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Line in from RCA outputs on mixer

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mwithell

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Hello folks,

New here, although I've lurked a few times.

Can someone help, please? I have an RH1 and usually record from a mic into the mic input (would you believe!), but a new mixer on a PA system has stereo RCA output which I'd like to plumb in to the minidisc if possible.

The manual says I must use an optical cable. If so, where do I get hold of one in the UK? I assume there is a basic difference between an optical and a jack cable which means you can't use the latter.

I've trawled through the site and can't find anything directly relevant although there's a lot of valuable advice I've taken on board.

Malcolm

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Hello folks,

New here, although I've lurked a few times.

Can someone help, please? I have an RH1 and usually record from a mic into the mic input (would you believe!), but a new mixer on a PA system has stereo RCA output which I'd like to plumb in to the minidisc if possible.

The manual says I must use an optical cable. If so, where do I get hold of one in the UK? I assume there is a basic difference between an optical and a jack cable which means you can't use the latter.

I've trawled through the site and can't find anything directly relevant although there's a lot of valuable advice I've taken on board.

Malcolm

Hi Malcolm, all you need is an RCA to 1/8" adapter into your line input. You may have to configure your mic to be line input, but that should be fairly easy, I do it on my NH1 all the time.

There have been plans for an analog to optical converter, should be here on the forum if you look, but if I were me I'd go for the RCA to 1/8.

Good luck,

Bob

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Many local 99 cent or $1.00 stores sell a 1/8'' to RCA cable for a buck!

I tend to buy a dozen at a time.

I find Home Depot & Lowe's have nicer quality 1/8'' to RCA cables for a fair sum.

I own stock in T*#%y Corp. and will reccomend you not to buy a cabe at R.S. for stoopid money.

You will likely need to use the Line In -3db to +4db. The Mic In will probably be too sensitive for the level of signal you will be feeding into it. I have microphones too hot for the Mic in. The inputs are up to 50db apart.

Viva Minidisc!!!

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Many thanks, both.

I found the line in connection is far too insensitive - you can hardly hear the result!

In the end I didn't actually try anything like this, but I'd like to experiment. If the output from this particular mixer is so faint, might that mean that it would be safe to connect it to the mic port on the minidisc? I don't want to go blowing up my £200 machine!

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Many thanks, both.

I found the line in connection is far too insensitive - you can hardly hear the result!

In the end I didn't actually try anything like this, but I'd like to experiment. If the output from this particular mixer is so faint, might that mean that it would be safe to connect it to the mic port on the minidisc? I don't want to go blowing up my £200 machine!

The RCA output of the Mixer probably says "Tape Out " am I correct ? what Model mixer do you have , the Tape out should be plenty for the RH1 , it is just a matter of adjusting the levels on the mixer and the RH1 .

Generally a mixer has TWO sets of controls , sometime THREE , "Main Mix out " - "Monitor/Control Room Out" , and Tape assign out or Tape mix "

There are several buttons " Assign to Control , assign to Main , etc , then there will be Tape Out adjustment in that area.

Main Volume and Tape volume will be Two separate controls .

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Well, it's not that complicated! ;-)

It's a portable PA sytem (Carlsbro Traveller T150), and the thingy in question is described in the blurb as '1 channel CD/Aux Phono inputs/outputs.' There's no other info in the User Guide, and the company's website is even less help.

Actually, I'm going to have to try this again, as it looks as though there might be a volume control for it, but whether it controls the output or the input I don't know. I won't be able to try it till the weekend, but if you can bear to hear any more I'll let you know.

Malcolm

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  • 3 weeks later...

Coming back after another attempt...

All worked fine plugging the Aux Out into the Mic In - great recording.

However, I'm now getting another problem caused, I suspect, by the more complicated setup I'm now using compared to previously when I simply hooked up a condenser mic on a short lead. It was very easy but I really want the mic elsewhere in the room to get a better overall recording.

I am now using a condenser mic (same one) attached to a 5-metre extension lead attached to an adaptor from jack to phono, plugging in to a selector switch box which is in turn plugged in to the recorder. The line from the amp goes in to another channel on the box and I switch between to two as required.

The recording from the mic (and to a lesser extent from the line in) is breaking up and distorting despite a comparatively low recording level. It sounds as though the recording level is set far too high, but it's set lower than I used to set it as I now adjust this at editing stage in Magix rather than when doing a direct recording from minidisc to tape.

If it's all the ironmongery that's causing the problem, is there anything else I can do to improve things?

Malcolm

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Sorry, when I say 'condenser mic', all I mean is a typical miniature job running from the plug-in power, with no battery.

I am an absolute beginner too at the mic end of things, but I would offer 2 observations:

1. From way back (30 years) I recall problems with microphones with a setup like you describe simply picking up crap when on an extension cable of any kind. Back when the only Sony device I ever had used was a Tape Recorder.

2. It seems to me that if the poor little RH1 has enough power to drive something on a short (or "no") extension, that putting the same thing via a long cable AND a switch box is a horse of a different colour.

(ha! the spell chkr refused to accept my spelling of that last wurd)

Never having possessed on it seems like you need some sort of pre-amp. Some of the experts here could probably point you in the right direction. Phono input has always had a very similar problem.... microvolts of signal and necessity to blow that into an amp which is set up for millivolts, right?

I am sure this is only the broadest possible picture. Please feel free to correct me where I fell off my soapbox through ignorance.

Stephen

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