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evadbowl
Member
how do I route my firebox to where I can use my pre-amps off of my mixer? I want the mic sound to come back through the firebox and into Reaper. thanks.
The Cancers
New member
Do you have direct outs on the mixer - like pre-fader ones? Those'll go straight from the preamp to the firebox, just plug some cables from them into your firebox inputs.
If not, you could just get the sound how you want it on the mixer and, depending on whether you are trying to do a whole mix on the mixer (like, more than two channels on the mixer being used) or just do one track at a time, you can use your main outs on the mixer to send a stereo feed (once again, just plug some cables from the main outs to the firebox inputs) to your Firebox.
Rereading that, I don't feel like it makes too much sense.
What mixer do you have?
If not, you could just get the sound how you want it on the mixer and, depending on whether you are trying to do a whole mix on the mixer (like, more than two channels on the mixer being used) or just do one track at a time, you can use your main outs on the mixer to send a stereo feed (once again, just plug some cables from the main outs to the firebox inputs) to your Firebox.
Rereading that, I don't feel like it makes too much sense.
What mixer do you have?
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evadbowl
Member
I have a Behringer 1204. Here is what I want. I want the sound of Reaper and effects to run through the Firebox and into the Mixer. I like the sound from the headphone jack off of the mixer better than the headphone jack out of the Firebox. So if I do that, I need to route the sound back to the Firebox and back into Reaper. Make sense?? Another reason that I want to use the mixer is that it has much better pre-amps. Thanks!
The Cancers
New member
OK.
1)You said:
"I like the sound from the headphone jack off of the mixer better than the headphone jack out of the Firebox"
Why? Why do you like the sound from the headphone jack on the mixer better than that from the firebox? Because, in theory, they should be the exact same thing. Does the mixer have onboard effects that you are hearing through it's headphone jack, and that's what you prefer? I don't understand how that could be affecting the sound in any noticeable way, unless there's something messed up in the way you've got everything connected and/or working.
2)You said:
"Another reason that I want to use the mixer is that it has much better pre-amps"
No. No it does not. The preamps on your firebox are likely better than the ones on the Mixer, being that it's a Behringer. But only slightly. If there is any quality difference between the two sets of preamps, I'd be shocked if you could notice it without a much more sophisticated monitoring system than it seems like you currently have.
You said:
"Make sense??"
So, no, doesn't really make sense to me.
That being said:
Looking at the equipment you have, what you want to do should be possible.
I think it would take a lot of typing and convoluted instruction giving to try and explain how to do it, especially since I don't have the units right in front of me (I don't immediately see the best way to set it up, I'd need my hands on it).
I'll offer some tips:
1) Read the manuals for both units, paying special attention to what the aux sends and alternate mixes are there for, as you'll find the key to what you want to do floating in there. Also, I believe the firebox website has a connection diagram with suggestions on how to hook up whatever you want to your firebox.
2) Picture your signal as water. It's flowing, initially from the microphones, all through your system. It's sometimes easier to keep the water analogy going than to try and think in terms of electrical signals. Don't know why.
Anyway, figure out where that water is flowing first, and what happens to it each step of the way. As an example, form the microphone, it's coming as a trickle until it hits the preamp, which, i dunno, pressurizes it - increases the strength of the flow to a noticeable level. So figure out where it goes next and what each step along the way is doing to it. Figure out what pressing all those buttons on the mixer does to the signal. Figure out where the individual streams of each channel meet and turn into a larger stream. etc...
All the information you need to figure this out is in the manuals. It just takes a little attention and work.
3) Really consider why you want to use the mixer. Like I said, your reasoning above didn't make a lick of sense to me, but, hey, that's what makes us different people, right?
I would suggest that if you are using the mixer because you have it and feel like you have to, don't. It's just adding an unnecessary step to your signal path.
On the other hand, the mixer has four preamps, the firebox only has two. But the firebox has four simultaneous inputs. So, you could conceivably up the number of inputs you can record simultaneously by two. That'd be a darn good use for that mixer. There are others, that's just the one that jumps to mind for me.
I know there isn't an answer anywhere in there, and I'm sorry for that. But if you gain the confidence that'll come from knowing your equipment, instead of just being told what goes where, you'll be able to actually get your money's worth out of it and use it to it's fullest potential.
Good luck, and have fun.
1)You said:
"I like the sound from the headphone jack off of the mixer better than the headphone jack out of the Firebox"
Why? Why do you like the sound from the headphone jack on the mixer better than that from the firebox? Because, in theory, they should be the exact same thing. Does the mixer have onboard effects that you are hearing through it's headphone jack, and that's what you prefer? I don't understand how that could be affecting the sound in any noticeable way, unless there's something messed up in the way you've got everything connected and/or working.
2)You said:
"Another reason that I want to use the mixer is that it has much better pre-amps"
No. No it does not. The preamps on your firebox are likely better than the ones on the Mixer, being that it's a Behringer. But only slightly. If there is any quality difference between the two sets of preamps, I'd be shocked if you could notice it without a much more sophisticated monitoring system than it seems like you currently have.
You said:
"Make sense??"
So, no, doesn't really make sense to me.
That being said:
Looking at the equipment you have, what you want to do should be possible.
I think it would take a lot of typing and convoluted instruction giving to try and explain how to do it, especially since I don't have the units right in front of me (I don't immediately see the best way to set it up, I'd need my hands on it).
I'll offer some tips:
1) Read the manuals for both units, paying special attention to what the aux sends and alternate mixes are there for, as you'll find the key to what you want to do floating in there. Also, I believe the firebox website has a connection diagram with suggestions on how to hook up whatever you want to your firebox.
2) Picture your signal as water. It's flowing, initially from the microphones, all through your system. It's sometimes easier to keep the water analogy going than to try and think in terms of electrical signals. Don't know why.
Anyway, figure out where that water is flowing first, and what happens to it each step of the way. As an example, form the microphone, it's coming as a trickle until it hits the preamp, which, i dunno, pressurizes it - increases the strength of the flow to a noticeable level. So figure out where it goes next and what each step along the way is doing to it. Figure out what pressing all those buttons on the mixer does to the signal. Figure out where the individual streams of each channel meet and turn into a larger stream. etc...
All the information you need to figure this out is in the manuals. It just takes a little attention and work.
3) Really consider why you want to use the mixer. Like I said, your reasoning above didn't make a lick of sense to me, but, hey, that's what makes us different people, right?
I would suggest that if you are using the mixer because you have it and feel like you have to, don't. It's just adding an unnecessary step to your signal path.
On the other hand, the mixer has four preamps, the firebox only has two. But the firebox has four simultaneous inputs. So, you could conceivably up the number of inputs you can record simultaneously by two. That'd be a darn good use for that mixer. There are others, that's just the one that jumps to mind for me.
I know there isn't an answer anywhere in there, and I'm sorry for that. But if you gain the confidence that'll come from knowing your equipment, instead of just being told what goes where, you'll be able to actually get your money's worth out of it and use it to it's fullest potential.
Good luck, and have fun.
S
Simbo
New member
Need more info
Like how many mic pre's are you planning on using at once?
A single mic path flow could probably done easy, but if your planning on using 3 or 4 with that set up, then there is a lot of reading how each device can handle each channel.
Like how many mic pre's are you planning on using at once?
A single mic path flow could probably done easy, but if your planning on using 3 or 4 with that set up, then there is a lot of reading how each device can handle each channel.
E
evadbowl
Member
OK.
1)You said:
"I like the sound from the headphone jack off of the mixer better than the headphone jack out of the Firebox"
Why? Why do you like the sound from the headphone jack on the mixer better than that from the firebox? Because, in theory, they should be the exact same thing. Does the mixer have onboard effects that you are hearing through it's headphone jack, and that's what you prefer? I don't understand how that could be affecting the sound in any noticeable way, unless there's something messed up in the way you've got everything connected and/or working.
2)You said:
"Another reason that I want to use the mixer is that it has much better pre-amps"
No. No it does not. The preamps on your firebox are likely better than the ones on the Mixer, being that it's a Behringer. But only slightly. If there is any quality difference between the two sets of preamps, I'd be shocked if you could notice it without a much more sophisticated monitoring system than it seems like you currently have.
You said:
"Make sense??"
So, no, doesn't really make sense to me.
That being said:
Looking at the equipment you have, what you want to do should be possible.
I think it would take a lot of typing and convoluted instruction giving to try and explain how to do it, especially since I don't have the units right in front of me (I don't immediately see the best way to set it up, I'd need my hands on it).
I'll offer some tips:
1) Read the manuals for both units, paying special attention to what the aux sends and alternate mixes are there for, as you'll find the key to what you want to do floating in there. Also, I believe the firebox website has a connection diagram with suggestions on how to hook up whatever you want to your firebox.
2) Picture your signal as water. It's flowing, initially from the microphones, all through your system. It's sometimes easier to keep the water analogy going than to try and think in terms of electrical signals. Don't know why.
Anyway, figure out where that water is flowing first, and what happens to it each step of the way. As an example, form the microphone, it's coming as a trickle until it hits the preamp, which, i dunno, pressurizes it - increases the strength of the flow to a noticeable level. So figure out where it goes next and what each step along the way is doing to it. Figure out what pressing all those buttons on the mixer does to the signal. Figure out where the individual streams of each channel meet and turn into a larger stream. etc...
All the information you need to figure this out is in the manuals. It just takes a little attention and work.
3) Really consider why you want to use the mixer. Like I said, your reasoning above didn't make a lick of sense to me, but, hey, that's what makes us different people, right?
I would suggest that if you are using the mixer because you have it and feel like you have to, don't. It's just adding an unnecessary step to your signal path.
On the other hand, the mixer has four preamps, the firebox only has two. But the firebox has four simultaneous inputs. So, you could conceivably up the number of inputs you can record simultaneously by two. That'd be a darn good use for that mixer. There are others, that's just the one that jumps to mind for me.
I know there isn't an answer anywhere in there, and I'm sorry for that. But if you gain the confidence that'll come from knowing your equipment, instead of just being told what goes where, you'll be able to actually get your money's worth out of it and use it to it's fullest potential.
Good luck, and have fun.
Wow...was not expecting all the info but Thanks!! What you say makes sense to me. The only reason I said that the pre-amps on the mixer are better is because they seem to be stronger. I had to turn up the volume on the Firebox all the way up to get good power. Also, I need more pre-amps for mics. I need 4 pre-amps and the Firebox has only 2. Thanks for the advice though. I like the analogy about the WATER! Never thought of it like that.
The Cancers
New member
No problem. Thanks for reading all that crap.
I can tell you that you shouldn't be needing to crank the preamps on the firebox all the way to get a strong signal unless you're recording a really quiet source through a low output dynamic mic. But, once you get everything working it shouldn't be a problem.
I can tell you that, if you just want to use the preamps from the mixer, you can use two of them, pan their outputs all the way left and right, then just take the main outs from the mixer (left and right) into the two line ins on your firebox. You should be able to monitor from the firebox and not have to worry about any extra wiring. Just make sure you are gain staging everything properly so you don't end up with unwanted and nasty distortion.
I can tell you that you shouldn't be needing to crank the preamps on the firebox all the way to get a strong signal unless you're recording a really quiet source through a low output dynamic mic. But, once you get everything working it shouldn't be a problem.
I can tell you that, if you just want to use the preamps from the mixer, you can use two of them, pan their outputs all the way left and right, then just take the main outs from the mixer (left and right) into the two line ins on your firebox. You should be able to monitor from the firebox and not have to worry about any extra wiring. Just make sure you are gain staging everything properly so you don't end up with unwanted and nasty distortion.
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