise it's hit or miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members redkadinger Posted February 12, 2007 Members Share Posted February 12, 2007 I use the Bheringer uca202 its a usb to 2in rca and 2 out rca. I think its alot cleaner than the headphone out on my laptop and its only about $30.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 12, 2007 What does a DI box do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted February 12, 2007 Members Share Posted February 12, 2007 A DI box (direct injection) converts an unbalanced high impedance signal (2 conductor (usualy a tip/sleave phone or RCA plug ) to a balanced low impedance signal (3 conductor (usualy an XLR). I won't get into an explanation about why a balanced signal is better (you can do a search about common mode rejection for more detailed info). Just understand that a low impedance balanced signal is much less prone to noise (hum) and can be sent down long lines with overall much less signal degradation. For your application plugging directly into your board may work in most situations but inevitably you will setup in a venue where there is a strong EM field (hum in the air) and a DI will usualy stop most or all of this hum (that's why agedhorse said it's hit or miss). As for the impedance matching, this shouldn't be an issue for you (a pair of DIs will work fine for your application). A word to clear up some common confusion. Don't get an unbalanced stereo signal (3 conductors (tip and ring are the left and right and sleave/shield are the common ground) with a mono balanced signal (tip=+ ring=- and shield carries no signal). I'm not a DJ so I'm not really hip to the latest and greatest software for this application but I can tell you that I use PCDJ (red version) to run performers cues from FOH and it work's quite well (there are quite a few DJs on this board who can probably make better recomendations). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 12, 2007 Ok, so a 1/8" Stereo into a 2 1/4 mono unbalanced ---> 2 DI box's (one for each channel) ----> balanced 1/4" lines into the left and right into on my mixer? Assuming that I'm running a Stereo setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 A passive transformer isolated DI also isolates the grounds, which is essential when common grounds are used with a laptop powered by a grounded SMPS type power supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 Agedhorse, can you recommend me a good, cheap DI box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 Rapco DB-100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members les_rokr Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 A word to clear up some common confusion. Don't get an unbalanced stereo signal (3 conductors (tip and ring are the left and right and sleave/shield are the common ground) with a mono balanced signal (tip=+ ring=- and shield carries no signal). The 1/4 input jack on my acoustic-electric ibanez is waay too loose, so i use the optional XLR jack. I found a cable with both ends. Will i get better sound out of my guitar if i get an XLR cable with the same ends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solomaniac17 Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 Hi copperton I use two laptops when i DJ, i do use ther internal audio cards. meaning the mini jack output they offer. u can use a DI box it will give u cleaner signal, sometims i do, but I dont think its that much of a problem.. but for the time bieng what u r dong is ok.. u have to watch your output signal on your laptop though.. check your control panel and go to speeches and audio devices. make sure u set your out put volume to at most 70% it would be better for you to buy a seperate audio card. behringer makes a couple. one for 30 bucks another for 110. they use firewire and USB, unles you are spining or beatmatching though its not that necessary... ALSO. in terms of programs to play music with. instead of windows media. I have a couple if your interested. the advantage u will have is. u can cross fade. one song right into another...instead of having any "dead air" in between songs. and u can beat match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solomaniac17 Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 I forgot to mention, I use a 1/8 mini jack male. to RCA male cord. their less then 20 bucks if u need a quick fix ever?? to get from my laptops to my mixer, when i dont use DI's boxes. or my firewire audio cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Balladeer Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 We used to use an audio connection from laptop to mixer and vice versa, but the 3.5mm jacks on the laptop were unreliable, noisy and easily bent. Now using USB with an Edirol UA-25 box mounted at the desk. That gives balanced stereo in/out to/from the laptop via a single USB connector. Perfect when using the laptop to record in mono/stereo and to play sounds from the laptop (MP3's, DVD sountracks etc.) You can get USB leads up to 5m, and Neutric do a panel mounting USB connector if you want to wire-in the Edirol box. (By the way, the Edirol takes its power from the laptop via USB, so there are no PSU plugs to worry about. -Simon- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 Ok, thanks guys. What is a good place to but that DI box agedhorse? And I'll need two right? I think I may also get that Behringer USB interface. It's cheap, and I'll A/B it with the 1/8" out to see if I hear a difference. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ATOMICDOG1 Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 I use a Whirlwind PCDI, it has stereo 1/8 input and XLR outputs. I found this one thats a lot cheaper the other day tho:http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-PRO-IFACE.htmlpretty basic, but it has the right i/o and it will eliminate the noise you get from laptops sometimes. The ground schemes in laptops don't always play nice with audio gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 Thanks ATOMIC....that looks like a nice peice of equipment. I will look into it. I have been playing around with my makeshift equipment, and have noticed that the sound quality is not that good at all. Right now, I'm running mono into some bookshelf speakers (I know, I know), but anyways, will I notice a significant increase in sound quality when I run the system in stereo? (I'm waiting on that Y cable) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted February 13, 2007 Members Share Posted February 13, 2007 For what it's worth. If you get a USB (or other sound adapter) with 4 outputs (2xstereo), with most DJ software you can use the second pair of outputs to cue up the next selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 14, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 14, 2007 Ok guys, so let me get this straight: Laptop --> USB Interface --> DI Box --> EQ --> Crossover --> Power Amp -- Loudspeakers Is this what I'm ultimately after for the best sound quality possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ Swydez Posted February 14, 2007 Members Share Posted February 14, 2007 I'm a DJ, and I use the standard 1/8" jack on my laptop for now. Sure when I first turn on my equipment there is some hum or buzz in the speakers, but as soon as I crank up the music, that hum or buzz is non-existent anymore. Most prerecorded music is so loud that you will not hear that hum or buzz. You just have to make sure there is not dead space between your music and you are all set. Oh, and on the DJ software issue, I use Virtual DJ 4.2 which is an awesome DJ interface! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted February 15, 2007 Members Share Posted February 15, 2007 I'm a DJ, and I use the standard 1/8" jack on my laptop for now. Sure when I first turn on my equipment there is some hum or buzz in the speakers, but as soon as I crank up the music, that hum or buzz is non-existent anymore. Most prerecorded music is so loud that you will not hear that hum or buzz. You just have to make sure there is not dead space between your music and you are all set. Is this called striving for quality? Just be sure there's no dead space between the music? Wonder why the professional community sometimes picks on DJs? ALL you have to worry about is your own simple set-up... and you don't care about hum and buzz? One word sums it up for me... "wow". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ Swydez Posted February 15, 2007 Members Share Posted February 15, 2007 Is this called striving for quality? Just be sure there's no dead space between the music? Wonder why the professional community sometimes picks on DJs? ALL you have to worry about is your own simple set-up... and you don't care about hum and buzz? One word sums it up for me... "wow". What? There is virtually no buzz when the music is off and the system is almost full in volume. And I never allow that to happen during the gig because I always fade between songs so that there is no dead space. Plus, I get compliments on my sound quality. Why on earth would I spend money I don't need to in order to fix a problem people don't hear and I therefore don't care about? All people care about is that I play the music they want to hear, that the music is loud, and that the sound is good quality. Seriously... But eventually when I pull around $2000 together and I get into mixing with turntables, I'm gonna get a good quality sound card and probably a DI box so that I can connect everything up to my computer and then to my mixer, and then eventually upgrade my computer, but for now I am good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted February 15, 2007 Members Share Posted February 15, 2007 I'm a DJ, and I use the standard 1/8" jack on my laptop for now. Sure when I first turn on my equipment there is some hum or buzz in the speakers, but as soon as I crank up the music, that hum or buzz is non-existent anymore. Most prerecorded music is so loud that you will not hear that hum or buzz. You just have to make sure there is not dead space between your music and you are all set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coppertone Posted February 15, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 15, 2007 Hey DJ......how much is that software, and where did you get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted February 15, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 There is virtually no buzz when the music is off and the system is almost full in volume Can you explain this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ Swydez Posted February 15, 2007 Members Share Posted February 15, 2007 Can you explain this? Okay... so maybe I should have substituted "minimal" for "some" and I would have been all set. Seriously I tried it last nite, there is virtually no buzz when you turn on the system or when you crank it up. Sorry about the mix up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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