External mixer setup id FUBAR!!!

S

StratFreak

New member
This is killing me!

I have a externel mixer, an old Peavey MS 2421, non-powered,nice board

heres how I have it hooked up (this was suggested to me by Peavey support) but somethings wrong

Start from the board, from the left and right out of the board I have it going to the in's of the power amp

from the out power amps I have it going to my 2 Alesis monitors

from the boards monitors R/L outs to the Gina 1&2 inputs, theres a master out R/L on the board but it sounds all muddy but the monitor R/L outs sound clear, so I use that, was told thats okay to do?

From the Gina 1&2 outs going to channels 1&2 of the board, I use faders 1&2 as the playback volume

Zoom R/L into channels 3&4
J-Station R/L into channels 5&6

Thats how I have it setup, but heres my problem

When I play a pre-set Zoom beat (I do this for troubleshooting only) I can control the volume by using faders 3&4,

Now heres whats odd, when I play a beat, go to record it in stereo on Cubase,(i was told my sound card input level should be set at -10db, is this correct?) click the "ins" the Cubase reads the input, but slightly, maybe only 25%, the output volume of the Zoom is opened wide, so to get a stronger reading I try and use channels 1&2 of Cubase faders to increase the input level but nothing happens?

The only way I can increase the input level of Cubase is to increse the input level of the Gina card (and that would change the settings from -10db, which is what i was told was the best setting)

Thats what has me scratching my head

If someone could please tell me the proper way to hook up a mixer and power amp to a gina card that has 2 ins and 8 outs i would appreciate it very much

thanks
 
Yo man, just bump up the input level on the sound card. If it sounds good, do it (you'd be able to tell if it was bad to do, because it'd sound terrible). The '-10dB' sounds to me like the settings I use for the output level from my soundcard (Delta 66). It gives me the choice of -10dB, 'consumer', and +4dB. I use -10dB, because the signal's going into a consumer power amp, and otherwise it's way too loud. -10dB is for consumer stuff, 'consumer' (ironically) is for somewhat more professional stuff, and +4dB is for truly professional gear.
 
First off, I'd set the Gina input to 0 (no attenuation). Next I'd drive the input to Gina from the channel INSERTs on the Peavey mixer. Pull up the Gina mixer and use the trim controlls on the Peavey mixer at the top of the channel strips to set the input levels to the sound card. Now I'm a little ahead of myself here. This set up I'm discribing allows you to record one stereo source at a time or two mono sources. For instance, if yor mixer is 24 channels, plug your drum machine into channels 23 and 24. Now patch the cables going to the input of Gina to the INSERTs of channels 23 and 24 JUST TO THE FIRST "CLICK". What you're doing is using the inserts as direct outputs from the mixer. Start the drum machine and using the trim pots at the top of the channel strips set the levels into Gina with the Gina mixer levels peaking just below 0 dB full scale. You're already recovering Gina in the Peavey's channels 1 and 2 and you can patch the rest of it's outputs to the next 6 channels so the first 8 channels of the Peavey are the 8 outputs of Gina. The inputs to Gina will be whatever channels you have a device patched to and you just plug the input cables to the corresponding channel inserts. The main mixer outs are driving your monitor system and you're off to the races. Does this make sense to you?
 
Thanks guys, but......

I didnt understand a word ya said :(

Its like another language to me, do any of you know if there is a website with graphical pictures of how to set up a mixer with a PC?

If so, can ya post the link?

thnaks!
 
I don't know how ledgable this will be but I'll give it a try. Take a look at this and see if it makes more sense.
 
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