Whats best Control room out or main outputs?

[Magarious]

Well i got some nice new monitors but i dont no whether to plug them into my control room outs or my main outs. What difference is there can which is the best qulity.

Thx

Alex

[bennychico11]

six of one, half dozen of another.

the main outs might give you a slightly higher maximum level capability. But generally speaking the control room outs are usually for sending the signal to another place for recording or playback (ie. the lobby at a live event) and the main outs go to the main important speakers (hence the word "main").

[Massive Master]

If you don't use the control room outs, you can't use the PFL/AFL/Monitor level - None of that works through the main outs.

[xstatic]

Control room outs are just that, for the control room. Typically the main outs is for your 2 track recording output ( or for a live show). Never use your control room outs as a main send to a PA though.

[gecko zzed]

I connect monitors (and headphones) via control room out, not main out. The main out I use to feed into soundcard. I take sound card out and feed that to the desk tape in which I route to the control room.

By doing it this way, any changes to listening level are independent of desk settings. It is also an easy way of monitoring material being recorded and already recorded.

Importantly, as MM notes, you have access to the PFL/AFL features.

[SonicAlbert]

As gekko zzed and others have said, the control room outs are for just that: your control room monitors. They are designed for just that purpose, so send your control room outs to your monitors. The main outs are for sending to your recorder.

While you can indeed send either output to either destination, the control outputs have other features that are handy for monitoring, depending on the mixer you are using.

[Ironklad Audio]

if nothing else, use the c/r outs so that you can keep your master fader set to unity and still be able to lower the playback volume

[TexRoadkill]

Originally Posted by bennychico11

But generally speaking the control room outs are usually for sending the signal to another place for recording or playback (ie. the lobby at a live event) and the main outs go to the main important speakers (hence the word "main").

That's completely wrong. The Control room and Headphone outs are for the engineer and contain all the solo'd tracks. The Main outs or Tape outs are the outputs of the final mix buss and solo has no affect.

[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by TexRoadkill

That's completely wrong. The Control room and Headphone outs are for the engineer and contain all the solo'd tracks. The Main outs or Tape outs are the outputs of the final mix buss and solo has no affect.

ummmm, that's basically what I said.

Control Room for other sources besides the main speakers....my explanation was for live sound. Mains being the front of house speakers. Control room could be the sound booth if needed, unless the engineer is in the middle of the house....then maybe use the control rooms for something else, yes? Yes.