Impedance question for Craig

[GuitarPlayerFL]

Craig!

 

I want to use my laptop loaded with POD Farm for "live" playing in a band.

The regular processed, stereo 1/4 outs of the Toneport DI will go to the PA mixing board.

 

I wanted to send the headphone jack signal of the Toneport to my small, solid state practice amp's guitar input for stage monitoring purposes.

 

Will it damage either the Toneport or amp if I do that?

 

Thanks!

[MikeRivers]

Craig is still drinking his after-lunch martini.

 

You won't damage anything by doing that. But remember that your practice amp's input is mono and the headphone jack is stereo. If you use a standard "guitar" cable to connect them, you'll be shorting out one channel of the headphone output. Depending on how this is derived, it may affect the main stereo output. Stick a standard (unbalanced)1/4" phone plug into the headphone output and listen for a change in the main outputs. You can fix this by using a TRS ("stereo") plug to connect to the headphone jack. The easiest approach is to use a "balanced" cable with TRS plugs on both ends. That will leave one channel disconnected so it won't be shorted out.

 

If you're using effects with the Pod, be aware that some of them are decidedly stereo. If you connect just one channel to your monitor amplifier, you may lose some of the POD sound. This probably won't matter as far as knowing whether you're playing the right notes at the right time, but if you listen to that amplifier to get your tone, it could be different from what comes out the stereo outputs. You could sum the two channels of the headphone output, but some effects do odd things with the phase between channels, so there may be some cancellation there.

 

In short - experiment. You won't blow up anything. But do experiment at home first before going on stage with this rig. You're going to be compromising somewhere, so be sure to pick the compromise that works out best for you.

[GuitarPlayerFL]

Thank you, Mike, for the explanation.

 

I will definitely use the TRS cable to connect the two.

 

Eventually, I may have to get a powered monitor with at least two inputs for what I'm trying to achieve.

 

I'm just waiting for the X3 Live (basically the hardware version of POD Farm) to get the bugs worked out before I commit

to buying it. There are a lot of unhappy people at the Line 6 Forum concerning parts that break and other software bugs.

 

Thank you once again for your time!

 

Carl

[Anderton]

 

Craig is still drinking his after-lunch martini.

 

 

Actually I was setting up the mics for a session with classical guitarist Margarita Escarpa. Wow, she's good. I'm going back later today to make sure all is going well.

 

Anyway, as usual Mike has nailed it. The only thing I'd add is that the headphone output will be pretty hot compared to what your amp wants to see, so keep the volume way down when you start.

[MikeRivers]

Actually I was setting up the mics for a session with classical guitarist Margarita Escarpa.

Ah, so you were having your pre-lunch Margarita. Well, I was pretty close.

 

I don't know if that Pod has independent level controls for the main and headphone outputs. If so, I'd definitely start with a fairly low setting of the headphone level and crank up the amplifier accordingly. If it follows the main level control, wherever that main output goes should probably have priority as to getting the right level. Guitar amplifiers, since they are accustomed to dealing with a wide range of pickup outputs (some of which can be upwards of +20 dBu when slamming full chords) the amplifier gain usually has enough range to tame whatever level comes in.

[GuitarPlayerFL]

Anyway, as usual Mike has nailed it. The only thing I'd add is that the headphone output will be pretty hot compared to what your amp wants to see, so keep the volume way down when you start.

 

Thank you, both Craig and Mike...it's greatly appreciated!

 

Carl