signal path through mixer

A forum for topics related to the turntable/cartridge/stylus and the phono preamps used with MsPinky
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bb01
Posts:14
Joined:Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:50 pm
signal path through mixer

Post by bb01 » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:25 pm

I have an alternative signal path (that may have been suggested before). Please let me know if it works.



To get a line level signal going into the sound card, the turntable has to be connected to a preamp, then to your soundcard. But this means, you go from your turntable to your computer, to your mixer, back to the computer (that is if you want to record).



So the phono input on the mixer goes unused, and 2 inputs and 2 outputs on the soundcard are taken (per turntable).



What if, I would input the mspinky code straight into the phono input on my mixer, and then use the send to go to the computer? That way, I could cut and scratch (the send is postfader) and I could record in cubase straight after the conversion to audio (less latency, less a.-d. conversion).



This would be my plan of action, if I knew my mixer could handle having undedecoded msPinky signal running through it.



Thank you for any and all suggestions. :)
bb01
Posts:14
Joined:Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:50 pm

Post by bb01 » Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:40 am

In short, is it O.K. to decode the signal after the mixer.[/i]
dlpinkstah
Site Admin
Posts:1093
Joined:Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:17 pm

Not recommended

Post by dlpinkstah » Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:31 pm

I don't think what you're proposing will work very well at all for a number of reasons.



1) At best you will sacrifice one whole channel of your mixer just because you want to make use of the phono preamp it has. It just seems like a waste of mixer real estate to me.



2) There is probably some loss of perfect left/right signal separation in using the FX send to route the control signal to the computer. That will depend on your mixer manufacturer's specs, so I can't be sure, but I've seen people have trouble with trying to do that before.



I think all in all you'll find everything works best and you'll have a lot less frustration in using Ms Pinky if you stick to the recommended audio setup. But of course you're always welcome to try whatever you want to :wink:
bb01
Posts:14
Joined:Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:50 pm

Post by bb01 » Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:04 pm

Thanks for the reply.

(I tried to edit my first post because it didnt sound very friendly. :? Couldnt log in though,works fine now) :)



Its not a very big problem that I have to use two inputs on my soundcard, and my preamp sounds fine, so no problem there.



Its more a question of what Im trying to do. I want to cut before going into the 'puter, so as to avoid a D-A step and a A-D step. (Latency will be better and maybe quality of sound.)



Only thing is, I dont know if its OK to run the raw signal from the vinyl straight to the mixer. (although its the same thing when going into the soundcard)



Has anyone experience with setting up like this?
dlpinkstah
Site Admin
Posts:1093
Joined:Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:17 pm

Don't apply X-fader articulation to Control Signal

Post by dlpinkstah » Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:34 pm

One thing I can tell you for sure is you don't want to apply any crossfader articulation to the control signal. The control signal needs to be completely uninterrupted in order to work properly, and it also needs to maintain complete left-to-right stereo separation. So whatever you do don't send the control signal to the computer POST-CROSSFADER.



To capture your scratches (complete with the cutting action of the crossfader) you simply have to route another input back to your computer (or another recording device) and record the output of your mixer POST-CROSSFADER. Unless, of course, you're lucky enough to get your hands on one of those new breed of DJ mixers that have MIDI-enabled crossfaders. :wink:
bb01
Posts:14
Joined:Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:50 pm

Post by bb01 » Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:22 am

Right :wink: Kinda forgot about that.



Maybe if its a bad crossfader with a little bleed? :D



So, in fact, the ideal would be a digital scratchmixer with digital in-out.

I still like my analog though.



MsPinky is the perfect bridge between the two actually.

Just tried to think of a way to cut down on cables. :)
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