Cabling issues

B

Bergen

Member
I've been having problems connecting my Echo Mia Soundcard, audiobuddy preamp, behringer mixer and speakers. I initially was using 18' patch cables but had to place my mixer/preamp on the floor right next to my computer which was inconvenient.

So I got an 8-channel TRS snake, which works fine, except my soundcard, preamp/mixer, and speakers are in three separate locations and the snake only has two ends. Now I can cut open the sheath that wraps all the cables so I can separate them, but was worried this was for electrical insulation and that I might pickup electrical fuzz without it. If I keep the cables several inches away from powercords, will this be an issue?

Also, I'm trying to figure out the best way to get sound to my speakers. I have a second SB Live soundcard for MIDI, so to use both soundcards I need to have my mixer in the chain. It has balanced inputs, but unbalanced outputs. Will this affect sound quality to monitors with balanced inputs? Is it worth the hassle of redoing the connection to go straight from my soundcard to my speakers once all my tracks are audio and I'm ready to mix?

Thanks for any input.
 
The sheath around the snake dosnt protect the cable from electromagnetic voltage induction. Only space will keep 110v cords from inducing voltage on mic cables. You have to keep it out of the magnetic range. Usually about 3" or more. I am not understanding why you want all your stuff in different locations. Do you not have a desk that the computer and mixer will fit on at the same time?
 
Thanks for letting me know about the sheath. I'll remove it to free up cable ends.

I like to keep my computer on the floor and prefer setting my preamp and mixer on top of my computer. My desk is U shaped with my computer monitor, speakers, and keyboard crammed into one of the corners, so no extra room for computer/preamp/mixer.

Even in I had everything close, the free ends on the snake are about 8 inches, so I'd have to cut down the sheath anyway to stretch between speakers.

My only remaining issue is whether going from soundcard to mixer to speakers(unbalanced outputs on mixer) will result in decreased sound quality compared to going straight out from soundcard. The cables to the speakers will pass within a couple inches of the back of my tank of a monitor.

The alternative would be to include my preamp in the chain when I require headphone output or midi playback, and reconnect from soundcard directly to speakers at all other times. Some have advocated coupling the outputs of the midi card to the inputs of the main audio card, but I'm nervous about constantly changing those connections in fear I might tug to hard one time and break something.

Any further thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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