Need a little help with my Behringer mixer...

[frisco]

Alright, so I just set up my studio in one of my dorm rooms and with me being new to using a mixer, I need a little help.

My goal is not to record through the mixer, but to be able to control the volume of the monitors and the volume of the computer through 2 separate rotary dials. So while the artist is in the booth recording, I can simply turn the monitor's volume down on the mixer while I listen to what they're recording (with the music) through my headphones.

Equipment:
Laptop
M-Audio MobilePre USB interface
KRK powered monitors
KRK V12s subwoofer
Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer.

My Setup:
Microphone & artist's headphones ----> MobilePre ----> Mixer Line 1
CD/Tape Output ---> Monitors
Headphone jack (from mixer) ---> My headphones

With this setup, I achieve my goals. I can adjust the volume of the computer through the Level knob of Line 1, I can adjust my headphone's volume through the Phones/Control Room knob, and the Main Mix knob controls the level of my monitors (which I plan to keep at 0). All the while, the artist can hear and record through the MobilePre. However, I have two problems:

1) When its connected this way (MobilePre-->Line 1) the volume is extreeeemly low. I have to turn my computer's volume to the max, turn my monitor speakers up to the max, turn the gain up almost all the way, turn the level for the input line up almost all the way, and turn the main mix up a little bit just to be able to hear it loud enough to mix properly.
2) Also, with this setup, you can hear that noise (not sure what its called), but its that snow/static/distortion kind of noise that lets you know your speakers are up too loud.

Any rewiring solutions? I'd greatly appreciate it

[chiefnoshow]

You have too many volume controls for it not to be extremely low. You are going to have to turn some up all the way to get the full line's capacity. If you can mix properly without losing the fidelity, then it's no real issue. Plus, the interface itself is limited at putting out so many piggybacked lines effectively (2 headphones, mixer, monitor, subwoofer etc.) Don't know where you have all this plugged in but you could also be experiencing power issues. The more watts you're using from a particular socket the less effective and clear your equipment will be.

As far as the white noise is concerned, what kind of booth are you recording in. White noise is generally dampened by soundproofing the surfaces in your booth. If the artist is recording in a room with hard flat walls, you catch alot of sound bouncing off of the walls. Don't know what you're working with but if you don't have anything on the walls to dampen the sound, you need to put up a soft material that doesn't reflect much sound if any. I use the padding contractors put under carpets in home. It's inexpensive, and it really works well at reducing the noise.