Setup for multiple monitors

bdemenil

New member
I'm trying to set up a simple system for A/Bing between two sets (maybe 3) of powered monitors. My board only has two main outs - which I'm using for the monitors and headphone amp. So, basically i'm looking for something to split the signal coming out of my board - ideally with an on/off and volume control for each channel - something which resembles a headphone amp (one in & multiple outs) only its line level.

Any ideas?
 
I know of three in the general budget gear category; listed in order of increasing price:

Samson C-control
Mackie Big Knob
Presonus Central Station
 
Thanks - that's exactly what I was looking for. Big knob looks pretty cool. Do you think it will noticeably degrade sound quality?
 
The mackie big knob is very nice but i couldn't really justify the price since it was approching the cost of my moniters. I can't say the price is great for what it is but a nice piece for sure. Now for me, 2 outs are fine, i use one for my mointers, one for my home stereo. If i had another set of moniters, it would defineately be on my agenda of things to buy.
 
I use a Adcom Preamp. Very user friendly and has a mono button for iniital volume settings.
You could use the selector for each speaker instead of say cd/deck/aux.
$60-80 ~US
 
mmm monitors

yeah, i also have a speaker selector, 6pairs/Adcom..I forget ~$70ish?
it doesn't have volume control for each set,
but are you going to be listening to all of them at the same time?
seems your powered monitors may have to be setup with their own volume controls (its a bitch being most are on the back).

Maybe a DB meter will help you set the volume on each?

right now i have 1#BW303, 2# Paradigm 3se, #3-Jbl sub.
I had #4 small Radio Min7's but the woofer went out on one.
Probably will hook up some crap plastic pc speakers just for a reference set.
Love to try some Wharf passives, Yorks, Event 20/20's, Adam's..... :)
i'm a bit of speakergear slut and love to A/B... speaker selectors are nice for this knda stuff.

With powered speakers you maybe could just make a box of toggle switches...like GC has of your line level outs, if your into that.

what are the 3 sets your wanting to hook up?
 
i got the Mackie & love it. It has three inputs too, so I can have the DAW go in one set and the mixing board's main outs into another - making it easier to match volume between the two when overdubbing.

I currently have a set of JBL LSR28Ps and a set of KRK V4s hooked up. I'm not sure whether to hook up my headphone amp to one of the 2 headphone outs, or to the third monitor out. I'd like to keep the third out for when I eventually get a sub-woofer, but my headphone amp wants 2 balanced 1/4" ins, so not sure what to do.

I'd also like to hook up a pair of crappy PC speakers.... damn, I already need more outputs.... I guess I'll just plug em into my headphone amp.
 
I don't use it anymore, but I by far preferred the Central Station out of those three - Worth every penny of the extra bucks, and quite usable D-A conversion.

Had one for... Since it came out up until only a month or so ago. no complaints.
 
I'm an idiot - the mackie actually has 5 pairs of balanced outs in addition to the 3 monitor outs. 4 of those have only a +4/-10 button for independent gain control. The 5th has a knob which sweeps from +4 to -10 (same as the 3 monitor outs). So big knob has altogether 8 pairs of balanced outs and two headphone jacks. It's the best $300 I've spent (on gear)
 
I just hooked up a pair of $20 Creative PC speakers to the headphone jack. It's weird - they're missing so much of the audio spectrum I feel like I'm partly deaf when I switch to them from my monitors.
 
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