Cables from preamp to soundcard

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brenda
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Brenda

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I'm using an Audiophile 2496 card and Cakewalk H.S. 2002 to record some harp music. Have already done a CD, so know that what I have here can work, but at the moment can't get the "Audio Running" now that I'm trying to record a new track. I have the funniest feeling that the Radio Shack cables I'm using are the culprits. My microphones are reaching the preamp, as I get good signals there, but somehow this is not reaching the soundcard. Have 2 channels on the preamp and am running 2 separate cables (1/4" stereo) to the two RCA "ins" on the card. These are Radio Shack,as I've said and just want to know what you think about this. All the Audio settings in the Control Panel and the software are correct. Thanks for any suggestions.
 
hi brenda, im assuming that youve used these chords to record with before? anyway ive gott a couple easy things you can try here. the easiest one is reboot your comp because i have lost signal form my mixer to my souncard and could not get it back until i rebooted. the second one you can try is getting a stereo in the room where you have comp and hook the rcas into the cd in on the back of the stereo and see if you can play through the stereo instead of the souncard, this would tell you if the cables were bad. i use radioshack cables also lol and they arnt the sturdiest on the market, im eventually gonna upgrade to monster cables. just after you reboot comp recheck your settings in you onboard mixer and make sure you have it wrigt. i wish you luck and i hope i helped you out. if not let me know and ill see what else i can come up with. god bless tim pate
 
Ya-hoo!!! Well, it's a new day and, following the advice of "flash2ace" I rebooted the computer, this time with all my stuff plugged in already, and guess what? I'm in business, with meters jumping and everything. Guess I should have known this, but you can't have Windows running before you connect to the soundcard? So, merci beaucoup, for a great suggestion. Now, thanks to Ambi, too, for having piqued my curiosity about the "mono" versus "stereo." I just thought that since I'm using two mics on my harp: 1) a Markley guitar pickup inside the sounding board, and 2) a Groove Tube condenser on a stand about 4 feet in front of the instrument......well, thought that I should record in stereo. So maybe should I get a Y-cable to run from the preamp and just connect to one RCA "in" on the soundcard? I'm really only using the pickup to give a little more definition to the bass strings, which sometimes can sound muddy. The real "quality" of sound will come from the condenser. Thanks for any comments. At this point I'm feeling as if I know just enough to be dangerous!!!
 
Don't know what Software you are using to record, but by all means you should keep the signals from the two sources on separate tracks, it will give you the flexibility to add or subtract what you need from each.

Also, don't combine two outputs into one audio input with a Y cable!!!

This can be bad! Ask Blue Bear if you want more specifics, since I am just parroting him from another recent thread!


BTW did you say that you were going 1/4" TRS("stereo") out of EACH channel of the back of your pre-amp into 2 RCA inputs on your sound card? I'm trying to picture how you did this without adapters of some kind, since most 1/4" TRS to RCA cables I've seen end in two Male RCA's(1 Left & 1 Right):confused:

Is one connector just dangling? Is it adapted with a Y cable so they both go into 1 input?

If your Pre-amp has balanced outs, then connecting them to the soundcard this way isn't really using the "balanced" connection and is needless. You would be better off just connecting directly with a quality cable that has the correct ends on it. You don't need Stereo on the pre-amp output cable BTW.

Then again, you said this has all worked before, so if it ain't broke. . . . :D :D :D ;)


Hope you get something done soon, and post it up for a listen!

I could use some good harp music!!
 
maestro_dmc said:


Also, don't combine two outputs into one audio input with a Y cable!!!
Click to expand...

very true...two lines into one line will overdrive your input...
 
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