ELI5 How to setup my Behrnger Xenyx 802 (non USB)

[Duckgoosed]

I just got this mixer and want to know how to set it up so i can

1. Use it to hear my own voice through my Audio Technica AT2020. (My headset is too noise cancelling.. I can't hear my own voice when talking)

2. Hear all the audio from my PC.

3. I will be streaming on Twitch and will mostly be playing PC games but in the case that id like to use my xbox one... how am i going to hear xbox audio? Do i need a toslink converter or something?

Here is what i have right now:

Mixer: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-80...UTF8&qid=1483648277&sr=1-1&keywords=xenyx+802
Mic: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002T45X1...lid=1RBTFLQ6O2HO5&coliid=I2WOQRIDO3UZ2G&psc=1
Cable for my mic: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
To get audio from my pc?: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
To plug in my headphones?: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Please let me know if this is sufficient or if i need to buy some other audio equipment.

I am very new to this and just want to get a good audio setup for when i start streaming on Twitch. Explain like I'm 5 if you could.

Thank you for you're help.

PS: Hear is a link to my pc build if needed. https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/Duc...d/#view=WD6kcf

 

[ecc83]

Your links to Amazon don't work for me.

As I stated in you other post (! don't do this!) you need a USB interface between mixer and PC and the UCA 202 should do the trick.
The mixer dives the 202 from either the Main Out jacks or the TAPE/CD RCA outputs. The line, RCA output of the 202 feeds either TAPE/CD input or a line jack input on the mixer

Headphones go into the mixer. AFICT the X box one has RCA and 3.5mm analogue outputs, they go to another line input on the mixer. You cannuse a digital source, Toslink/SPDIF without getting yet another converter but I don't see the need. Concentrate for now on getting mic signals in and out of the PC.

You will need to do some work getting the UCA 202 as your default audio device in Windows Sounds and you might also need to reduce Win's recording level.

No doubt a Mod will be here shortly to tell you off and maybe sort the threads out? Meantime, WTGR, you are starting to thrash about a bit. "Systematic" is the watchword when sorting PC audio. Calm Down and Carry on.

Dave.

 

[Duckgoosed]

I was wondering if i would get in trouble for the re-post. What is AFICT?

"WTGR, you are starting to thrash about a bit. "Systematic" is the watchword when sorting PC audio." Not sure what you mean by this.

I still don't understand the need for a USB interface... This was what i was told in another forum and makes more sense. Let me know.

"With the mic plugged into the Xenyx and your headphones plugged into the Xenyx’s headphone jack, you should be able to hear yourself in your headphones. If your headphones have a 3.5 mm plug you’ll need the 6.5 adapter you mentioned.

You didn’t specify if you were trying to hear your PC or Xbox through some speakers or through the headphones, but if the latter both will have to be plugged into the Zenyx via Channels 3/4 or 5/6. You can use a cable like this for the PC. I don’t know what kind of output connectors the Xbox has, but it’ll require conversion to dual 6.5 plugs to get the signal into the Zenyx. If the only Xbox output is Toslink, you’ll need something to convert the signal to analog."

 

[ecc83]

As Far as I Can Tell: Being in my 72nd year I have never owned an Xbox, PS 56, or used any kind of Wii! I would however expect the box to have an analogue audio output of some sort, probably at or about -10dBV*.

No, you don't NEED a USB interface but the other way is to plug the mixer into the 3.5mm jack on the PC. This uses the On Board Soundcard and these are universally rubbish for recording (playback is often rather good, this HP lappy I am using sound fine plugged into my Tannoy monitors) .
The UCA 202 I suggested is cheap and much better than OBS.

Yes, by all means plug the mic into the mixer, headphones into same and get a good clean signal in the latter...THEN you can start connecting the 202 and the FIRST job is to get signal BACK from the PC into the mixer and hence the cans. Get all that sorted and you can move on to recording..

THAT ^ is what I mean by "systematic"!

* -10dBV is an "Operating Level", it equates to an average level of about 0.300volts (316mV TBP) Professional gear interchanges signals, at +4dBu but don't worry about that at this time.

Dave.

 

[ecc83]

Just a thought. I said a while ago that an AI that had mic inout plus 2 lines (for the Xb ) did not exist but I seem to recall reading about some dedicated Podcasting kit? M-Audio was it?

Dave.

 

[gecko zzed]

Dave is big on abbreviations and contractions, and half the time I haven't a clue what they are!

The basic set up for you using the 802 is this:

1 Mike into one of the two mike channels.

2 Xbox audio output into one of the line input channels.

3 Headphones into 802 headphone socket.

4 Main output of 802 into PC.

5 Output of PC into '2 track' input on 802.

6 Switch '2 track' to 'Ctrl room'.

7 Ctrl room output goes to whatever speaker system you are using (e.g. an amp and speakers, or to powered speakers.

This is the routing that will work, but it may not be satisfactory. It depends on how good the computer's sound card is. Most are meant for playing music, gaming, doing skype and other basic stuff, rather than recording. Which is why USB interfaces are preferred. They replace the computer's sound with stuff specifically intended for recording.

 

[arcaxis]

I don't know how much difference it would make ($$$), but if it were me, rather than add on the UAC 202 USB interface to use with the Xenyx 802, it might be preferential to return the non-USB 802 mixer and get a USB version mixer such as the https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Q802USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B008O517IC . While the UAC202 may work OK with the non-USB mixer, it just means more connections that may complicate things for someone new to hooking stuff up.

The mixer could give you inputs for a mic or two and the 1/4" Line inputs would likely work for an X-Box (if it has audio outs or maybe a headphone jack) and proper cables to connect. Assuming X-Box would be stereo(?)

Like Dave I haven't had any 'gaming' boxes, so know little about them nor do I want to.

 

[ecc83]

I don't know how much difference it would make ($$$), but if it were me, rather than add on the UAC 202 USB interface to use with the Xenyx 802, it might be preferential to return the non

The trouble is Mark, many of the 1st gen' cheap USB mixers are noisy and generate whistles and are generally pretty poor. The UCA 202 does just what it says on the tin, audio in, USB data out and v-v. It is still only a 16 bit device but can give a noise floor of better than -80dBFS unweighted .

Having the extra dangly bit might (IMHO!) be an advantage to a noob since he can see the signal flow more easily?

Dave.

 

[arcaxis]

I don't know how much difference it would make ($$$), but if it were me, rather than add on the UAC 202 USB interface to use with the Xenyx 802, it might be preferential to return the non

The trouble is Mark, many of the 1st gen' cheap USB mixers are noisy and generate whistles and are generally pretty poor. The UCA 202 does just what it says on the tin, audio in, USB data out and v-v. It is still only a 16 bit device but can give a noise floor of better than -80dBFS unweighted .

Having the extra dangly bit might (IMHO!) be an advantage to a noob since he can see the signal flow more easily?

Dave.

Don't know if if it's considered 1st gen or not, but the Xenyx 1204USB mixer I've got is pretty much dead quite with no noticeable artifacts floating around. How can you tell if it's '1st gen'?

 

[Duckgoosed]

Thank you for the help!

Ya the Xbox one passes audio through HDMI or the Toslink. No other way.

I will be using this for live streaming so i don't really need it to be perfect. I think i'll go ahead and try it out with the Xenyx 802 non USB and if it's not great i'll get the User interface or upgrade to the 802USB.. im not sure which of the two i should do.

Gecko im a little confused with you're Step 6 and 7. Is that something i do on the computer? Speaking of, is there some audio software i have to download? What do you recommend?

Thank you for the help.

 

[ecc83]

Don't know if if it's considered 1st gen or not, but the Xenyx 1204USB mixer I've got is pretty much dead quite with no noticeable artifacts floating around. How can you tell if it's '1st gen'?

1st gen are noisy! Maybe they are variable and you got a good 'un?

OP, if no annylogy out you can buy an HDMI to composite video converter which also gives 2 audio outs, all on RCAs. Handy box to have since it means you can record ANY HDMI source (such as this HP laptop) into e.g. a DVD recorder as I do.

Dave.

 

[gecko zzed]

Gecko im a little confused with you're Step 6 and 7. Is that something i do on the computer? Speaking of, is there some audio software i have to download? What do you recommend?

Steps 6 & 7 you do on the 802. And consequently you don't need any audio software for this. If you look at the assorted buttons on the 802 you'll see the ones I refer to.

The general idea is that you put all your audio inputs into the mixer, and you take all of your outputs from it (i.e. into computer, into headphones, into speakers). If you get a USB mixer, or the little USB interface someone referred to, you would do this.

 

[ecc83]

"
The general idea is that you put all your audio inputs into the mixer, and you take all of your outputs from it"

+1 ^ Which is why I say "get the 202". Essentially all the audio, mic, X box, goes through the mixer and can be harkened thereupon. THEN you take AUDIO from the mixer and turn it into a USB digital stream. The RCA outputs from the 202 go back to the mixer. The PC can be regarded as a bloody good tape recorder with a bloody enormous running time. ....Works for me!

Dave.

 

[arcaxis]

1st gen are noisy! Maybe they are variable and you got a good 'un?


Dave.

Just did a Google search on the UAC202 and noise and found few relevant hits > https://www.google.com/search?num=2....0..0.0....0...1c..64.serp..0.0.0.sO3lO3KmrOk

A few of the search hits suggested the UAC202 was a noisy device, but some of the issues were solved by fixing ground loops or other problems. I don't envision Behringer using too much different of a chipset or design between the workings of the UAC202 or the USB mixers, but maybe they are different.

The USB mixer I have is of fairly recent manufacture, so I don't know if that may make a difference as well.

So, perhaps it's more the user of the device that and the knowledge of using it

 

[ecc83]

Just did a Google search on the UAC202 and noise and found few relevant hits > https://www.google.com/search?num=2....0..0.0....0...1c..64.serp..0.0.0.sO3lO3KmrOk

A few of the search hits suggested the UAC202 was a noisy device, but some of the issues were solved by fixing ground loops or other problems. I don't envision Behringer using too much different of a chipset or design between the workings of the UAC202 or the USB mixers, but maybe they are different.

The USB mixer I have is of fairly recent manufacture, so I don't know if that may make a difference as well.

So, perhaps it's more the user of the device that and the knowledge of using it

Yes mate, your last sentence is almost certainly the truth of it. I do not put much stock in online opinions! However there was a guy on a "hi fi" forum who did a blog on the 202 and compared it to some rather tasty and expensive DACs and found it stood up very well!

I will confess might slight on the mixers is born of a few reviews of same (SoS) where they were said to be noisy. I had a problem with my ZED10 USB until the great guys at A&H told me how to set it up in Win7.

I shall dig my 202 out and do some more tests and post the results (assuming the Attachment protocol works today!)

Dave.

 

[Duckgoosed]

AWESOME!!! Just got it working well on the original mixer i have. The Xenyx 502.. seems to be working flawlessly. I can hear my voice and audio from the PC just fine. All in need to figure out is how i'm gunna get Xbox one audio.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[ecc83]

Did the noise test just for the craic.

That is a recording of the UCA 202 with no input. The RCAs are OC which accounts for the 50Hz blip I suppose (although I did have the laptop charging!) I don't really know what the blip at around 330 Hz is but the spectrum is pretty damn clean for a 16 bit 25 quid device IMHO!

I could post the MP3 and the .PNG of the spectrum but NOT the .png of the meter in Samplitude !! Suffice it to say it showed a peak noise level at -80dBFS and an rms noise at -88ish dBFS. Those are raw, unweighted figures and everyone uses weighted figures (but don't always tell you!) and thus a figure of around -95dBFS could, I think be justified? No noob is going to have a mic/pre/mixer/room close to that noise floor.

Dave.