Mixer issues, help please!

calgone47 · #1 01-10-2010, 11:45 AM

Basically what I want to be able to do, is listen to an audio source (ipod, laptop, etc.) and run my bass through 1 pair of headphones. So I purchased a cheap mixer (behringer xenyx502) in hopes to do so. Well now that I have it all hooked up, I am losing a significant amount of quality through the mixer.

Anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

fourstringburn · #2 01-10-2010, 12:05 PM

Your music source should sound fine ( I-POD etc.) However, your bass sound should be dull and flat sounding. The reason is you need a direct box (D.I.)to plug your bass into, then plug into the the mixer. the purpose of a D.I. is to match the impedances which are low on your bass to the input impedance level on your mixer. With an D.I., your bass will pass it's characteristic tones unhindered into the mixer where you can then monitor thru headphones.

D.I.'s are usually inexpensive ( around $ 30 at most music stores) for a passive one or you can spend more for a higher quality one with tone shaping preamps. But you must use a D.I. if you want a better quality bass sound thru your mixer. That's why D.I.s are used for bass in live shows and direct recording in studios for bass to mixer inputs.

Also, for your music inputs to your mixer, I would recommend using the line level inputs and not the mic/preamp inputs. The mic/preamp inputs are for mics and instruments needing level boosting to bring the signal up to line level. Your music source is already at line level so no additional boosting is required and this might give your music source better sound quality.

For your setup, plug your stereo music source into inputs 2/3 then your D.I. out to mixer input 1 and use the trim pot to max the input gain on this channel. then you can balance both music and bass channels for your headphone mix.

calgone47 · #3 01-10-2010, 06:04 PM

Hey, thanks for the advice. After I posted, I noticed that if I just barely put the jack from my PC into the input on the mixer, it sounds fine, but as soon as it goes in all the way, the music goes to crap. What does this mean??

And for whatever reason, the bass sounds fine... Just as good as if I plug my headphones straight into my amp.

Any info you can give me on this?

Thanks for the help!

calgone47 · #4 01-10-2010, 06:06 PM

Actually, now that I think about it, I was having issues earlier with the bass in my phones. It sounded like my battery was about dead (which it isn't).

Febs · #5 01-10-2010, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgone47

Hey, thanks for the advice. After I posted, I noticed that if I just barely put the jack from my PC into the input on the mixer, it sounds fine, but as soon as it goes in all the way, the music goes to crap. What does this mean??

Could you provide more detail about exactly how you are hooking this up? What output from your PC, what kind of cable, and what input on the mixer?

calgone47 · #6 01-10-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs

Could you provide more detail about exactly how you are hooking this up? What output from your PC, what kind of cable, and what input on the mixer?

I am on a pretty standard laptop with no audio line out, so I am running a 3.5mm from the headphone port to mono input 1. I understand that this is a reason I experience 'fuzz' just like I experience when I run my headphone straight to the laptop, but to me, still doesn't explain why the mixer is acting like it is.

For my bass, I am running an instrument cable from the line out of my amp to mono input 2.

fourstringburn · #7 01-10-2010, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgone47

Hey, thanks for the advice. After I posted, I noticed that if I just barely put the jack from my PC into the input on the mixer, it sounds fine, but as soon as it goes in all the way, the music goes to crap. What does this mean??

And for whatever reason, the bass sounds fine... Just as good as if I plug my headphones straight into my amp.

Any info you can give me on this?

Thanks for the help!

It sounds like your computer cable is a stereo cord and your plugging it in to a mono input mixer. That should explain why it works well when you partially insert the cable.

you need to split the signal out from your PC or other stereo out sound source with a stereo to dual mono out Y cable or an Y adapter and plug each end to separate mixer input channels of the tape in jacks. The mixer channels ins will give you a better mix with separate pan and level controls for each channel.

You can buy these Y cables and adapters at Radio Shack for cheap.

I still recommend a direct box for your bass input to the mixer. You can use a line out jack from your amp as this output is after the internal preamp. See if your amp has line out or preamp out jacks or effects send, these are all line level outputs. you can use the headphone out but once again this is a stereo signal so you have to use a Y adapter again.

Try this hookup from your amp anyway and see if you notice a difference in bass sound thru your mixer.

projectMalamute · #8 01-10-2010, 07:56 PM

You are hooking a stereo headphone signal output to a balanced line input. So stereo L is going to hot and stereo R is going to cold. What you are hearing is the sum of the two channels being added out of phase. When the jack is only inserted far enough for the tip to make contact but not the ring you are only hearing stereo L, without the out of phase addition of the other channel.

calgone47 · #9 01-10-2010, 08:15 PM

Thanks for the help! Please excuse my ignorance

calgone47 · #10 01-10-2010, 08:16 PM

Also, is there anything I can do/purchase to clean up that fuzz from the PC?

fourstringburn · #11 01-10-2010, 10:17 PM

As for the fuzz on your PC it sounds like your sound card may not be configured right. Check the software for your sound card and see if has bit rate settings, sample rates and latency settings. try using a lower sample rate and latency setting and a 16 bit rate if your sound card is tweek-able. Also be sure you are using a analog output not digital in your software/hardware setup. If nothing else, contact tech support for your laptop.

Febs · #12 01-11-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgone47

I am on a pretty standard laptop with no audio line out, so I am running a 3.5mm from the headphone port to mono input 1.

Try getting a cable with a 1/8" male plug on one end and RCA plugs on the other end, and connect the output of your laptop to the CD/Tape input on the mixer. If nothing else, this will allow you to monitor your audio source in stereo.

My early morning/late night practice setup is very similar to what you're trying to do here. I use a Behringer 802. I'll run my laptop or an MP3 player into the CD/Tape input and the bass into channel 1 of the mixer. I'll usually use a SansAmp BDDI between the bass and the mixer, though it works well enough without it.

calgone47 · #13 01-11-2010, 02:25 PM

Cool, thanks for all the great advice guys.

Charling · #14 01-12-2010, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

As for the fuzz on your PC it sounds like your sound card may not be configured right. Check the software for your sound card and see if has bit rate settings, sample rates and latency settings. try using a lower sample rate and latency setting and a 16 bit rate if your sound card is tweek-able. Also be sure you are using a analog output not digital in your software/hardware setup. If nothing else, contact tech support for your laptop.

sample/bit rate shouldn't cause fuzz, if its too high you will get clicks and drop-outs, too low and you' get a dirty hi-pas effect. however. If you put the bit rate down low enough then you would get a bit-crusher kind of effect, but these days no soundcard would have the bitrate set so low by default, you would have to set it that way manually and it would be hard to not realise straight away that it sounds rubbish!

With a digital output you would get nothing whatsover if plugged into an analog input, the frequency of a digital signal is way above anything that can be represented by speakers.

Much more likely is a mismatch between headphone out/line in audio standards, and jumping between unbalanced to balanced connections coming from a very low quality audio output into an entry-level input. try using an 'external speaker out' if the laptop has one, that should help.

best bet would be to buy a cheap usb or firewire (normally a LITTLE more expensive for firewire) interface, that would solve the issue, and allow you to record at a fairly high quality as well! basically killing a few birds with one stone![/quote]

calgone47 · #15 01-14-2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charling

best bet would be to buy a cheap usb or firewire (normally a LITTLE more expensive for firewire) interface, that would solve the issue, and allow you to record at a fairly high quality as well! basically killing a few birds with one stone!

Thanks for the post. Would you mind recommending a decent interface? Being able to record myself play would be extremely beneficial.

Thanks again!