Signal not coming out very well

  • Thread starter Thread starter RideTheCrash
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RideTheCrash

RideTheCrash

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Situation: I'm running a bass directly into a channel in my board through the LINE IN. I then have a snake where a cable runs from the PRE OUT into an input on my Delta 1010lt. crankz1 might remember the situation a while ago where I was trying to find out whether I could use my PRE OUTS as direct outs.

Well they work fine for microphones from what I've tried, but a bass is a different story. I can plug the cable into the PRE OUT all the way for a mic and still get a signal, but with the bass it becomes a tad quieter, but still audible. Either way, my software simply will not record a bass track, just silence. But if I normalize the blank track I bring up all the floor noise or all that sort of junk and a small signal...so a signal is making it to the computer, but it's so low it doesn't even show up as a waveform unless I normalize heavy.

Probably just has to do with my board and it cancels the PRE OUT signal when something is plugged into LINE IN, but c'mon...any ideas on how to fix this?! It's annoying the hell out of me. Thanks.
 
You need a pre amp

Bring the signal up BEFORE it goes into the board. Your other choice is to paly the bass through your amp, and mic that.

I prefer not to do DI recording, I mic my bass cabs.
 
crash. you cant just plug a bass into line input.
you have whats called an IMPEDENCE MISMATCH.
you need a bass DI BOX....OR...look around for a used bass rockman.
more than a few heavy selling songs were done with these in conjunction with micing a bass cab.
 
I know mic'ing is an option, but at the moment I'd currently like to go direct. I never had a problem just plugging it in before....the only difference is now I'm running directly out of the channel strip, whereas before it would come directly out of the mains. I thought I didn't need a direct box? Oh well, I guess I'll start looking for one *sighs as it's more money to spend*. Thanks for the help though...uh, any other suggestions are more than welcome.
 
crash. if you think i'm lying ...phone up a senior engr in a big studio.
and they will say the same thing i'm saying, after chuckling a little bit.
heres the tek details. basses (and guitars) like to "look into"
a high impedence. which is why on guitar amp schematics one sees a 1 megaohm resistor to ground. a mixer line input is not suitable as the impedence is not high enough on the input.
you can actually build a direct box very cheap using a 2n3819 fet.
look on the net for "fet guitar cable schematic". but dont attempt it unless you have electronics training. 2n3819 fets are ten for a few bucks. peace.
 
Ride what mixer are you using? I can run a bass directly into a channel and use the mic pre to bring it up to line lvl without a hitch. Try going through a mic input.
 
I don't doubt you manning, trust me. I just always read stuff like 'you can either mic it, plug it in direct or use a direct box, etc etc'. I just tried recording a voice and again, it records a weak signal. Sounds okay if I normalize it...but I'd like to have a good strong signal coming in. The bass is fine plugged in the board, it comes out nice and loud -- it's just a matter of hooking the cable up to the PRE OUT and sending it to my card -- the software isn't picking up the signal well...but it's not a software setting or anything. The board is an old Audiopro 16-S, Yorkville made them in the 80s I think.

Sum it up: Maybe I do need a direct box, but I know I can record a strong signal out using the main outs, and I get a strong signal on my VU meters, but I can't record a strong signal from the PRE OUT on that channel.
 
line in?

Unless your bass has an active preamp your not going to get enough signal to get any sort of level and even then the results would be unsatisfactory. Line in's on your mixer are used for line level gear such as keys and sound modules. You need a preamp of some sort. For example you could buy a Bass Pod and run it into your line in. You can as suggested simply use a mic pre and be done with it although I don't recommend it as manning is correct about the mismatch. Also using your pre outs would only be applicable if you were plugged into a mic pre, not a line in. A mic pre offers a huge amount of gain to bring microphones to level. The line in's gain structure is only really capable of making small adjustments so that you can fine tune your line level instrument.
 
Does using a mic work on that channel? You said in the first post that it works fine with mics, but you said later that it doesn't work for voice. Check the cable going to the computer. Try a different channel. You are turning up the trim (gain) level? Try an aux send if you are getting good signal down the channel strip. It could be that you preamp out jack went bad on that channel. It sounds like you are doing everything right, something must be broken.
The impedance mismatch will make the signal thin and weak, but not bring it down anywhere near the noise floor. Try all the channels on the board, the preamp might be shot on that one.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the replies, and I'm sort of not knowing what to do. The bit on the pre outs not being applicable to line ins actually does make some sense and maybe that is my answer. I know one channel on my board is a bit weaker, but I doubt it's a cable or anything. The cables are an 8 cable snake.

I think in my situation maybe the best thing to do would be (since bass is most likely the only thing I'll record direct, unless I get that Wurlitzer combo organ in) would be to buy a direct box or something, and bypass the mixer completely? Anyone have any suggestions on what is good...and not too expensive?
 
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