I got me a Spirit!

[EddieRay]

The Soundcraft mixers seem to get a lot of good press around here. So when I saw an F1 (14/2) one in the classifieds for $100 I jumped on it. If nothing else it's a step up from my Behringer MX802A, ya?

Did I score good? I understand they discontinued these.

What's this Ultra Mic (TM) thing about? I haven't come across it in the manual.

I got it mainly to supply phantom power to mics when recording to a Tascam 688 which doesn't have phantom power. I thought I'd just use the F1's mains to send a stereo mix to the 688. But it looks like I could use the F1 inserts to separate 688 tracks. Yes? Somebody tell me it's true!

The inserts are TRS jacks. The 688 accepts XLR and 1/4" phono. I think I'd have to use the 1/4" (Line B) in order to bypass the 688's preamps. Anybody know?

 

[Massive Master]

Ultra-MIC are preamps orignally designed for the Ghost console - Very nice, especially for the price.

You "should" be able to take the insert out to the line-in of your 688 - May have to plug 2/3 of the way in... Been a while on that operation...

Best of luck -

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com

 

[EddieRay]

I tried inserting a TS 1/4" phono plug 2/3 of the way in but couldn't get a useable signal.

The manual sez of the Insert Point that "The Send may be tapped off as an alternative pre-fade, pre-EQ direct output if required, using a lead with tip and ring shorted together so that the signal path is not interrupted."

Do I have to make these cables or can I get them ready-made somewhere?

And what about the other end of the cable? I need to track to a Tascam 688 via XLR or 1/4" unbalanced inputs but would also like to go right into my Aark24 soundcard with TRS inputs. I'm getting real confused here about the type of cables I'll need to make or buy.

 

[StevenLindsey]

Hosa's making a cable for tapping inserts now. Saw it in the last American Musical Supply catalog.

 

[TexRoadkill]

My soundcraft Ghost has the inserts reversed from the Mackie format. Try plugging the cable all the way in.

 

[EddieRay]

My soundcraft Ghost has the inserts reversed from the Mackie format. Try plugging the cable all the way in.

I tried that. It stops the signal cold. The Mackie has TRS inserts?

 

[loubeck]

I tried inserting a TS 1/4" phono plug 2/3 of the way in but couldn't get a useable signal.

Are you using the trim knob for volume (and not the fader)?

The manual sez of the Insert Point that "The Send may be tapped off as an alternative pre-fade, pre-EQ direct output if required, using a lead with tip and ring shorted together so that the signal path is not interrupted."
[/B]

Wouldn't this be a regular instrument cable? Have you tried using one instead of a TRS cable?

 

[EddieRay]

Are you using the trim knob for volume (and not the fader)?

The insert is post-fader and post-EQ.

Wouldn't this be a regular instrument cable? Have you tried using one instead of a TRS cable?

No, but it would be if you shorted the ring and sleeve together.
I don't have any TRS cables - only instr cables.

 

[Middleman]

Good snatch. I picked up a Spirit Live console for $75 last fall. The preamps are really nice with lots of headroom. The corner of my unit is in my avatar.

 

[Dr.Grace]

EddieRay,

I bought the same model (F1 14.2) a few weeks ago on eBay for $130, which I thought was a good deal. So you did quite well! It's a great little mixer.

To tap the insert point, I've been using a standard "insert" cable, which is just a TRS on one end and two TS plugs on the other end. You only use one of the TS plugs to go into into the soundcard.

For this particular mixer, it seems that the trick of pushing the TS plug 2/3 of the way in only seems to work for putting a signal INTO the insert jack (i.e. bypassing the first stage), not getting one out.

Don

 

[EddieRay]

EddieRay,

I bought the same model (F1 14.2) a few weeks ago on eBay for $130, which I thought was a good deal. So you did quite well! It's a great little mixer.

To tap the insert point, I've been using a standard "insert" cable, which is just a TRS on one end and two TS plugs on the other end. You only use one of the TS plugs to go into into the soundcard.

For this particular mixer, it seems that the trick of pushing the TS plug 2/3 of the way in only seems to work for putting a signal INTO the insert jack (i.e. bypassing the first stage), not getting one out.

Don

I'll figure it all out. I was able to use the 2/3 insertion method to get a useable signal from the insert for tracking. However, it is a bit tricky, especially on channel 1. I can also use the 3 aux sends to track if I gotta. And I just picked up a XLR-to-TRS adapter to track from the main mix out. In short, the options available to me are opening up and I'm really liking this F1.

I just did a quick comparison against my Behringer MX802A last night with a pair of Oktava MC-012's. I stereo tracked my nylon string guitar - mic 1 went thru the Spirit, mic 2 thru the MX802A, both tracked to Cakewalk. Couldn't hear a big difference on my cheap Edirol monitors but man I could see the difference in the Cakewalk level meters during silence/room noise! The Behringer is quite noisy.