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Signal merging??

DBFIU

DBFIU

Guest
Jun 29, 2014
199
37
42
south florida
#1
Hi,

Sometimes I like to play my bass directly over an audio track with both sounds coming straight out of the amplifier. I have a tascam DP01 which works ok as just a signal merger (its a basic mixer).

I plug in my phones AUX cable into the tascam and then merge that with my bass input and output that directly to my amp. This works except the tascam is a big heavy clunky thing.

I thought that buying a Y splitter off amazon would merge the signals and I could just use a 1/4" to 1/8" jack adapter to go to my AUX cable on my phone and then just plug that into the amp but it wont merge the signals. I dont want to buy another mixer, is there a simple device that can just merge these two signals for me?

Thanks!

- D
 
#5
The problem with those devices you posted is that none have have a HI-z Instrument input. Because of that your sound will either sound dull and lifeless or you won't have enough volume.
The Rolls has an instrument input, it might more expensive than the behringer, but quality wise it is ten times better

Can you post some more info on your setup?
What bass and what kind of amp are you using?
 
#6
Hi thanks for the input. I have a rogue 5 string passive bass and a fender bassman 60 amp, beginner stuff.

I just want to merge my bass with my music so I can play over the song (like a mixer) and just have it come out of the amp. What makes the rolls hi-impedence and the behringer not? I see they both have AC power supplies and can act as pre-amps.
 
#8
DBFIU said:
Hi thanks for the input. I have a rogue 5 string passive bass and a fender bassman 60 amp, beginner stuff.

I just want to merge my bass with my music so I can play over the song (like a mixer) and just have it come out of the amp. What makes the rolls hi-impedence and the behringer not? I see they both have AC power supplies and can act as pre-amps.
Click to expand...

The Rolls has instrument input = Hi Impedance low level
The Behring is all line inputs = Low Impedance High Level.

I looked for the Bassman's 60 and the one I found has FX Send and Return Jacks. If yours has it as well, you don't need to buy anything. Connect the bass to the Amp's input and the Aux out of your phone into the FX return input jack.
 
#10
Hellbastard said:
The Rolls has instrument input = Hi Impedance low level
The Behring is all line inputs = Low Impedance High Level.

I looked for the Bassman's 60 and the one I found has FX Send and Return Jacks. If yours has it as well, you don't need to buy anything. Connect the bass to the Amp's input and the Aux out of your phone into the FX return input jack.
Click to expand...


Hey I need to bring this thread back.

I tried what you said Hellbastard, I plugged the bass into my input and my AUX to the effects input port and they didnt mix the signals. My bass was cut off and only my phone played. Bummer. So I still need to buy a separate little mixer to accomplish this?
 
#11
DBFIU said:
Hey I need to bring this thread back.

I tried what you said Hellbastard, I plugged the bass into my input and my AUX to the effects input port and they didnt mix the signals. My bass was cut off and only my phone played. Bummer. So I still need to buy a separate little mixer to accomplish this?
Click to expand...

It looks like you will have to buy something. I still think the rolls is the best choice.
 
#13
I looked at that B1on and it seems like it could do the job but I already have a jamstation and DP01, I dont know if I want another effects machine just to get the signal merge.

So can someone explain why the behringer Xenyx series does not play nice with a passive bass as mentioned above? It has a separate power supply just like the rolls does, would the rolls be considered a pre-amp and the behringer not???
 
#14
DBFIU said:
I looked at that B1on and it seems like it could do the job but I already have a jamstation and DP01, I dont know if I want another effects machine just to get the signal merge.

So can someone explain why the behringer Xenyx series does not play nice with a passive bass as mentioned above? It has a separate power supply just like the rolls does, would the rolls be considered a pre-amp and the behringer not???
Click to expand...

Both have preamps. The inputs are a meant for different types of sources. The behringer mixer does not have an input meant to connect a bass guitar directly into it. You can certainly do it, but the sound will not be very good. Plus you will have to set the gain of the preamp very high, which translates into a lot of noise.

The rolls has an instrument input, which means it can handle the high impedance and low level signals of a passive bass guitar. Which translates into, better sound and not a lot of noise.


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#15
Thanks hellbastard... That explains it.

I just dont know which devices other than the rolls would have the ability to handle high Z. Its not like the behringer is labelled "cant handle hi-Z" inputs. I just look at it, has 5 inputs, seems to have the knobs I want and I think it would work. Kind of misleading, thanks for the heads up about this.

I just dont feel like spending 75 bucks on a signal merger that seems like such a simple thing to do. Bleh.
 
#16
DBFIU said:
[...] I just dont know which devices other than the rolls would have the ability to handle high Z. Its not like the behringer is labelled "cant handle hi-Z" inputs. [...]
Click to expand...
If an input is explicitly labelled "Instrument" or "DI" then it is a Hi-Z instrument input, otherwise it will not be.

Regarding what you tried with the Effects Send/Receive, if you just plugged the audio source into the Effects Return then that result was expected. You need to mix in the Effects Send (preamp'd bass output) with whatever you are sending back to the Effects Return.

The Effects Send should connect to one channel on the mixer. Your L/R stereo source should connect to a second and third channel. Mix to a single mono bus (just all panned Left and use the Left output of a stereo mixer) and connect that to the Effects Receive on the amp. The Effects Send is a line level output; you will not need a Hi-Z input on the mixer for it.
 

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