Dav Bg1

[Incanus]

Just thought of something else about all this.

I was working with Mr. Creep and the DAV last night.

It just occured to me that we didn't have enough XLR's on hand at the moment and we hooked it up to the MOTU using XLR to 1/4" cables. Could this in any way be the problem?

Thanks, everyone

 

[MOFO Pro]

If you connect using an XLR-TRS cable, that will simply ground pin 3. A preamp should be designed not to care if its signal is grounded, but I don't know the specifics of the BG1, check its documentation to be sure.

Know issue with the BG-1... Need to lift pin three, not ground it... Smears the audio... some sort of saturation in the circuitry with the signal grounded...

 

[Incanus]

Oh, yeah

And we were definetely NOT using the MIC input on the MOTU. At all.

 

[fraserhutch]

Know issue with the BG-1... Need to lift pin three, not ground it... Smears the audio... some sort of saturation in the circuitry with the signal grounded...

But only if going from XLR-TRS, right? This is a non-issue with XLR-XLR?

 

[riffy]

Incanus & Supercreep, you're stuff is just great. Excellent work in recording & arranging. That's the type of stuff I could really enjoy putting down some track to. The vocal arrangment on that first number is especially nice - the ending was like something from Rush or Yes, anyway some real nice original stuff.

 

[Supercreep]

Know issue with the BG-1... Need to lift pin three, not ground it... Smears the audio... some sort of saturation in the circuitry with the signal grounded...

We weren't hearing smearing - we were seeing waveforms with the bottom side completely flat in sonar and hearing horrible, horrible distortion.

 

[mshilarious]

We weren't hearing smearing - we were seeing waveforms with the bottom side completely flat in sonar and hearing horrible, horrible distortion.

Only one side was clipped? Have you checked for DC offset?

 

[Supercreep]

Only one side was clipped? Have you checked for DC offset?

Sorry - the bottom of each waveform is clipped off.

Oh, and I am a complete idiot when it comes to electronics/technical stuff. I have no illusions at being an "engineer". I'm a button-masher.

Thanks for the help, everybody!!

 

[MOFO Pro]

But only if going from XLR-TRS, right? This is a non-issue with XML-XLR?

XLR to TS .. Balanced to unbalanced... Lift pin three (Signal Cold) don't shunt to ground...

 

[MOFO Pro]

We weren't hearing smearing - we were seeing waveforms with the bottom side completely flat in sonar and hearing horrible, horrible distortion.

Understood... kind of off topic... but it came up in the thread...

 

[Supercreep]

Mick says that if I'm using XLR cables into the MOTU, regardless of whether it's set to mic or line, that I'm using the mic inputs.

Does that sound right to you guys? I didn't think that electronically there was a difference.

 

[scrubs]

Mick says that if I'm using XLR cables into the MOTU, regardless of whether it's set to mic or line, that I'm using the mic inputs.

Does that sound right to you guys? I didn't think that electronically there was a difference.

While I'm not familiar with the MOTU specifically, that makes sense to me. XLR inputs typically have a hotter input level than 1/4" line-inputs, so you're probably double-preamping going in through the XLR.

 

[sdelsolray]

Does the MOTU unit have line-in level inputs? Yes or No? That's the question no one is answering.

 

[Supercreep]

Does the MOTU unit have line-in level inputs? Yes or No? That's the question no one is answering.

The MOTU has a Neutrik style jack that accepts both XLR and 1/4" plugs.

There is a three-way selector switch for mic line, or +4 (fixed).

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...0&svnum=100&hl=en&lr=lang_en&newwindow=1&sa=N

 

[xstatic]

XLR does not mean preamp. XLR purely means XLR and the signal on an xlr cable is no hotter than on a 1/4" cable be it TS or TRS. There are many consoles and pieces of equipment out there that use xlr jacks for line inputs. If the MOTU in questions xlr jacks can be switched to line input, then Mick is wrong. If however the MOTU in question's xlr inputs are actually Neutrik combo inputs, than it is quite possible that only the trs or ts connector goes to the line amp whereas the xlr connector goes to the preamp. This all depends on the MOTU's electronics and has absolutely nothing to do with the style of connector.

 

[Supercreep]

XLR does not mean preamp. XLR purely means XLR and the signal on an xlr cable is no hotter than on a 1/4" cable be it TS or TRS. There are many consoles and pieces of equipment out there that use xlr jacks for line inputs. If the MOTU in questions xlr jacks can be switched to line input, then Mick is wrong. If however the MOTU in question's xlr inputs are actually Neutrik combo inputs, than it is quite possible that only the trs or ts connector goes to the line amp whereas the xlr connector goes to the preamp. This all depends on the MOTU's electronics and has absolutely nothing to do with the style of connector.

"Nathan" at MOTU tech support says you can use XLR cables to send line level signals to the 896HD. Fixed line level will bypass the front panel trim, line level will engage it. To engage the mic level you must set the three way selector switch to "mic".

He sounds pretty sure.

 

[SonicAlbert]

You should buy or build some XLR to TRS cables and run the outputs of the BG-1 into the 1/4" line level jacks on the MOTU. I really think you are double preamping the signal somehow.

 

[Supercreep]

You should buy or build some XLR to TRS cables and run the outputs of the BG-1 into the 1/4" line level jacks on the MOTU. I really think you are double preamping the signal somehow.

Thanks, Sonic -

It is definitely something to try. We had some and tried them but they were XLR to TS. Details as they come.

 

[xstatic]

If the MOTU people say that you can use xlr line in's, than you probably can. This would mean Mick is wrong in this case. That kind of thing does happen One \easy way though is to do as suggested and use trs connections. This way you are almost all but guaranteed that regardles of any jumper settings you are going line in

 

[Supercreep]

If the MOTU people say that you can use xlr line in's, than you probably can. This would mean Mick is wrong in this case. That kind of thing does happen One \easy way though is to do as suggested and use trs connections. This way you are almost all but guaranteed that regardles of any jumper settings you are going line in

Exactly - I don't want to get in the middle of a pissing match between DAV and MOTU.

Besides, it's probably something that's directly attributable to my own stupidity. That has been my experience with audio so far.