Which comes first: monitors or mixer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MrLip
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MrLip

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Right now this is basically my setup:

Cakewalk -> SBLive -> Technics Receiver -> crappy speakers.

A while back I asked about purchasing new equipment and some ppl suggested that I buy new monitors (passive) and power them with my Technics until I can afford to buy a better power amp. I was planning on doing that until I looked on the back of the Technics receiver and saw that it's rated at 8-16 ohms while the monitors I was going to buy are rated at 4.

This left me with 2 options. 1) Buy powered monitors. 2) Buy a new amp + monitors

I don't have a mixer.

All this time I've been going from my sblive line-out to one of the aux-ins on my receiver.

If I buy powered monitors or power amp + monitors, how do I connect my SBLive to them?? Will I need to buy a mixer too?

My income is low so I have to buy equipment one-thing-at-a-time. It won't be possible for me to buy monitors+mixer at the same time. It would take YEARS to save up that much money.

What should I do?
 
As usual: No straight answer!

Connecting 4 ohm speakers to 8 ohm amps may result in a loss of sound quality. It depends on the amp. I can't swear for the technics amps, but they usually are pretty good. So don't ditch that first alternative just yet.

I do think that for your setup good speakers are the most important. No, you don't need a mixer, just put the line outs of your soundblaster to line ins of the technics.

Buying one thing at a time is what most of us do, I guess. My hint is to always buy stuff that are better than all the other equipment you are going to use with it.
That way you can alway save money to upgrade the crappiest piece of equipment without having to switch all of the other things too.
 
How bad a loss of sound quality? Wouldn't it also be easy to overload (maybe overheat as well?) the amp?

If I were to buy powered monitors, how would I connect them to the rest of my equipment?

(BTW, I'm also thinking about eventually buying a mixer anyway since in the future I want to use sound modules or something of the sort)

Should I get the mixer first?
 
You'd feed them line level audio from your mixer or sound card. I don't think mis- matching the load on your amp would effect the sound too much but you would heat your amp. Hey, here's an idea. Buy two sets of monitors and wire each side in series! (Just kidding.)
 
It's always hard to tell but I don't think you should get the mixer first, since you don't have the outboard modules yet. And also, to really use an external mixer you would need more than two outputs on the computer, so you can put the external effects on just some of the recorded tracks.
 
for the love of god dont kill your amp by pushing those speakers with it. Its a nice amp. freindly. caring. needs no abuse.

xoxoxo
 
regebro is right on. You need a soundcard that has multiple outputs before you can use a mixer with your set up. I'd continue to se the cakewalk mixer and set up your monitoring correctly first. If you can deal with the 'virtual' mixer scenario for a while longer, then this is the way to go. Otherwise, your looking at both a soundcard and mixer expense ... and you'd still run the risk of frying your amp, which would need to be replaced any way. Mo' money. Get a decent amp/monitor combination first ... you won't regret it.
I would also seriously look into powered monitors. Too hook them up, you just take the line out of the soundcard directly to the input on the monitors.
 
If I go:

soundcard line-out -> powered monitors

how would I control volume? Without a mixer there would be no preamplification stage. Would I have to control it by the windows volume control? Or would I need an additional piece of hardware?

Controling volume with software seems kinda scary.

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by MrLip (edited 07-04-2000).]
 
Monitors before mixer!!! you've got a mixer in cakewalk - get a set of Event 20/20s and you'll never look back!!
Oh - the amp will cut it until you can afford a new one or buy a 4ohn resistor and put it in series for each speaker if the missmatch really bothers you.

[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-04-2000).]
 
definetly the monitors!!!! if you cant hear the signal clearly to start with then whats the point trying to create a sound that has effects that you cant really even tell what there doing .... But ive never monitored a session through a stereo or anything like that , so i can really say how bad it is .. I use a set of alesis monitor 1's and an Alesis RA100 amp, this setup works great .. but there not that cheap.. about $1600 for the setup (amp + speakers) which i spose is quite good when you look at powered monitors can cost you about that anyway ... I went for a seperate amp cos i like the versatility of being able to use it on other things , if i ever need to i mean ... Those 20/20 's ive heard are great though ... i think they were a little out of my price range at the time ... but i think the mixer can wait .... but as usual it comes to personal preference..so good luck , hope you make the right choice !!
Spider
 
Alright, so it seems it's time to go monitor shopping!

BUT

I'm still wondering how to control volume without a mixer. If I use powered monitors, if I am correct, they don't have volume controls. And even if I have a separate reference amplifier, most of those don't have volume controls either.

If I don't have a mixer how would I control volume?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MrLip:
Alright, so it seems it's time to go monitor shopping!

BUT

I'm still wondering how to control volume without a mixer. If I use powered monitors, if I am correct, they don't have volume controls. And even if I have a separate reference amplifier, most of those don't have volume controls either.

If I don't have a mixer how would I control volume?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Use the windows volume control if nothing else. With the Layla sound card came software for controling the volume, so that's what I use. I have powered monitors so I just feed line level sound into them. I wanted to do this because I know I won't have to worry about blowing them if I get too big of an amp :) it also just worked for what I already had in my set up.
 
Mrlip,
I would become more familiar with the mixer for the sb soundcard. You should be able to set midi and wave levels with it. I think that if you buy a set a powered monitors (whatever you can afford - my first set was about $40)patch em into your card and use the sb and cw mixer combination you should be on your way. Use another line out on the sound card to your reciever and run it independently.
 
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