weird cable issue

[doktorfaustus77]

Hello,

I have a bizarre cable issue. I am running a regular guitar cable w a 1/8" adaptor to connect to the ultra cheezy soundmax card. For some reason that is totally beyond me, I only get sound from one speaker. To make it stranger if I partially disconnect the cable and adaptor, so it is only loosely connected, I get sound from both speakers! In other words I can't make a complete connection, so I am recording with the cables precariously dangling about. The 1/8" adaptor is totally connected to the computer, the 1/4" one is loosely connected to that. I run the same type of 1/8" to 1/4" adaptor to connect to my stereo for sound, and there are no problems. I have switched them, cursed them and done what I could. The problem remains evasive. Does anyone know what the heck this is?

Best Regards,

Andrew Fletcher

 

[Necrothing]

I've come across this problem before, and for me it was due to a faulty 1/8" adaptor, but since you've swapped them around and tested them it may be down to a dodgy input on your soundcard. I usually use the Sherlock Holmes method when something like this pops up. "Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth."

 

[radiorickm]

one step at a time

ok, lets go look at this one step at a time.

first off, what are you running from? Are you running a mono sourse or stereo sourse into a mono or stereo input

A regular guitar cable with a 1/4" TS plug is a MONO signal to begin with.

the MIC input on your sound card is a MONO input, although it uses a TRS connector. The ring supplies control voltage to the condenser mic.

The LINE connector is a STEREO TRS plug. If you insert a MONO TS plug into the jack, it will only touch one of the two (the tip) contacts, putting audio into one side of the input.

If you insert it part-ways, the tip of the plug will touch both contacts in the jack, and send audio into both channels (by the way, we do this all the time on insert jacks on mixing consoles)

i guess we need a little more info here to answer definitively, but i would say you're trying to feed a stereo sourse thru a mono cord into a stereo input.

 

[doktorfaustus77]

May be on the right track now

THANKS TO THE BOTH OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

-first off, what are you running from? Are you running a mono sourse or stereo sourse into a mono or stereo input.

I AM RUNNING THE GUITAR CABLE FROM THE LEFT/MONO OUTPUT OF EITHER A SYNTH, SAMPLER, DRUM MACHINE, GUITAR, BASS.

-the MIC input on your sound card is a MONO input,The LINE connector is a STEREO TRS plug

I AM RUNNING IT IN THE LINE INPUT

-i would say you're trying to feed a stereo sourse thru a mono cord into a stereo input.

I THINK I AM MAYBE SENDING A MONO SIGNAL, THROUGH A MONO CORD, AND SOMEWHERE AFTER LAY MY PROBLEM? THOUGH I WOULD PREFER TO RECORD IN STEREO, AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST HEAR FROM BOTH SPEAKERS, WITHOUT THE CRAZED WIRING SET UP. IF I RAN TO RADIO SHACK, OR A MUSIC STORE WHAT SHOULD I BUY THAT WILL WORK? MAYBE I JUST NEED THE RIGHT CONNECTOR? I SIMPLY THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL THE SAME. HOW WOULD YOU RUN A STEREO SIGNAL INTO THE LINE IN? MOST OF MY EQUIPMENT BESIDES< GUITAR AND BASS, HAVE STEREO OUTPUTS. IT WOULD BE NICE TO USE THEM.

 

[Thorguitarist]

might be the card...it may only support a mono input... I'm glad Radiorickm brought up the point that the cable is mono..thats one of the basics when starting to record i guess.

 

[radiorickm]

depends....(not the diaper.......)

You can record the STEREO sources very easily.

your synth or what ever probably has (2) 1/4 output jacks. [left mono, and right] Just take two 1/4 plugs (regular guitar cords) and plug into them. on the other end, you need a "y" cord, which has (2) 1/4 jacks(mono t/s) to one stereo trs plug (this is also refered to as in "insert" cord). Then you can adapt the 1/4 trs to a 1/8 trs (the stereo headphone adapter). That should get you stereo into the card.

somewhere in your software settings you should have the ability to choose whether you are recording a mono or stereo sourse.

this should also help with your problem

 

[doktorfaustus77]

I think my soundcard is at fault

Hey, once again your help is greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, I still get sound out of one speaker when I push the plug all the way in. I think that maybe my soundcard is just screwed up. It is kind loose and require jiggling to connect successfully. This also happens with the speaker jack. The upside is that I can use it halfway out.
I bought a adaptor to record my sampler in stereo. I ran two guitar cables into an adaptor that recieves them and has the 1/8" stereo hookup I needed. Now the right speaker is in stereo, but when I plug the left in it reverts to mono! It's really starting to annoy me at this point. I have tried every combination with no luck. I can't even get sound out of both speakers hooking up a guitar, mono guitar cable to 1/8" stereo adaptor to the line in, sound from one speaker unless pulled out slightly. I tried it with a 1/8" mono adaptor and that didn't work either. My impression is that all of your advice should have worked, but the card is just messed up internally or something. They don't seem very durable. It seems to defy logic that none of my combinations worked. I may just buy one of those Tascam US-122 USB interfaces. Are they any good? Thanks!