Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
If my cable ends in a 1/8" mono jack and I connect a stereo adapter jack onto it, will my signal be converted to stereo?
N
NYMorningstar
Recording Modus Operandi
No. You can't convert a mono signal to a stereo signal. You can take a mono signal and use a Y cable to get it to play out of 2 channels but that would not be stereo. Multiple mono inputs can be processed with reverb and panning to get them to set in a simuilated stereo field but that is not true stereo. The only way to get a true stereo is to track in stereo.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
Is it common to record in stereo? What are the advantages? Does it mean the quality will be better?
I have a MIC200 (http://mixonline.com/news/audio_behringer_tube_ultragain/)
preamp that I have been told is a mono device. The preamp gives you options for input and output types. You can use XLR cables or you can use 1/4" cable. The manual says that I should never use the inputs simultaneously....but I can use the outputs at the same time.
Does this mean that the 1/4" output is the Left and the XLR is the Right? and I can use a Y splitter in order to send a stereo signal to my 1/8" soundcard line in?
That sounds kind of weird to me. It doesn't sound right.
I have heard that it is wrong to send a mono cable into my 1/8" stereo soundcard line in input.
So if my preamp device is mono, how would I get the signal into my soundcard properly?
I have a MIC200 (http://mixonline.com/news/audio_behringer_tube_ultragain/)
preamp that I have been told is a mono device. The preamp gives you options for input and output types. You can use XLR cables or you can use 1/4" cable. The manual says that I should never use the inputs simultaneously....but I can use the outputs at the same time.
Does this mean that the 1/4" output is the Left and the XLR is the Right? and I can use a Y splitter in order to send a stereo signal to my 1/8" soundcard line in?
That sounds kind of weird to me. It doesn't sound right.
I have heard that it is wrong to send a mono cable into my 1/8" stereo soundcard line in input.
So if my preamp device is mono, how would I get the signal into my soundcard properly?
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scrubs
Not of sound mind
Monkey Allen said:
Yes and no. Stereo miking refers specifically to recording using two closely matched microphones in a stereo configuration. Therefore multiple miking is not always stereo miking. Certain instruments, like drums, piano, acoustic guitar, etc. are frequently recorded this way. Some electronic instruments, such as keyboards, are also recorded in stereo because they contain stereo information. Most everything else is typically recorded in mono (vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar, etc.).
scrubs
Not of sound mind
Monkey Allen said:
Your preamp is mono. If you use a connector that has a mono 1/8" plug, the signal will go to the left channel of the soundcard. As long as you are recording to a mono track from the left channel, you should be o.k. The signal will playback equally in the left and right speakers. You can then pan things directionally at mixdown.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
Ok cool. From your point of view, could I use a Y splitter anywhere in the chain to get a stereo result? I have been getting advice elsewhere and I am being encouraged to use a Y splitter. But I don't see how I can use one on my set up. I doesn't make sense to me.
So it's not "quality suicide" to plug a mono 1/8" into my stereo line in? Like you say, it will just record to the left channel, and as long as I configure my software to receive Left/Mono, I will be ok?
So it's not "quality suicide" to plug a mono 1/8" into my stereo line in? Like you say, it will just record to the left channel, and as long as I configure my software to receive Left/Mono, I will be ok?
scrubs
Not of sound mind
Monkey Allen said:
Since your mic is mono and your preamp is mono, you CANNOT record in stereo. Period. Using a splitter makes no sense. There is nothing to split. It is a mono source and should be recorded as such. There should not be a problem with plugging the mono cable into a stereo jack. Just, as you said, configure everything to record from the left channel. Good luck.
Farview
Well-known member
Taking one signal and splitting it to two inputs will not give you stereo. It will give you dual mono. For stereo, you need two different signals. One for the left and one for the right. If you only have one signal, you can only have mono. If you mix a bunch of different mono signals together, panning them all to different places, now you have stereo.
apl
Stand Up Comity
You should consider getting a better soundcard. Any soundcard that uses 1/8" inputs is not adequate for musical recording.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
scrubs said:
Thankyou for this. It's what I have been trying to say all along. Makes perfect sense.
Also, I really would love to get a soundcard that has better than a 1/8" jack. Do they make PC soundcards with direct XLR inputs at all? Or is the best I could hope for a 1/4" that I can use as a 1/4" or with and xlr to 1/4 adapter.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
Do you guys rate those "live drive" soundcards where you can plug into a front panel that is wired to the soundcard in the pci slot?
Are they good for music recording if they have a 1'4" jack?
What soundcards should I be looking into for music recording?
Which is better - internal or external soundcards?
Are they good for music recording if they have a 1'4" jack?
What soundcards should I be looking into for music recording?
Which is better - internal or external soundcards?
S
Strryder
Member
Monkey Allen said:
Dude, I never tried to tell you that you could get a stereo result by using a "Y" splitter.
You keep asking, "whats the best way to plug my preamp into my soundcard?", and what I tried to explain to you is that it is not a good practice to use a mono plug into a stereo input jack, and that using a stereo to seperate left/right "Y" cable in the input of the soundcard would seperate the two inputs, you would only use ONE of them to record in mono.
I don't think it's that difficult to understand.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
So from my 1/8" stereo line in from my sound card, I would have a Y splitter that ends with a L and R....and then I would use, say, the L from that Y splitter to plug my preamp output into?
Is that correct?
You disagree with scrubs when he says there is really no problem with plugging a mono cable into a stereo jack?
If the first thing I said in this post is correct, then I understand now...finally.
Is that correct?
You disagree with scrubs when he says there is really no problem with plugging a mono cable into a stereo jack?
If the first thing I said in this post is correct, then I understand now...finally.
S
Strryder
Member
Yes.Monkey Allen said:
As I said in one of my earlier responses, using a mono plug into a stereo jack will cause the "hot" side of one of the stereo connectors to contact with the sleeve part of the mono plug, this will ground it first to it's own ground, right inside the stereo jack, and will also connect it to the ground on the preamp (or whatever) that's plugged into it, this can cause humming, hissing, crackling, noise to get into the audio signal that you're trying to record, it's certainly not a good way to hook up things for recording.Monkey Allen said:
Monkey Allen said:
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Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
Hahaha!!! Finally I understand!!
I'll be down the shop to get a Y splitter so that I can happily feed a mono through one of it's 2 splits into my 1/8" stereo input.
Good stuff, thanks for the help. I was a very slow learner wasn't I?!
I'll be down the shop to get a Y splitter so that I can happily feed a mono through one of it's 2 splits into my 1/8" stereo input.
Good stuff, thanks for the help. I was a very slow learner wasn't I?!
N
NYMorningstar
Recording Modus Operandi
I think you should shy away from Creative soundcards for recording pretty much and try looking at a Delta 1010 or other M-audio soundcards.Monkey Allen said:
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
OK thanks. I'll look into it.
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