FIrewire 410 problems

[Soulja]

I'm not sure but here is my problem. I've created some sequences in Reason and I used headphones for the most part. I've got an echo indigo soundcard and all is cool. Sometimes I would hook up to my mixer and all would be good this way also. The sound wasn't as good but it did the deed. The volume is always pretty high on the Reason mixer and I would just adjust the volume on the indigo. Worked great. Now I've purchased the Firewire 410 and the sound is prestine with headphones. The problem now is that when I route the 410 to my mixer the sound is extremely fudged up. It's all scratchy. I'm not understanding because the headphones work great and the output to my studio monitors is garbage. Any thoughts. I'm lost http://www.audioforums.com/forums/confused.gif

[TCONNELLY]

Just a couple of thoughts. Do you use the headphone out to run to your mixer or are you using one of firewire 410's other output jacks? You could need to adjust the levels in firewire 410's software so that you're not sending too hot of a signal to your mixer and or monitors. Also, check obvious things like cables, connections,etc.
Let me know exactly where your signal is coming from and where it's going. I'll try to help.
Tim

[Soulja]

Here we go, I'm not using the headphone outs to the mixer. I've got the line 1/2 going to the mixer. The thing is, that the sound is perfect with headphones, PERFECT. So, I'm not thinking it's the the program. The software mixer for the 410 is set pretty high but if I adjust down in the software mixer and up with the outboard mixer, the sound is no where near as good as with the headphones. In fact it sounds muffled and the clarity is garbage.

[This message has been edited by Soulja (edited 12-28-2003).]

[Sui]

This does not sound right at all.

I would try a differnet set of cables or send the audio out a different port. There are 8. You can do that from the control panel or from the program itsef.

Or try a different channel on the mixer.

The headphone is NOT a channel that has better dynamic range OR SNR than the line output. That is the just the plain truth. Headphone have a gain out stage and when ever you have a gain stage you are adding noise. Line outs are a stright out from the D/A.

So i would tend to believe that there is something fishy in your setup.

If you send out that audio through 3/4 and the audio sounds perfect. There might be something wrong with your device. But, i would still look at your hardware set up being the problem area.

Sui

[Soulja]

I actually ended up messin around with 410's mixer settings and came up with some better sound except I'm not really sure if this is the right solution. I've actually set the line 1/2 on the first tab down and the output tab down really low. Now with my outboard mixer I can pump up the volume and get the sound to be alright. I'm wondering what a good general setting would be for the first tab and output tab. Thanks

[This message has been edited by Soulja (edited 12-29-2003).]

[Sui]

That STILL does not make any sense.

The FW410 is a -10 dB output device. Why would it be overloading the mixer input?

Did you try sending out audio through port 3/4?

Or a different channel of the mixer?

Sui

[dawboxpro]

Check to see how you have your mixer setup.

you should be going into strictly line in's to bypass pre amps on the mixer. Your output signal has been amped by the card allready.

Check your signal chain and gain staging paths as well as the internal 410 mixers output levels.

If the output is not as hot as the phones it may be a weak mixer. The phones should sound the best but barely.

your phone monitoring is through the 410 direct right?

and your output monitoring is through the mixers phones right?

If the mixer stinks your going through it's electronics, another set of cables and the D/A so if it is noisy, a weak set of cables as well as possibly pre-amped and or gainstaged twice there is your problem.


solution:

Gain stage right by going into line ins and monitor everything through the mixer headphones or get a cleaner set of cables and a better mixer.

Direct phono from any card is the best sound your going to hear unless your going into a digital mixer via spdif or ADAT.

hope this helps!
www.dawbox.com (http://www.dawbox.com)

[Soulja]

Thanks for the breakdown DBP but that all seemed like chinese to me. My mixer is garbage and so is the power. I'm currently waiting for some Alesis MK2 powered monitors to arrive and I'll be going direct from the 410. Hopefully this will be the fix. Gracias