Wave/496

  • Thread starter Thread starter SOWM
  • Start date Start date
S

SOWM

New member
Just installed a Gadget Labs Wave/496 soundcard, but can't figure out how to use it. Very little info in User's Manual.

First, how do I connect it to my computer speakers? It has four 1/4 inch output jacks. Do I need an adapter to plug in my speakers' stereo mini-DIN jack or what?

Also, since it has four inputs, I thought each input would correspond to a recording channel in Cakewalk, but this seems not to be the case.

Am I not getting the concept here or what? Any help, advice, etc. appreciated.

-- Ron C.
 
If you have speakers with a 1/8" mini plug, then you can get an adapter to go from that to the 1/4". Walmart, Radio Shack, or your pick of the cheap parts places should carry those. In Cakewalk you should be able to select which input on the 496 you are recording from... the inputs should all be assignable to any track in Cakewalk, which makes it much more flexible than having them correspond one to one. I don't use Cakewalk, so maybe someone else can give you specifics on how to do that in Cakewalk. If not, then read the Cakewalk help on how to assign an input from a soundcard to a track. You might have to go into the Multimedia control panel and pick the soundcard you are using, then the 496 I/O will become available in Cakewalk. I'd also recommend getting some studio monitors if you are using regular computer speakers to monitor with.

Good luck.
 
Thanks, Jon. Will grab an adapter at Radio Shack - though, now that I think about it, don't really understand why anyone would want 4 outputs in the first place. You're never gonna want more than stereo output, right?

As for channel matchining with Cakewalk: all I can get is a choice between channel 1&2 and channel 3&4. Can't seem to access the input channels separately. Maybe I'll try contacting the people at Gadget Labs.
-- Ron C.
 
For those channel selects, just assign the track to channel 1&2, then pan one track to the far left and one track to the far right to separate the channels into the tracks. To get channel one by itself just assign the track to channel 1&2 and then pan to the extreme left. Lots of systems work that way if they don't separate out the individual channels.

As for the extra outputs, you can run those to external effects or whatever and bring the signal back into another input and still have two outputs going to monitors. You can also connect the outputs to separate monitors if you have a few sets and easily swith between them in software to get a better idea of how your mix sounds on different speakers.
 
OK! Now that makes sense. Lots of good info in your post, Jon, thanks so much!
-- Ron
 
I was about to get a 496 until they stopped shipping them, so instead I got a Delta 44 (4 ins and 4 outs) For another spin on using multiple outs, I have mine set up like this...
In 1/2 - 2 channels of my Great River pre (for microphones)
In 3/4 my two keyboards

Out 1/2 - Goes into a stereo sub input on my "board" (actually my old Yamaha MD4S minidisc portastudio). I always have my software set to output the stereo mix out to 1/2. When I want to monitor while mixing, I just turn up the sub input on my board to send it to my Monitor speakers. I also use this to listen to CDs!

Out 3/4 - goes to 2 channels on my board. I use this for monitoring during tracking. If I'm tracking from In 1/2, I assign these inputs directly to Out 3/4 (or if I'm tracking from 3/4...) That way while I'm recording, I can tweak my headphone mix by adding some reverb and some panning to my liking, but still recording dry to the PC.

I now kind of wish I had 6 or even ten inputs!

Good luck!

-Evan
 
you will need some kind of mixer

If you plan to record on all four inputs at once, you will need a mixer to take advantage of the four outs. When the output monitoring is active in the Wavepro control panel, the singal going into input 1 comes out of output one (ect. and so forth) and also to the soundcard. You can not monitor inputs 3+4 if you only have outs running from 1+2. In playback, you can assign the singnal to go out of any of the inputs (usually 1+2 or 3+4)through your software. Do you have a mixer? You can work around the limitation of not having seperate monitor outs on the 496, it just depends on your equipment. If you have to facilitate monitoring on all four outputs and you don't have a mixer, I suppose you could get a slew of adaptors to go from four mono to two stereo two one stereo miniplug... this is not ideal as you will have no control over volume of the individual signals during monitoring.

I have a 496, I use it with a Mackie 1402. Doing overdubs, I usually assign playback to channels 3+4, and run those outs to a stereo chanel on the Mackie, and record using inputs one and two, which I monitor into two seperate mono channels on the Mackie. If I am using three or four inputs, I am usually just putting down basic tracks and do not have to monitor playback. It would be great if the 496 had seperate monitor outs but, it dosen't. It's a great card however, sounds fantastic.

-jhe
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top