inserts, balanced Y connector, cables....no sound

[Chris Tondreau]

Okay.... I got my new mixer a few days back, and am learning a lot about mixers. Man.... the things you quickly learn to appreciate when you've never before imagined the freedom... I'm really liking it so far (Behringer UB2442FX-PRO.... yeah, yeah, I know.... the B word..... )

So... I've got my first two AUX busses (selected as pre-fader) going to my headphone amp (also now appreciating the new features on the new powerplay-pro 4700... no, I don't work for them...) to give two very easy separate mixes to any number (up to 12) of performers. I've got the control room outs going to the monitors. So far, so good...

Now, hooking up my outboard compressor. I've got the insert of a given channel plugged into with a TRS (ie. stereo) Y-adapter. (though I don't know if the "inside" plugs are mono or stereo - maybe this is my problem) I think the "inside" plugs are stereo, as it's original purpose was to connect two sets of headphones to a single headphone jack.

Anyway, from one side of the Y-adapter, I'm running an un-balanced (ie. mono) cable to the input of the compressor, and I'm running another un-balanced cable from the output of the compressor back to the other side of the Y-adapter. Nothing seems to comes back.

If I return the cable from the output of the compressor to the input of another channel, I hear the compressed signal coming back. This tells me that all the cables are working, the channels are working, and that the Y-adapter is working on at least one side.

Is my problem that I need an adapter that goes from a TRS plug to two mono jacks? Or, is it something else?

Also... on a somewhat related issue...

Let's say I'm going from a pre-amp to a compressor to my soundcard. I know that balanced cables are the best option, but they, AFAIK, are not necessary at each stage of the chain. My guess is that it should be the last link (to cancel out any noise picked up from anywhere else in the chain before it gets to its final stop - the soundcard.) Given that, I could use an unbalanced cable from the preamp to the compressor and still get optimal results. Is that right?

(If you're wondering if the two scenarios are related, I'm using a two-channel compressor - one running directly from a dedicated pre, and the other trying to hook up as an insert from the mixer.)

Thanks for sticking with me to the end of my questions!!

Chris

[Track Rat]

You have the wrong cable Chris. Yours is stereo all the way. You need one that is stereo on the mixer end that fans out to two mono ends (one being send and the other recieve).

[Chris Tondreau]

Thanks, Track. Sorry.... I don't mean to sound obtuse, but how is that different from going from a stereo plug to two mono cables? Obviously, it must be, but it sounds like it should be the same. Is the problem having the mono cables plugged into stereo jacks?

Chris

....and the other question about balanced cables towards the end??

[Track Rat]

Inserts are (for the most part) unbalanced. That's why the mono connectors on the fan out end. The stereo connector on the mixer end isn't for a balanced connection, it's send and reciece, unbalanced. The cable you have would be for a balanced split or a stereo split.

[Sen]

Originally posted by Chris Tondreau


Let's say I'm going from a pre-amp to a compressor to my soundcard. I know that balanced cables are the best option, but they, AFAIK, are not necessary at each stage of the chain. My guess is that it should be the last link (to cancel out any noise picked up from anywhere else in the chain before it gets to its final stop - the soundcard.) Given that, I could use an unbalanced cable from the preamp to the compressor and still get optimal results. Is that right?

Chris,
I don't think it's just the matter of choosing which cable you're gonna connect the gear with (bal or Unbal), but you should connect them going by your operating levels of each piece of gear...if your preamp's out is unbal you should connect it to your compressor's unbal....or ,alternatively, use a level adapter which will switch your preamp's unbal signal to bal. so you can plug it into compressor's bal. input.....and so on....one signal chain should be all balanced or all unbalanced...

hope this is correct and helps you

[Chris Tondreau]

Thanks, Track and Sen!! With your help, I got it figured out!

Chris

[Sen]

No worries man...glad to hear you're on the roll again...