Need help setting up new mixer.

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shandanspencer

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Hello, I need some help setting up my mixer. It is a Radioshack 4 Channel Mixer with effects. I have a speaker set, and the main speaker(Right) has input and output jacks(.35mm)
My monitor also has Input and output jacks(.35mm). My computer has rear input and output jacks(.35mm, I'm not sure if they work, I don't know how to test them).
And it has front input and output jacks(.35mm, not sure if the input works, don't know how to test it.) My monitor is hooked up to my computer via HDMI, so the sound goes to my monitor.
Anyways, let me tell you how my mixer is setup.

  1. My mixer has a USB port, so I have a USB cable going from my Mixer into my Computer(Although, I cannot tell if it is an input or output cable)
  2. Then, I have an RCA to .35mm converting cable hooked into my mixer(RCA's are in the mixer) In the Booth output(The only output choices I have are Amp, Booth, and Record) then the .35mm end in my Speakers{Problem could be here}
  3. My speakers are hooked up into my Monitor Output(Which, once again, is connected to my computer via HDMI, which sends the sound to the computer).
  4. And lastly, I have my headphones hooked up into my speaker.

The Mixer partially wokrs, Only the volume controls work. Does anyone know what's going on? What am I doing wrong?
Also, I have virtual DJ pro downloaded, I just don't know what configurations to have.
I sure hope someone can help me!
Thanks in advance,

Shandan Spencer.
 
I have downloaded and had quick look at the user manual for that mixer.
I am sorry to tell you Shandan that it is really not suitable for home recording in my view.

I doubt that anyone here has had any experience of it or the DJ software you are trying to use. If your intention is to make recordings, vocals, guitars and other instruments or even loop samples and beats there is vastly simpler and better equipment around to do that.

I would advise you to get rid and come back here for advice on a "proper" Audio Interface. If you are stuck with it your best course might be to see if Radioshak have a forum?

Dave.
 
So it's not good enough is what you are saying? I've always been told it was pretty good. And getting rid of it is not so easy, It was a christmas present to me. And besides, I'm in kansas, there's not really any music production shops around here.
 
A mixer is not the solution for what you want as that is the job of an Audio Interface.
 
javierf55 said:
A mixer is not the solution for what you want as that is the job of an Audio Interface.
Click to expand...
Would you mind explaining to me what an Audio Interface does? I'm sorry, I'm really new to this.
 
shandanspencer said:
So it's not good enough is what you are saying? I've always been told it was pretty good. And getting rid of it is not so easy, It was a christmas present to me. And besides, I'm in kansas, there's not really any music production shops around here.
Click to expand...

I do not know if it is good enough or not it is completely out of my experience. (FYI. There is not a computer music shop within 100 miles of me and I know about Kansas, I am a big Big Bang fan!).

So, you need to get this thing going. Ok, the first job is to make sure it plays music files out of the computer. Put in an audio CD and run it in WMPlayer and see if you can get it to sound out of the Rshak box.

If you can do that, study the software and I am sure you will find a means to record a CD track, called "import" or maybe "ripping". Ifyou can find that function you will probably be asked to save the file as something and a drop down menu will give you options find and save as ".wav" NB that is dot wav, that can be important.

You are probably now rocking back and forth with head in hands! Do Not Panic! This stuff is hard to grasp initially but like learning to read, the impossible soon becomes second nature..Promise!

My fear is that you will put in a lot of effort and get so far only to find the mixer IS in fact not fit for purpose, but we shan't know unless we try. And I don't generally say this but, read the noob sticky.....But chin up! We will do all we can!

Dave.
 
Shand I hope you have the receipt if you do take it back immediately. Might want to research before you spend money on equip my friend.
 
shandanspencer said:
Would you mind explaining to me what an Audio Interface does? I'm sorry, I'm really new to this.
Click to expand...

Shand, a Audio interface converts Analog (Voice, Guitar, Bass) into Digital information 1's & 0's, the audio interface digitizes the analog sound into the digital domain into your digital audio work station ei (Pro Tools, Logic, Reaper) so you can edit the audio (Mix, Master etc.)
 
Not familiar with the mixer, but I would assume the 'Booth' ouput bypasses the mixer's FX section, so if you want to hear the FX, you need to hook up your speakers to the AMP output. Note that if this is 2 (left and right) jacks, you will need to get an adapter cable that puts it to a stereo .35mm plug. The 'ouput' on one speaker goes to the other speaker - you have speakers with the stereo amp in one speaker, the other is passive. I assume that speaker also has a power supply required. The speakers should not be hooked up to your computer monitor at all, if you are using the mixer as your audio device in your software.
 
Oh I see, What I'm trying to do is just edit music that I have, say like I have a song, and I just want to play around with the way it sounds, well, I can only control the volume with the mixer, and the effects I will be able to hear. But The bass knob doesn't change anything that I know of, the treble knob doesn't work either. Nor does the crossfader, Echo, EQ, or the left and right channel sliders(Sorry I'm really new to this, so bear with me) What I mean by the left and right channel sliders are, there are a bunch of sliders and, each one is labeled for example: This is going from left to right: 60, 150, 400, 1K, 2.4K, 6K, 15K I have NO clue what these do... :confused: Anyways! This is my new setup: The mixer is connected to my computer via USB, I have a 6.5mm to 3.5mm Jack plugged into the "Phones" Output on the mixer. But THEN, I have my speakers hooked up to my monitor. I think those are unnecessary , correct? And also, I'm going to show a screenshot of the program I am using, it is called mixxx (Yes with three "X's" :P).
NOTE: I also have ASIO4ALL, But don't know how to use it with a mixer. And, I am also trying to get my mixer to work with FL Studio, but FL studio uses ASIO4ALL So if someone could help me set it up with ASIO4ALL that would be great! Heres the screenshots, The first one is the mixxx screenshot, and the second is the ASIO4ALL Panel. EDIT: Also, the sound quality is not as good as it would be if I just had my speakers hooked up to my PC. And yes, my computer did recognize the mixer through USB, I just don't know if it's utilizing it correctly.
Thanks for replying! I appreciate any help you can give me! :thumbs up:
Most people would be like :RTFM:, so I greatly appreciate your help!

Heres the Screenshots:
ForumPic.webpForumPic2.webp
 
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If you are trying to play with recorded tracks you have in your computer, your mixer will do nothing for you - all you are doing is changing the volume of the playback to the speakers with it. The mixer is for taking instruments or microphones (or recorded tracks in another device), combining them, then sending that to the computer (and the speakers).
 
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