Recording from a Vintage Mixer Amp

[Rich Smith]

Anyone here ever recorded live from the "line output" of a vintage Mixer-Amp?

A friend still uses a vintage "Peavey Standard PA Mixer-Amp" head. It's a 22" wide heaveyweight. 130W RMS, 4 channel w/controls, master controls, reverb, etc. It has one(1) Line Output - Main, capable of 2.0V RMS @ 5k Ohms output impedance.

I have several portable Analog R to R's I could use. Is the line output going to be too noisy? Should I record mono to one track, or split the output to stereo? What am I dealing with here.

Problems? Successes? Forget it?

Thanks,
Rich Smith
"Keep it Reel"

 

[briank]

No reason why you can't, as long as you don't mind being committed to the mix on the way in, of course! Is that line output a mono or stereo output? When you say "split the output to stereo" that makes me think you're wanting to take a mono line output and send it through a splitter cable to a 2-track deck. If that's what you mean, then don't bother, there isn't any point splitting a mono output to stereo (technically a dual mono mult), but if I'm just getting caught up in semantics and it's a stereo output, then never mind!

As for noise, if it's an unbalanced line output, you will want to to keep your cable run short as unbalanced runs like to pick up noise along the way. Generally though, it shouldn't be too noisy as long as you set your levels properly and there isn't anything wrong with the mixer's output.

 

[Rich Smith]

Briank,

His Peavey is from the 1970's. The Line Out must be mono, unbalanced, and probably fully mixed just as his internal power amp gets it. Hmmm... keeping cables to the recorder short gives me an idea. Maybe I'll take my Akai M8 and put it up on the side stage with him so people can see the reels turning and watch the VU's. It should fit right in. Ha!

Thanks again,
Rich Smith
"Keep it Reel"