New Gear, ok, now how do I route this?

[Halion]

I need some help. Today I got my new preamp (DMP3) and headphone amp (ART HeadAmp V) in the mail. Great service from Thomann!

Now I thought I had it figured out but turns out I don't. First here's a list of my gear and how it's currently routed:

Mic balanced XLR out -> balanced XLR preamp input
balanced XLR preamp output -> terratec EWX 24/96 unbalanced cinch input (I'm currently using a home-made XLR to cinch cable with the hot and cold wired together. This works fine).
terratec cinch output -> edirol MA-10A monitors cinch input. These monitors have one headphone output aswell, which I've used until now.

With this setup (without the new gear) I have two problems:
1) Only one headphone out, not enough.
2) Since a mono source will only be using the left channel hardware monitoring only outputs that source to the right output, so for instance the singer will only hear his/her voice in his left ear. Software monitoring would fix this but is not latency free.

I got the headamp to be able to connect multiple headphones and to fix the left ear only problem. However, how and where in my chain do I connect it? It has 1/4" jack inputs, cinch inputs and 1/4" inserts on each channel. Basicly my problem now is that I only have 2 outputs from my soundcard, going either to the headamp or to the speaker.

Still with me? I could make a small switch box that will switch the output signal to either the headphones or the monitors, but I'd rather do it without having to build something. Any ideas?

 

[scarboro78]

I personally use a small mixer, and use the headphone outs as well as the stereo outs (left and right) as headphone outs. Then again my soundcard has 2 sets of stereo outputs, so I never have to switch anything. Maybe you can use a mixer in the same fashion however if you only have one output. You would route the stereo outs to your monitors, and the headphone out to your headphone pre. Just my 2 cents..

 

[Halion]

Thing is, if I route the headphone output of my monitors to the headamp, the speakers are muted. I don't want that. Plus I want to be able to change my monitors at some point and still not be in trouble routing wise.

The mixer thing is smart, but I'm not spending any money on more stuff right now.

 

[mshilarious]

Split the output from the card using a splitter cable. It shouldn't have any trouble driving both. However that doesn't give you independent control over the monitors. Or you could try something slightly crazier, and use a headphone out to the monitors Or maybe an insert, not sure how those are set up.

Your XLR cable troubles me a little. If you wire hot to cold, that should cancel the signal. Perhaps you actually wired cold to ground? Well, if it works, anyway

 

[Halion]

Yeah I probably wired cold to ground. It's been a while, I don't remember, you're probably right.

I'll be making the switch box. I got an empty box already. I just have to get a switch and some plugs now.