mixer monitoring question

[bishop55]

HI,
Thanks largely to this community, I have recently expanded my setup to include a ramsa 8112 mixer. I was wondering how to monitor from a delta 1010's stereo output to this mixer's inputs and then to a pair of studio monitiors. I see that connections are provided that are sub mon/eff inputs and sub mon inputs. Do I tap into these, or do I need to lose two tracks of the mixer to returns from the 1010?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[dgatwood]

I don't know that particular mixer, but a typical configuration is to patch the board in through inserts (often marked "channel access"). These often have a 1/4 TRS in which one of the contacts is output, the other is input.

Essentially, it then gets patched into the middle of the channel, probably immediately pre- or post-fader, depending on the board and how you have it configured. Audio coming in from the mixer's inputs then come into the sound card inputs, and outputs from the sound card then get dumped back out through the channel, going into the channel immediately after the insert.

If you don't have any inserts, you may be able to pull off the same deal with effects sends/returns, foldback outputs and extra inputs, whatever. There are lots of ways to do this, depending largely on the board.

[ Edit: after re-reading your post, I'm thinking the correct answer is "yes". As in "yes, an effects send/return would probably do the job, assuming you set the send/return levels correctly." I think. ]

 

[Middleman]

IMHO, I prefer to monitor directly from the soundcard. This is because most low end analog boards are going to have a negative impact on the sound coming through your monitors. This can come in the form of noise, EQ filters etc.

Coming off the soundcard you will have your purest sound. You will also have software volume control which can be disasterous if you've ever hit a website that has auto play music. You will come right out of your chair. You really have to have a quick key mute capability to deal with this.

If you have the cash, a Mackie Big Knob is slightly better than your mixer. A Presonus Central Station is an even better solution and is a fairly neutral external volume control knob which can feed off your soundcard and give you analog control of monitors.

Keep the mixer for sound input only.