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Mic splitter question...

tothemax

tothemax

Nov 1, 2013
1,463
1,701
Annapolis Area
#1
I'd like to be able to run all my microphone cables to my rack, rather than to my mixer which is not easily accessible. Currently I'm running 1/4" TRS cables from the channel inserts on my mixer to the line inputs on my USB Interface (mics plugged into the mixer). I'd prefer to connect mic cables (XLR) to the rack and have the option to go to the mixer, USB interface, or both. I'm thinking about using a mic splitter, there are two that pop up in a search the ART S8 and Behringer MS800. Looking at the literature for both units they appear fairly similar. The main difference being that the ART has a -29dB pad feature while the Behringer has a channel link feature (1 input 4 out). While I'm sure that the ART is higher quality the Behringer has good reviews. I'm looking at upgrading my mixer in the next year to a Tascam Model 16 and it will have the same XLR access issues that my current mixer has. Just wondering if there are any good reasons to choose one over the other. With the new cabling the $59 price tag new looks pretty good. I've found that Behringer either works or it doesn't... Will appreciate any input, also in regard to passing +48v for phantom power.

Cheers
 
#2
tothemax said:
also in regard to passing +48v for phantom power.
Click to expand...
Both indicate that phantom power is passed through the direct out but make no mention of the transformer isolated output. I would anticipate the isolated side rejects phantom power on both models, which would make sense for most applications.

In general I quite like ART products. They frequently perform as well as competing products costing considerably more. I use an ART patchbay in my studio, as well as one of their TransX 2-channel preamps. They both work wonderfully day in and day out. Behringer is more of a gamble, but for something like this, and given Sweetwater's excellent return policy, I think it would be worth taking a chance on the Behringer, assuming price is a primary deciding factor.
 
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#3
The transformer isolated side of a split will not pass phantom power.
You have to ask what did Behringer short cut to save $260......the quality of the transformers????

The listing for the Behringer is kind of strange, one place it says the direct out is post transformer and further down
it mentions passing phantom power to the direct outputs, with post transformer wording I would take that not to pass phantom power.

All that said about transformers chances are you could use a hard wired split with no problem. I use a hard wired split many times with the PA system.
 
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#4
As you can see in the picture, access to the mixer XLR inputs is tight, and when I upgrade to the Model 16 the location will basically be the same. The goal is to be able to have the mixer setup similar to a patch bay and send to the DAW as needed, my USB is a rack mounted Tascam US 16x08. With the current mixer I'm using the inserts as line outs to the USB, and hence the preamps from the mixer. With the splitter I'll be able to go direct to the USB XLR's and use the USB preamps which seem to be better quality. The model 16 has a built in USB, and options expand with that upgrade. Got a few house project ahead of that... got to keep the better half on my team... ;)

I'm sure that the ART is higher quality, just need to do a little more research on the best fit. I would think the PAD option would be more helpful than the channel linking. As for Behringer quality I've had this X2222USB for a number of years and it's been rock solid, I picked up a used X2442USB that I use with my gig PA, and it's been fine. I've also bought Behringer gear that was simply junk and sent it back immediately. I'll probably give the MS800 a first try, at $59 it's an easy test.

Appreciate the feedback... Cheers

DAW Table and rack.jpg
 
#5
This is what I'm doing to record live shows, everything goes into the behringer splitter then to the mixer and recording interface. I've had no problems with the behringer splitter it just works exactly as it should.
 

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#8
Ordered the Behringer unit, no Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals on it, but great deals on cables, 8 pack of 10' XLR's from Seismic Audio for $30, a 10 pack of 3' XLR's from Amazon for $27. The MS8000 was $59 across the board, so Sweetwater was the best option for the extended warranty. Pretty jazzed that I'll be able to clean up the cable access for just over $100 bucks.

Appreciate the feedback, Cheers!
 
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#11
These are going to be used as patch cables only, connected once and left in the rack. Surprisingly, the cables are fairly well made and will probably be fine for static use. The metal parts are either pot metal or cast aluminum, again these will be used for connections in a rack. For mic cables in the studio, these would not do, and definitely not for stage use. I'll get it wired up tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.

Cheers
 
#12
I was going through the documentation on MS8000 which is a little sketchy, and expanded to few other sources on how the direct out side works with the transformer out signals. Apparently the transformer side will not pass the 48v phantom power, while the direct out will (out referring to the split signal coming into the MS8000 unit). So in my setup I'll plan to send the direct outs to my mixer and the transformer out to the USB interface. If I need phantom power, it will need to come from the mixer (whether or not the PA is being used).

Just as a follow up on going with budget gear. My home studio is an entry level learning process, my main focus is playing bass. For any of the older folks around, they'll remember that investing in a 4 channel reel to reel in the early 70's was about tops for a home studio, until the Tascam cassette porta studio came out, having an actual mixer was pretty much beyond reach for most musicians. With the advent of the digital DAW, so much has become SOP. Even so, that accessibility comes with a significant learning curve. I compare my studio to my first cool car, making sure the engine ran and the car was dependable before buying mag wheels or a Hurst shifter. If the cheap cables are problematic, they'll get upgraded (btw: it does bug me to support subsidized Chinese labor).

Anyway, not wanting to be the old man yelling at clouds, I'm amazed at the music production that can be done with this entry level gear it's totally cool.

Really appreciate the helpful feedback, Cheers
 
#13
Got the MS 8000 implemented into my rack and there always seems to be something. Once it was installed and began testing it out, there was a substantial hiss from the monitors. In case anyone runs into a similar issue, here are steps I used to T-shoot the noise source

At first I thought it was 60 cycle hum, and searched for a source without success. I opened a thread on SOS and got a lot good feedback, mostly about checking the full signal chain as well AC noise checking. My monitor source is a Tascam 16x08 USB, one suggestion was to completely isolate the USB. With the new gear added, this wasn't my first thought. My steps...
  • Disconnected the MS8000 XLR connections from the mixer, no change...
  • Disconnected the XLR connections from the splitter to the USB, no change...
  • Checked the AC connections, nothing was obvious...
  • Using the SOS comment, removed everything from the USB except the monitors and computer, no change...
    • At this point something either got messed up when I installed the MS8000 or there was something else...
  • Going through all the USB connections in case I missed something, and decided to check the USB UI (computer side). The Tascam UI looks like mixer with EQ and effects (I leave this section bypassed)
    • Looking at the master volume meter, there was output showing
1734205539857.png
  • If the master was muted, the noise disappeared.​
    • Testing the signal source by muting the channels one at a time. As much as I hate to admit it. The noise source was a couple of channel gain controls set to about 10. In my own defense, the problem channel controls are right next to the monitor output control. In T-shooting I must have turned the channel gains up thinking it was the monitor control. Turned the gains down, hiss was gone.​
Moral of the story... check the simple stuff first. Overthinking the issue can add a lot of extra work, use the KISS method and be methodical. Turns out the Behringer MS8000 unit works fine, and the inexpensive cables work as expected. As a result of the SOS comments I was able to clean up my AC connections in the rack, adding a small power strip and moving any wall wort power supplies to the back of the rack away from the USB and XLR cabling. All good stuff.

Hope this was helpful... Cheers
 
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