A Random Assortment of problems

[chaverberg]

so i bought a m-audio delta 44 soundcard with breakout box, and plugged headphones into it only to find that the inputs were mono. i've read that i need a Y adapter, or headphone amplifiers of some sort to get sound to both L and R ears. i need verification before i go make another dumb purchase. is this what i need?

Also, i bought MXL 990 microphone, and an m-audio audio buddy pre-amp. I plugged the XLR live wire into my mic, that runs into the pre-amp with phantom power. Now, i need to connect the pre amp to the breakout box, i tried to use a 1/4" (on both ends) cable, connected to the inputs on the breakout box. Annnnd it doesn't seem to work; i can't record anything.
i found a stanton mixer laying around, and i tried to plug my microphone and headphones into that, and then plug it into the breakout box. i could not hear anything from my headphones.

Honestly, i've spent way too much money to let all this equipment go to waste. Ive spent a long time looking at forums on how to do this, but i dont fully understand all the recording lingo. If some one has the time to explain this set up to me, please do. It seems like everything i do doesnt work. Frustrating

 

[Dr. Varney]

Alright... First... When I purchased my mixer, I brought it home and found myself sitting in front of some 'alien artifact from outer space'. At one point, I honestly thought it was broken, because I couldn't hear anything, record; couldn't work out where the hell I was with it! After a couple of weeks, I'd got it figured out and was making recordings and setting up different listening arrangements.

Honestly, you haven't wasted your money on the mic. You just need to acclimatise yourself to this new and strange technology... The strange thing is, in just a short time, you will wonder how such a simple thing could have baffled you!

First, get the mixer set up. It's good news that you've actually got one. This can be the central 'core' of your analogue set up, if you want. We need to establish a basic connection between mixer and sound card.

No, you won't be needing a Y-adaptor, for now. Not if the mixer has a headphone socket and presumably, that's working ok.

Before we can go the next step, we need to know a little more about your mixer.

1) Does it have something called an 'ALT 3-4' facility? Can you see the tape-outs?

2) Locate the headphone level control. It should have some kind of switch, nearby, which allows you to select the source for the headphone mix.

(Post up the model number, if possible.)

3) Do you have an amp or are you relying on heaphones and/or PC speakers?

In the meantime, have a read of this: http://www.tweakheadz.com/how_to_hookup_a_mixer.htm because it's the first thing you need to address.

Also - ALWAYS make sure the Phantom Power is OFF before you plug in that condenser mic! Check with the manual that came with your equipment.

But don't worry about this yet - let's see your mixer first. Old Tweakhead might sort you out (he did me) but if you're still unsure of anything, then get back here and we'll see what we can do.

Dr. V

 

[TheChikenMaster]

the software that comes with the delta has a patch router. Meaning you control what goes in and out of the inputs and outputs of the breakoutbox. what i suggest is use the audio buddy in channel 1 input. on the outputs 1&2 plug them into your mixer pan 1left and 2 right. plug your headphones into the mixer. now in the patchbay software of you delta click on monitor on channel 1&2. now slowly raise the level of the audiobuddy untill you see a signal read on the sofware meaning the green lights will jump up and down. now make sure the mixer is on and all the appropriate levels are up. Hope this helps.

 

[chaverberg]

I have the Stanton M.304 mixer. I cannot find anything called an ALT 3-4 facility, or tape outs. There seems to be no headphone control level either, although the headphone jacks are located beneath three switches; mid low and high of “channel 3 kill”. Yes I have a regular amplifier, which is an old Radioshack model. But, I wanted to know if my headphones worked through my mixer before getting my setup even more tangled with an amplifier. My computer’s only soundcard is the Delta 44, which does not allow me to use PC speakers, because of the mono breakout box. In time, I hope to hook the whole thing up to an old 1980’s Quad speaker system, so I can hear what I’m doing in surround sound.


As for your suggestion Chikenmaster, I ran a cord from input 1 on the breakout box to the back of the Audiobuddy, a jack that reads balanced/unbalanced output 1. Then I ran two cables from output 1 and 2, but the back of the mixer has a lot of options. I couldn’t find pan right and left; I have “Return”, “Send”, “Booth”, and “Master” as far as ¼ inch jacks.

When I power the mixer up, I can hear both sides of my headphones, so I know it should work once I set it up.

Thanks a lot for replying, I’m pretty lost

 

[chaverberg]

please help, all i need is to connect my mixer and mic to the delta 44 breakout box. wondering if i only need preamp for mic.