Mixing with my computer headphone port-->mixer-->monitors?

  • Thread starter Thread starter elenore19
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elenore19

elenore19

Slowing becoming un-noob.
Would this make the sound quality worse? or is it any way just a general bad idea?

Thanks.


-Elliot
 
You wouldnt want to mix using your headphone port. Unless you really don't have any other choice, be best to get you a sound card.
 
I think maybe he might just be using the mixer in this case as a preamp to have line level outs to plug his monitors into.

In this case, elenore, your sound card should have a stereo speaker out (the green jack on PC sound cards). You can use that just fine. You'll be limited to the sound quality of the sound card, but within that limitation it'll work OK. If you already have your computer speakers plugged into that and you want to leave those plugged in, you can get a stereo splitter plug (basically a little stereo Y plug) that will let you use both simultaneously. On the side going to the mixer, you'll need an additional adapter that will change that 1/8" stereo jack to L/R RCA or 1/4" jacks (depending upon where you're going on the mixer.)

Note, though, that because this will be an unbalaced line running from your computer to your mixer, wit will be subject to possible electrical or RF noise from things like transformers and CRT monitors. If you have a noisly line, try running it away from such noise sources, and perpendicular to and not parallel to AC power cords where possible to minimize such noise.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
I think maybe he might just be using the mixer in this case as a preamp to have line level outs to plug his monitors into.

In this case, elenore, your sound card should have a stereo speaker out (the green jack on PC sound cards). You can use that just fine. You'll be limited to the sound quality of the sound card, but within that limitation it'll work OK. If you already have your computer speakers plugged into that and you want to leave those plugged in, you can get a stereo splitter plug (basically a little stereo Y plug) that will let you use both simultaneously. On the side going to the mixer, you'll need an additional adapter that will change that 1/8" stereo jack to L/R RCA or 1/4" jacks (depending upon where you're going on the mixer.)

Note, though, that because this will be an unbalaced line running from your computer to your mixer, wit will be subject to possible electrical or RF noise from things like transformers and CRT monitors. If you have a noisly line, try running it away from such noise sources, and perpendicular to and not parallel to AC power cords where possible to minimize such noise.

G.
Click to expand...

I'm using a laptop, so I can't upgrade the soundcard.
Also I'd go into the mixer through the rca inputs. the red and white ones. I'm using a short little 3 foot adapter cable to do it.
I'm using the mixer to control the volumes on my monitors.
 
elenore19 said:
I'm using a laptop, so I can't upgrade the soundcard.
Also I'd go into the mixer through the rca inputs. the red and white ones. I'm using a short little 3 foot adapter cable to do it.
I'm using the mixer to control the volumes on my monitors.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I thought of that after I asked the stupid question. :o
 
elenore19 said:
I'm using a laptop, so I can't upgrade the soundcard.
Also I'd go into the mixer through the rca inputs. the red and white ones. I'm using a short little 3 foot adapter cable to do it.
I'm using the mixer to control the volumes on my monitors.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's fine. That's exactly how I wire up my portable DJ system. Green out of the laptop to an adapter cable that has the stereo mini plug on one end and the RCA plugs on the other, with the plugs going into the Tape In jacks on the mixer.

No the sound quality won't be that of a top-grade studio - I wouldn't recommend mastering a commercial-bound CD on it - but for home recording mixing on the laptop it'll do just fine.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Yeah, that's fine. That's exactly how I wire up my portable DJ system. Green out of the laptop to an adapter cable that has the stereo mini plug on one end and the RCA plugs on the other, with the plugs going into the Tape In jacks on the mixer.

No the sound quality won't be that of a top-grade studio - I wouldn't recommend mastering a commercial-bound CD on it - but for home recording mixing on the laptop it'll do just fine.

G.
Click to expand...
All of my recent mixes have been on laptop, and they don't sound too horrid. I don't have monitors, though... :o

I mix in cans.

I know, I know...
 
You might want to look into getting either a usb interface, or if you have firewire something to the effects of the mbox, tascam 428 (if they still make them) if you want a mixer with faders or the tascam 122 , that way it is something that takes the place of a soundcard and will give you a better quality sound when mixing. I use a laptop but I use the Mbox
 
Rokket said:
All of my recent mixes have been on laptop, and they don't sound too horrid. I don't have monitors, though... :o
Click to expand...
Yep. Sure, the DACs on laptop soundcards are not meant for real fine-grain monitoring, but there's no reason one can't make decent home mixes using the output of such a sound card to monitor. I've done it plenty in the past, and so have a hundred people I know. Well, now let's make that a hundred and one :D.

G.
 
Not denying that cause I started out like that and I had some pretty good mixes, those mixes actually got me a job at a studio. They were blown away I could mix like that with what I had. But what I was saying was if you had a little money to spend I would go with a interface.
 
Personally, I never got into the interface thing. When I started doing this as a full-blown hobby, there were too many issues with them, and a steep learning curve. I went the easy route and got the Fostex MR-8. Of course, I blew that up a week ago, so now I am thinking of going for either the Tascam DP02 or 2488. Probably get the DP02 because I don't really need all the bells and whistles on the 2488. But it would be nice to have 12 mono tracks and 12 stereo tracks to play around with. Most of my tunes are averaging 17-20 tracks anyhow.

Plus, I use Reaper on my laptop and pc to mix.
 
RD423 said:
Not denying that cause I started out like that and I had some pretty good mixes, those mixes actually got me a job at a studio. They were blown away I could mix like that with what I had. But what I was saying was if you had a little money to spend I would go with a interface.
Click to expand...
I agree completly for several reasons. I just wanted to confirm to him that using the card for monitor out, while not ideal, is certainly doable.

G.
 
RD423 said:
Not denying that cause I started out like that and I had some pretty good mixes, those mixes actually got me a job at a studio. They were blown away I could mix like that with what I had. But what I was saying was if you had a little money to spend I would go with a interface.
Click to expand...
So I take it that even though you are not recording with it, getting an interface to replace the stock soundcard for mixing with monitors is the way to go? It's funny that all I have ever used were headphones to mix because I have never owned a real set of monitors, and when I used computer speakers (Bose Companion II ) I didn't like the bass response so I went back to cans. I never even thought that there was actually something more that I would need in between the monitors and the computer.
I gotta give the OP some rep for opening my eyes... :o
 
Rokket said:
So I take it that even though you are not recording with it, getting an interface to replace the stock soundcard for mixing with monitors is the way to go? It's funny that all I have ever used were headphones to mix because I have never owned a real set of monitors, and when I used computer speakers (Bose Companion II ) I didn't like the bass response so I went back to cans. I never even thought that there was actually something more that I would need in between the monitors and the computer.
I gotta give the OP some rep for opening my eyes... :o
Click to expand...
Actually, I take some of that back. I figured there had to be something in there, but I was thinking more along the lines of an amplifier because most of the monitors that I had seen needed an amp to drive them.
 
RD423 said:
You might want to look into getting either a usb interface, or if you have firewire something to the effects of the mbox, tascam 428 (if they still make them) if you want a mixer with faders or the tascam 122 , that way it is something that takes the place of a soundcard and will give you a better quality sound when mixing. I use a laptop but I use the Mbox
Click to expand...

Here's the dilemma.

I have an Alesis Firewire mixer. Works great on my Macbook Pro. But the program that I want to mix with I only have for windows. I have bootcamp and everything so I have XP on the same computer. But the mixer doesn't work with the XP side of my computer. I've called alesis and apparently it's a problem that shouldn't happen and they want me to send it in. Not worth it for me.

So there you have it.

I'll definitely try out this setup since you guys seem to think it will be alright.
 
elenore19 said:
Here's the dilemma.

I have an Alesis Firewire mixer. Works great on my Macbook Pro. But the program that I want to mix with I only have for windows. I have bootcamp and everything so I have XP on the same computer. But the mixer doesn't work with the XP side of my computer. I've called alesis and apparently it's a problem that shouldn't happen and they want me to send it in. Not worth it for me.

So there you have it.

I'll definitely try out this setup since you guys seem to think it will be alright.
Click to expand...
Did the firewire come with a CD? Perhaps it's just a matter of installing the drivers?
 
Rokket said:
Did the firewire come with a CD? Perhaps it's just a matter of installing the drivers?
Click to expand...

ha, now c'mon. I'm not an idiot, haha.

I've tried everything. I've made sure all the drivers were uninstalled, and everything that remotely had to do with the mixer was off of the computer. Then I installed all the drivers and updates and what not. And it just didn't work. It was a weird thing. I spent a good 2 hours talking with Alesis about it. Couldn't figure it out. I even tried installing the original drivers, then updating them. And then I tried installing the new drivers right away (instead of old then update). Still no luck. So yeah, I've tried everything, believe me.
 
Rokket said:
, but I was thinking more along the lines of an amplifier because most of the monitors that I had seen needed an amp to drive them.
Click to expand...

They do have self powered monitors which doesn't need an amp to power them, you can get like 6" monitors that are self powered from musicians friend for like $89 if not cheaper. And of course they are just like everything else different brands different prices.
 
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