Help with setting up monitors

leftaslide · #1 03-02-2011, 07:20 AM

Ok, I found a Harbinger 12" powered speaker for pretty cheap and bought it to use as a monitor. When I tried it out last night, it sounded like crap when fed from the mixer (through the aux outputs). But when I plug my mic directly into it, it sounds great. So I'm losing something somewhere along the way. Our mixer is a Behringer ub2442fx. By no means am I well versed in mixers and setup, but I thought it was as easy as plugging your speaker into the aux outputs and voila! - monitors. Also, I'm using 14 guage speaker cord. Any help, advice? Thanks!

**nutdog** · #2 03-02-2011, 07:31 AM

What do you mean by crap?

SteveC · #3 03-02-2011, 07:36 AM

How's the Gain set?
Looks like Aux 1 and 2 can be set either pre or post. Make sure you are Pre.

leftaslide · #4 03-02-2011, 10:12 AM

When I say crap, I mean it sounds kinda like the horn is blown. Just a distorted sound.

modulusman · #5 03-02-2011, 10:23 AM

[quote=leftaslide;10527494]Ok, I found a Harbinger 12" powered speaker for pretty cheap and bought it to use as a monitor. When I tried it out last night, it sounded like crap when fed from the mixer (through the aux outputs). But when I plug my mic directly into it, it sounds great. So I'm losing something somewhere along the way. Our mixer is a Behringer ub2442fx. By no means am I well versed in mixers and setup, but I thought it was as easy as plugging your speaker into the aux outputs and voila! - monitors. Also, I'm using 14 guage speaker cord. Any help, advice? Thanks![/QUOTE]

Do not use speaker cord.

Use a balanced shielded cable like this. http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com...331065.product

Mr. Pickles · #6 03-02-2011, 10:26 AM

Beat me to it. I assume the aux. out is balanced 1/4"? If so, connect a balanced quarter inch audio cable to the mixer's aux out and connect the other end into the speaker's input. If the speaker has an XLR input, then you will need a balanced TRS to XLR Male cable.

[quote=modulusman;10528456]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftaslide

Ok, I found a Harbinger 12" powered speaker for pretty cheap and bought it to use as a monitor. When I tried it out last night, it sounded like crap when fed from the mixer (through the aux outputs). But when I plug my mic directly into it, it sounds great. So I'm losing something somewhere along the way. Our mixer is a Behringer ub2442fx. By no means am I well versed in mixers and setup, but I thought it was as easy as plugging your speaker into the aux outputs and voila! - monitors. Also, I'm using 14 guage speaker cord. Any help, advice? Thanks![/QUOTE]

Do not use speaker cord.

Use a balanced shielded cable like this. http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com...331065.product

leftaslide · #7 03-02-2011, 01:04 PM

Thanks guys...gonna pick one up now.

steveksux · #8 03-02-2011, 10:15 PM

There should be an attenuator on the powered speaker input. If it sounds great with just a mic, its set way too sensitive to handle a line level output from a mixer.

Randy

**nutdog** · #9 03-03-2011, 04:41 PM

Turns out the OP and I know each other. I stated this in a PM with him:

Quote:

It's weird, we use a speaker cable to run from the aux out to the monitors. But the monitors have a switch to change from mic input to line input. I wonder if you went into the line input with the speaker cable if it would work. You might need an adapter.

The proper cable would be best, but I'm wondering if the cable itself is the problem or if it's the signal level/wrong input.

lowfreq33 · #10 03-03-2011, 05:05 PM

Need to go into the line input.

walterw · #11 03-03-2011, 07:54 PM

speaker cables go between power amp outputs and passive speakers, period.

the OP needs a regular unbalanced signal cable ("guitar cable"), to use the line in, not the mic in, and to back off the gains until he's not clipping the input of the powered speaker's amp.

leftaslide · #12 03-07-2011, 09:02 PM

Yeah, the aux output is 1/4, and I have both 1/4 and xlr inputs on the powered speaker. My xlr to trs cable came in today, will try them out tomorrow night. Hopefully this works.