Low input volume question

J

Jwb1231970

New member
I use GarageBand with a focusrite interface. It has the 4 inputs on front and then 4 on the back for things like a keyboard. I plug into these on the back with my Yamaha clavinova and the sound is there but it is too quiet as far as what’s able to come out of monitors- how do I beef Up that input?
Thank you
 
Jwb1231970 said:
I use GarageBand with a focusrite interface. It has the 4 inputs on front and then 4 on the back for things like a keyboard. I plug into these on the back with my Yamaha clavinova and the sound is there but it is too quiet as far as what’s able to come out of monitors- how do I beef Up that input?
Thank you
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The rear, line inputs on Focusrite and many other interfaces are designed to accept around +4dBu (~ 1 volt) and a maximum input of +22dBu (~10v) (gi'us the model # and we can check the spec!) Quite rightly in my view because the inputs are intended for 'studio' grade equipment such as mic pre amps or mixers. Ooops! Finger trouble. A small mixer is a very convenient solution to this problem. Something like the Behringer Xenyx 802 would give you two additional mic/line inputs plus IIRC two stereo line ins. The mixer has easily enough gain to drive the F'rite inputs and with no noticeable noise.

You also get the bonus of REAL zero latency headphone monitoring and can do that without PC or AI fired up. If you are agin Behringer there are plenty of other small, inexpensive mixer brands.

Dave.
 
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I will echo what Dave said above! Same thing happened to me when I got my Focusrite 8i6 and tried my keyboard in the rear inputs. Make sure you get a stereo mixer, so that you don't lose any stereo effects from your keyboard. I picked up a Behringer Xenyx 1002 for $60. The 'bonus' of using it, is that when I use the keyboard for MIDI, I don't turn on the mixer, and the keyboard's built-in sounds don't go into the system (which I could hear faintly in the monitors).
 
Thanks all! So the mixer acts as a preamp? Is there a preamp built into the mixer? I'm probably going to get the Behringer Xenyx 1002 mentioned above.
Thanks for your help.
 
Jwb1231970 said:
Thanks all! So the mixer acts as a preamp? Is there a preamp built into the mixer? I'm probably going to get the Behringer Xenyx 1002 mentioned above.
Thanks for your help.
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Yes, each line input has a gain of about 40dB (X100). Those mixers (I have the bigger 1202 ) have a peculiar routing system for the Main, Cntrl and headphone outputs but that should not cause you much bother, especially if you are not running the Focusrite outputs back through the mixer...You CAN but it can lead to feedback.

Dave.
 
Jwb1231970 said:
Thanks all! So the mixer acts as a preamp? Is there a preamp built into the mixer? I'm probably going to get the Behringer Xenyx 1002 mentioned above.
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
You shouldn't need a mixer - you can plug in Clavinova directly into the Focusrite and then boost the gain until. you at Unity - then match the inputs gain on your DAW.
 
Papanate said:
You shouldn't need a mixer - you can plug in Clavinova directly into the Focusrite and then boost the gain until. you at Unity - then match the inputs gain on your DAW.
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I'm plugging the clavinova into the back of Focusrite and even turning my volume up full on the clavinova produces a volume that definitely could be louder, hotter coming out of my monitors.
 
Also, The Behringer is recommended but is there something that works well that is a little easier on the eyes? The behringer looks complicated, I don't need all the features on it. Also I only plan on plugging in the clavinova and and my line out from my Hammond Organ, nothing fancy.
 
mjbphotos said:
I will echo what Dave said above! Same thing happened to me when I got my Focusrite 8i6 and tried my keyboard in the rear inputs. Make sure you get a stereo mixer, so that you don't lose any stereo effects from your keyboard. I picked up a Behringer Xenyx 1002 for $60. The 'bonus' of using it, is that when I use the keyboard for MIDI, I don't turn on the mixer, and the keyboard's built-in sounds don't go into the system (which I could hear faintly in the monitors).
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That is good to know because yes I still have the clavinova plugged into the usb port for garageband sounds. Maybe I will get this Behringer and check it out.
 
Papanate said:
You shouldn't need a mixer - you can plug in Clavinova directly into the Focusrite and then boost the gain until. you at Unity - then match the inputs gain on your DAW.
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Are you talking about plugging into the back of the Focusrite (5,6,7,8) because that's where I'm connecting
 
I guess this is why people get a more expensive Focusrite with 8 inputs on the front that have 8 preamps? I should have gotten that in the first place but I wasn't aware that the 4 inputs on the back of mine didn't have preamps---always learning
 
Jwb1231970 said:
correct
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You beat me to the qwerty friend! There is an Art stereo amplifier product that is often suggested but I am buggered if I can find it! In any case it will probably cost as much as the Berry mixer and be far less versatile, no headphone output to begin with.

Always it seems, as soon as you mention a mixer as a problem solver one gets all sorts of objections? I cannot ever see why, not only will a wee mixer solve the chap's immediate problem but also allows him to keep various bits of kit 'pre-connected' and level balanced.
I know Behringer is a dirty word to some and I have my own reasons for disliking their business practices but from a technical and economic perspective they have done wonders for the home recordist!

Dave.
 
"but I wasn't aware that the 4 inputs on the back of mine didn't have preamps---always learning"
You might be surprised to know that those rear inputs are actually ATTENUATORS! The signal level into the actual A to D converters is about 1 volt peak to peak or 350mV rms max. About -20dBu.

Dave.
 
Just seems a lot of effort to me - buy a mixer just to get half a line level into a full line level product - the one thing that is for certain is that if you have almost any DAW, even a modest or free (spitfire labs) piano VSTi will be better than the clavinova line output. My experience of these and Roland's that are similar is that their tone is biased to the speakers in them - connect them to other gear and it sounds less good. They've been around for a long time now and have hardly changed in their sound.
 
rob aylestone said:
Just seems a lot of effort to me - buy a mixer just to get half a line level into a full line level product - the one thing that is for certain is that if you have almost any DAW, even a modest or free (spitfire labs) piano VSTi will be better than the clavinova line output. My experience of these and Roland's that are similar is that their tone is biased to the speakers in them - connect them to other gear and it sounds less good. They've been around for a long time now and have hardly changed in their sound.
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Well you are not wrong. It's just that the clavinova I like to play live for fun because you are right, those speakers sound really good in the room. Though they don't sound as good going in the focusrite it still sounds better than the pianos on garageband. That was why I started doing this. THose Garageband/logic pianos have the same problem as this whole thread topic...I plug the clavinova into computer direct with usb (using a midi to usb cord) and it just doesn't produce much volume coming out of the monitors.

Are you suggesting that my main problem is that place in the chain of the midi end being used? BYW way I do own a korg 88 key piano bought a couple of years ago. If what I am thinking you are saying is correct than if I plugged that Korg (usb to usb cord) into the computer I would get a stronger signal?

If so great but the one problem with that is I do not like the feel/touch/response of the Kork keys. I love the clavinova keys!!
 
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