Need help with monitor controller/vinyl/recording setup

R

rkearns10

New member
Hi Everyone,

Apologies in advance for my lack of understanding on this.... but I need some assistance.

I have a Mackie Big Knob controller which I purchased to use in conjunction with a PC, recording interface, and a vinyl setup with a phono pre-amp and set of high-fi studio monitors.

My intent in purchasing the monitor was to connect both the computer (which would be connected to the interface?) and my vinyl setup into the monitor controller, and then have them both going outward to my monitors. So in effect splitting two sources (Record Player/Phono Preamp, and computer/recording setup) between one set of studio monitors.

Now I've attached pictures of everything including the input/output jacks of the monitor controller and was curious as to what the best connectivity setup would be for this? I'm assuming I may need some RCA to Quarter-Inch conversion cables? My Emotiva speakers only contain RCA outputs and XLR.....

Lastly would this all be achievable via guitar center or would I want to go to an audio store specifically?

I hope this all makes sense. -- I'm effectively looking to have a home-base recording setup via my computer and recording interface, and also my vinyl player BOTH running through the same set of monitors.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks!
 
What audio interface are you using? If it has a couple of line inputs, feed the output of the phono preamp into the line inputs of the interface (let's say line inputs 1 & 2). Plug the monitors into the main outputs of the interface. In the interface's mixing software, route line inputs 1 & 2 directly to the outputs. Now the phono will play through the monitors. No real need for the Big Knob for this particular setup.
 
There's no pictures, dude, but it looks like Big Knob will do what you want and quite a bit more.

All you need is the cables that fit in the holes. You don't have to go nuts on these things. Any decent cable will work. Don't go buy those stupid RCA > 1/4" adapters! Get (or make) actual cables with the ends you need. I'd rather hack and twist two cables - even if I had to insulate them with masking tape - than use one of those flaky little fuckers.

If you have a choice between balanced (TRS or XLR) and unbalanced (RCA or TS) at both ends of the same cable, choose the balanced holes. If you have the choice at only one end or the other, go unbalanced.
 
Sorry! IMG_1885.JPGIMG_1886.JPGIMG_1883.JPGIMG_1884.JPG

It's a FocusRite 18i* 4 Channel Scarlett interface.... So theoretically I could ditch/return the Big Knob and go without?
 
2 follow ups:

If I were to use 4 mics, wouldn't that mean plugging the speakers into the interface would require me to unplug/replug back and forth between the monitors and Mics?

Ashcat: You mean a cable with a different input at each end versus a converter? Meaning for example a cable with an RCA input at one end and quarter inch at another? I'm just confused as to which cables, where I would get them and how to go about the connective scheme.... I need some hand holding here
 
rkearns10 said:
2 follow ups:

If I were to use 4 mics, wouldn't that mean plugging the speakers into the interface would require me to unplug/replug back and forth between the monitors and Mics?
Click to expand...

You're getting your inputs and outputs mixed up. Plug the phono preamp outputs into the 2 of the Focusrite's inputs. If you want ot use 4 mics, you'll need to unplug those two plugs coming from the phono preamp. Th emonitors will stay plugged into the monitor outputs of the Focusrite.
 
OK..

So you're saying I'll need RCA to Quarter inch cable. -- Run that from the Phono Preamp to the interface. -- Plug Speakers directly into the front of the interface via XLR?

How does the computer come into play with the recording interface and how would I toggle between the computer audio source and my record player?
 
OK, now that I understand more about what the Big Knob is capable of, I think you can make this work with a couple of adapters. I thought that the Big Knob was a single input/multi output device, but it's actually multi-input/multi-output.

So you'll connect your monitors to one of the monitor output pair on the Big Knob. Plug your interface's outputs into one of the input pairs, and plug your phono preamp into another one of the input pairs using a pair of RCA to 1/4" adapters (the photos on Sweetwater's site make it look like the Big Knob comes with 2 of these adapters).

Then you'll switch between your interface and your phono sound sources using the Input Source Select buttons on the Big Knob.
 
Would RCA-Quarter inch cables be less than preferable? -- Are there any out there worth buying? I'm not cable savvy enough to make my own....
 
AFAICT if you run...Phono pre amp> AI>Big Knob>monitors you get all the options....Vinyl will play through the Focusrite (line inputs 4&5?) but you will also be able to record vinyl if you want to.

The only drawback is that the signal might not feed through unless the computer is on tho' I would think the 18i8 would have "standalone" capability, my 8i6 does. You might have to set a signal path in the AI software first.

If you DON'T want to dub vinyl you can actually do away with the RIAA pre amp since the BK has phono equalized inputs.

Worse case scenario? You DO want to dub but the AI does not run stand alone. RCA phono switch box twixt pre amp and BK.

Dave.
 
Thanks for the help guys.

I'm not looking to record vinyl.. just want it to come out of my monitors while having same monitors hooked up to my recording interface for recording and computer playback... does that make sense?
 
rkearns10 said:
Thanks for the help guys.

I'm not looking to record vinyl.. just want it to come out of my monitors while having same monitors hooked up to my recording interface for recording and computer playback... does that make sense?
Click to expand...

In that case you don't need the phono pre amp, just go into the RCA RIAA sockets on the BK.

Dave.
 
Ok so ditch the Phono Preamp.---> Vinyl straight into BK with RCA. -- Speakers into BK with RCA--Quarter inch cable. -- Interface into the BK with RCA--Quarter inch cable or XLR to Quarter inch cable. -- How does the interface connect to the computer?
 
rkearns10 said:
Ok so ditch the Phono Preamp.---> Vinyl straight into BK with RCA. -- Speakers into BK with RCA--Quarter inch cable. -- Interface into the BK with RCA--Quarter inch cable or XLR to Quarter inch cable. -- How does the interface connect to the computer?
Click to expand...
The speakers don't "go into" the BK. The BK is the source and goes into the speakers. You'd be better off if that connection was balanced using the TRS>XLR cables I linked.

The interface is also a source, and goes into the BK. that connection would also be better balanced, using the TRS>TRS cables I linked.

The phono is also a source, and probably has only RCA, so use that, but don't forget to also connect that separate ground wire if the phono has it or a place to connect it.
 
Hi Guys,

I just wanted to say thanks for all the help on this. -- Truly appreciated.

One last set of questions:

Is there a chain of command for powering up any of these? Meaning are there any considerations for making sure nothing goes on before something else? Or is that all kind of irrelevant?

Second, my phono preamp has a ground silverish-metal type thing sticking off the back... what needs to go on there? Some sort of cable?

Lastly.. I'm still a bit confused as to just exactly how the output from the computer gets to the speakers. USB--Interface--Speakers? --- All files heard from the interface are essentially funneled through the Audio Software? Isn't there an easier way to just connect something from the computer directly into the big knob and play everything from the computer through the monitors.. recorded tracks/ and everything else included?
 
rkearns10 said:
Hi Guys,

I just wanted to say thanks for all the help on this. -- Truly appreciated.

One last set of questions:

Is there a chain of command for powering up any of these? Meaning are there any considerations for making sure nothing goes on before something else? Or is that all kind of irrelevant?
Click to expand...
Usually you'd want to turn the speakers on last so that any pops from the other gear starting up won't blow them up, but they or the Big Knob might include a "soft start" feature to make it moot, or else just turning the Knob all the way down or switching the speakers out before power up should cover it. Really, it's probably more "best practice" than real practical issue.

Second, my phono preamp has a ground silverish-metal type thing sticking off the back... what needs to go on there? Some sort of cable?
Click to expand...
Take any single wire you can find, strip it at both ends, and run it between this and the corresponding thing on the BK.

Lastly.. I'm still a bit confused as to just exactly how the output from the computer gets to the speakers. USB--Interface--Speakers? --- All files heard from the interface are essentially funneled through the Audio Software? Isn't there an easier way to just connect something from the computer directly into the big knob and play everything from the computer through the monitors.. recorded tracks/ and everything else included?
Click to expand...
You'll have to go into the Windows Control Panel and set it up to use the interface as your playback device. At least, that'll be your best bet. You could probably also run your onboard sound as yet another source to the Big Knob, but that would be last resort if you can't get the interface to work for regular windows sounds.
 
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