mixer issue...

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svart

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i am new to this and have a mixer that has balanced main outputs. the instructions that came with the mixer claim that i can plug unbalanced plugs into the main outputs to whatever i am using to mix to.. the issue is that when i do that i have no true stereo anymore.. the signal sounds mono but i can pan to the left a little but not to the right at all on any channel. when i pan to the left it does not isolate to the left side either.. it just gets a little more defined in the left side.. i want to know why i can't pan to the far left and have the right side dissapear in the mix and why i can't pan to the right at all. anybody with an idea please help!!
 
The unbalanced versus balanced should have nothing to do with your problem. Using 1 channel never gives you stereo anyway, you either have mono centered, mono left, or mono right, as I understand it. You need to record on two seperate channels to have stereo, then pan them accordingly. I am sure I stand to be corrected on this so keep checking in here and you will get some more help from more knowledgeable people.
 
mixer issue

hey thanks for your input (no pun intended!) but i have 8 channels with various pans to left and right. let me start explaining over cause i don't think i explained what i was trying to say correctly. if i mute all the channels except for any one channel, i can pan that channel to the left and hear it a little more in the left side but even if i pan it fully to the left it still only appears very slightly to the left in the stereo image, not fully panned to the left(all left speaker output and none in the right speaker.) like it should be. if i pan it fully to the right, the stereo image does not change and i do not hear the channel to the right, it stays mono in the center. this seems to be an issue with the balanced output from the mixer going to the unbalanced input of the recorder but i am not sure. thanks
 
issue cont.

uhhh i forgot to add that even if i have all 8 channels working and panned full left and right, the signal still sounds centered with a little more signal to the left side from the channels panned to the left, but not full left like i should be getting. my other mixer with unbalanced outs works fine and panned full to the left or right gives an equivalent signal fully to the left or right.
 
Once again, the unbalanced versus the balanced is not your problem. Are you using the same amp for both mixers, if not it could be the amp? Maybe the mixer has problems, what make and model is it, is it integrated with a power amp or do you use an outboard one with it?
 
issue

alesis studio 32.. manual says that i can plug balanced or unbalanced to the output.. the mixer goes straight into a computer soundcard.. the same one i used with the other mixer (cheap boss mixer). this is a new mixer out of the box. I am not familiar with balanced cables and how they work either, if you could explain that would be great!
 
I have a 1604 VLZ, cant help with the alesis, you should have no problem with it, I would explore the manual a little more and you will probably find the problem, probably opereator error due to inex. with the mixer.
As for the balanced and unbalanced I will leave that to more enlightened minds, I am sure blue bear can help you there more than I can.
I hope any of this helps, and oh yea, welcome to the site, you WILL find the answers to your questions if you hang long enough.
 
issue

thanks guys, i look forward to learning a lot from helpful people like you.
 
If going back over the manual doesnt help and the problem persists maybe you should pose a question in the alesis forum.
 
hmmm...

you should have no problem at all connecting unbalanced cable from the main outs to inputs elsewhere.... are you trying to use TRS on one end and TS on the other (balanced connection on one end and unbalanced on the other?) If so, try just unbalanced at both ends...

to help further, you'd need to better describe the cables you're using and the connection-specifics of your gozintas and gozoutas a little more...

Bruce
 
What input are you using on your soundcard? What soundcard are you using? Is the recording software setup to record a stereo track?

Lot's of questions.

I will venture a guess here. You are probably using the Mic input into your soundcard. This will not work, and could explain your problem here. The mic input is mono.

If you are using the stereo input, and the input is a single mini plug connector, you need a cable that is TRS on the end that goes into the sound card, and dual RCA or 1/4" on the end that goes to your mixer.

You will have to instruct the recording software to use the Line Input of your soundcard, and make sure that you are Record Enabling a stereo track for this to work right.

Check all that out.

I will not rule out the possibility of the mixer having problems. It is not like Alesis has had a great track record recently with the quality of their gear. Things may not get any better with the proposed company who may buy them out.

Ed
 
mixer issue

i am using the "line in" connection to my turtle beach montego2 sound card. this card has been used with another mixer and it sounded fine with that one.

the cord is 1/8" stereo on the soundcard end and two 1/4 TS(mono)connectors on the mixer end.

i tried contacting alesis directly but of course they don't answer these days..

i don't know what to think. i can pan to the left somewhat but not fully but not to the right at all, but it's obviously in stereo output (unplug left output and I lose signal to that side, unplug right and it goes to true mono operation.

should i just return the mixer and go for a mackie or something else? i really like having 16 xlr inputs and really like that i don't have to repatch but i need something that i can trust..

thanks again guys.
 
issues

well a button broke on the mixer and i'm taking it back to the store.. gonna get a mackie 1604-pro vlz instead. i heard those are pretty good. any of you guys had issues with them?
 
It is the only nonpowered mixer I have ever owned and it has worked flawlessly since I bought it. There are some people here who are anti mackie and can give you there down side but I am not one of them.
 
mixer

i got the 1604 tonight and love it. thanks for all the help guys. i'll probably have some more questions soon!
 
Ah its a little late now, but I have a Studio 32 and have had no such issues. I was going to mention something basic - and this will hold true of your new Mackie too I think.

I assume you are aware there are several seperate mixes you can control including the Monitor mix. On the Studio 32 the monitor section has its own seperate panning. Now your headphones are switchable betweeen mains and monitors. However if you were somehow listening to both the main and monitor section at the same time, and panned only the mains, you would get a result exactly as you had described.


"Just poke blindly at the controls until they let you go...." - Homer Simpson
 
thanks man, i didn't think of that, but i'll keep that in mind with my mackie!
 
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