My amp is only playing in mono, please help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clapperz
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Clapperz

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Hey!

I recently conected an Alesis Ra150 amp to my pc to power some Tannoy Reveal X monitors.
i noticed some parts of songs missing, i.e anything that was panned to the right side.

So i opened Cool edit pro and just played the right channel of the stereo image and it wasnt playing. So im only getting the left channel of all my songs.

Its connected to the pc via a 1/8" jack cable from the pc to the amp and has a 1/4" jack adapter going into the amp. The cable is a stereo cable.
The switch on the amp is to stereo not bridged mono.

Does anyone know why this is happening ?
 
Maybe you only think you're using stereo cables... sounds like a wiring issue -- re-check all your cables/adaptors - you definitely did something wrong.
 
hey thanks for the quick reply.

Its definately a stereo cable, it has the two black rings on the jack.
Although if i push the 1/4" jack fully into the amp, then loads of frequencies get cut out, and i can just hear mainly vocals. So i have to pull the cable out one click, then its playing in mono.

Its getting so frustrating. I've been over the wiring so much.
 
This is the back of the amp

picture

I just changed the cable. So now im using the phono inputs to the amp. One plugs in on each channel. So i now have to control the volume for both channels.
If i set the volumes of each channel to the same level, then again it filters out alot of frequencies. If i have them different levels its pretty much mono again. This is really frustrating!

can someone please look at the picture, then tell me the way you would set it up. I know its really basic and simple, but something is not right.

Thanks for any help!
 
How are you going from 1/8" stereo from your PC to 2 channels of 1/4" mono (for left and right)? You must be using some sort of Y connector.... if so, the Y connector may not be keeping the 2 channels separate....
 
Bear is right, it looks like you need to be running from a stereo 1/8" plug on the PC end to dual TS mono cables on the amp. The reason you're only getting the left channel is because you're trying to plug a stereo TRS 1/4" plug into a mono jack on the amp.

What it looks like you need instead is to split the stereo signal into L&R mono signals. The left channel lead would go into the Channel1 input on the right side of the picture (the white side), and the right channel lead would go into the Channel2 Input jack on the other side of the amp (the red side.)

G.
 
no im not. I'm goin 1/8" from the pc, which splits into phono cable. But each channel has 1 phono input only. So i plug the red one into channel 2, and the white one (although its black on my cable) into channel 1.
 
Clapperz said:
no im not. I'm goin 1/8" from the pc, which splits into phono cable. But each channel has 1 phono input only. So i plug the red one into channel 2, and the white one (although its black on my cable) into channel 1.
Click to expand...
Well, I'm all confused as to wht kind of cabling you're using then. Because that is in direct conflict with your previous post where you said:
Clapperz said:
Although if i push the 1/4" jack fully into the amp, then loads of frequencies get cut out, and i can just hear mainly vocals. So i have to pull the cable out one click, then its playing in mono.
Click to expand...
That tells me that your 1/4' plugs (which are 1/4", not [RCA]phono) are TRS stereo plugs and not TS mono plugs.

Hmmm...is it perhaps that you have a cable that goes from the 1/8" stereo on the PC side to dual RCA mono plugs...and THEN you are putting adapters on the end to convert the RCA to 1/4"? If so, then the problem may be that you are using stereo 1/4" adapters.

If I still don't have it right, perhaps what you need is to post a picture of your cable/connectors as well.

G.
 
haha right ok. I'm sorry for all the confusion. I thought i had mentioned that i changed the cables from my frst post. But here are pictures of how i have it setup..

Channel 1

Channel 2

Speakers

Pc out

This is the new configuration. Before i just used channel 2, which i had the jack going into the 1/4" jack input.
Thanks for your time!
 
You have both the speakers hooked up to the positive leads of both channels. Hook one speaker up to the pos and neg of channel 1 the other speaker to the pos and neg of channel 2.

If you were running in bridged mono, this is how you would hook it up. Since you are trying to hear stereo, you need to keep the path to the soeakers separated.
 
Oh dear. I feel like such a pillock. Haha that was so obvious too.
Im really grateful man! haha, i cant believe i was so dumb.

Thanks alot! :rolleyes:
 
The hint was right above where you hooked the wires, it says mono.
 
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