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Mark Hunter Guest
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Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 6:56 am Post subject: 528E into Mackie |
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I'm trying to determine the best way to connect a Symetrix 528E to my Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro. For those of you with this pair, which unit do you prefer for your mic preamp? What is the best way to connect the two units (cables go from where to where)? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Have a great New Year. |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus

Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13023 Location: Camp Cooper
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Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:06 am Post subject: |
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Okie doke-- here's what I do.
The mic (a dynamic mic-- RE20) goes into the 528 via XLR cable. I have a noise gate and some other tweaks in the 528. Sound out from the 528 goes via XLR to one of the first 4 channels on the Mackie. You'll need to set the trim (little knobbie just below the mic inputs for the channel) based on how hot a signal you have coming from the 528.
The sound from the Mackie goes to my Mbox, my studio monitors, and my ISDN codec. _________________ DBCooperVO.com
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billelder Guest
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Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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I do the same except I don't go through my mixer. I use the Pre of the 528 and straight to the computer. Deirdre, we may have discussed this here before but do you have your RE20 on flat or roll off? I use Roll Off and let the Symetrix do any tweeking I need. |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus

Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13023 Location: Camp Cooper
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Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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I've got mine on roll-off, too. _________________ DBCooperVO.com
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Hart Assistant Asylum Chief

Joined: 03 Jan 2006 Posts: 2107 Location: Foley, AL
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 6:37 am Post subject: |
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Deirdre wrote: |
The mic (a dynamic mic-- RE20) goes into the 528 via XLR cable. I have a noise gate and some other tweaks in the 528. Sound out from the 528 goes via XLR to one of the first 4 channels on the Mackie. |
Something about this has been bothering me, so I thought I would ask. If you are sending your mic into the 528, it's going through the pre-amp on that unit...then you are sending it to one of the first four channels on the Mackie via XLR. Don't these have the mic pres built into them as well? So how do you not have it run through two mic preamps? |
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Mark Hunter Guest
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:03 am Post subject: |
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You're right Hart. In that configuration both preamps are being used. Here's what I'm doing; for the Mackie preamp I insert mic into Mic in on Ch 1 and use a TRS insert jack on channel one and twin TS into DE- ESS input iwth the return lead into unbalanced output. To use the 528 pre amp, mic into the 528 and line out into another channel on the mackie (not one of the four mic channels) |
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Jim Barton Guest
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:14 am Post subject: |
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Actually in Deirdre's configuration, I believe she's going through three preamps: the 528, the Mackie, and finally the preamp in the Mbox. At what point (if any) does all this preamplification become undesirable?
In my configuration, I have my Rode NTK mic going directly into my HHB Radius preamp, then directly into a ProTools LE interface with the preamp turned all the way down. I've been doing it this way for years, but have always wondered if there was a way to bypass the ProTools preamp.
Jim |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus

Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13023 Location: Camp Cooper
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | Actually in Deirdre's configuration, I believe she's going through three preamps: the 528, the Mackie, and finally the preamp in the Mbox. At what point (if any) does all this preamplification become undesirable? |
Yeah, boy...that's a lot of preamps. I sure don't need the one in that goddamned Mbox, that's for sure.
I could probably come out of the 528 into a different channel on the Mackie, but it's sheer hardware laziness on my part-- I have more XLR-to-XLR cables than XLR-to-TRS.
The trim is pretty low on the Mackie.
I'll bet I could mess about with the chain and see if there's any sonic difference.
I'll see if I have some time on my hands after I put all the Christmas stuff away.
 _________________ DBCooperVO.com
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Jim Barton Guest
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 9:52 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Deirdre"] Quote: |
I could probably come out of the 528 into a different channel on the Mackie, but it's sheer hardware laziness on my part-- I have more XLR-to-XLR cables than XLR-to-TRS.
The trim is pretty low on the Mackie.
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I know this has been brought up before, but why do you need the Mackie on the microphone input side? I have a Mackie 1604, but for the most part I only use it for monitoring the output of ProTools. Occasionally I use it for inputting miscellaneous audio (like cassettes, etc.) or an analog phone patch (from the client side.)
Jim |
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Hart Assistant Asylum Chief

Joined: 03 Jan 2006 Posts: 2107 Location: Foley, AL
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:23 am Post subject: |
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Deirdre wrote: |
I'll bet I could mess about with the chain and see if there's any sonic difference. |
As we say in the South, If it ain't broke don't fix it.
I was just curious. When I added a mixer to my setup my mic ended up being really "brassy." That's why. I had it running through my rack pre, and then into the mixer pre. Moved the input to a line input on the mixer and it fixed it. |
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Drew King's Row

Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 1118 Location: Tumbleweed Junction, The Republic of North Texas
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:23 am Post subject: |
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Now that's got me thinkin', too. Which is rather dangerous. But I've got my mic going into my voice processor pre's via XLR and XLR into my mixer's first mic channel. So's I got a double pre thingy going, too. Have for over a year. Wondering if I switch over to one of my f/x inputs what would happen. I'd probably blow everything up and go back to furniture makin'. _________________ www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald. |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus

Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13023 Location: Camp Cooper
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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Jim Barton wrote: | I know this has been brought up before, but why do you need the Mackie on the microphone input side? |
Jim--
I broadcast every day from Mission Control and I use the Mackie to mix signals from the remote station and my studio.
DB _________________ DBCooperVO.com
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steeleman Contributor
Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Posts: 39 Location: Birmingham, Al.
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 8:50 pm Post subject: 528 e to the mackie.. |
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Well I have a similar set up and have tried mine BOTH ways ..
MIC into 528E..OUT of 528E into Mic channel 1 - Mackie..
Mic into 528E..OUT of 528E directly into Computer.
Honestly, there was no real difference in sound PLUS I liked set up ONE.
I produce as well as voice in the room and plus my son likes to use my
PC setup for games and downloading mp3s..... I think it's just personal
preference like so much of what we do! |
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chuckmatthews Guest
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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Deirdre wrote: | Quote: | Actually in Deirdre's configuration, I believe she's going through three preamps: the 528, the Mackie, and finally the preamp in the Mbox. At what point (if any) does all this preamplification become undesirable? |
Yeah, boy...that's a lot of preamps. I sure don't need the one in that goddamned Mbox, that's for sure.
I could probably come out of the 528 into a different channel on the Mackie, but it's sheer hardware laziness on my part-- I have more XLR-to-XLR cables than XLR-to-TRS.
The trim is pretty low on the Mackie.
I'll bet I could mess about with the chain and see if there's any sonic difference.
I'll see if I have some time on my hands after I put all the Christmas stuff away.
 |
Instead of XLR from the 528 to the Mackie, it should be a 1/4". The 1/4" bypasses the Mackie pre.
I run either an Apex 460 tube condenser, or a Sennheiser 416 shotgun, from my Vally 400, to a Mackie 1402. It's XLR from the mic to the Valley. 1/4" out from the Valley to the Mackie.
I do the same when using my Symetrix 528 (not the E). 1/4" from the box to the Mackie to bypass the Mackie pre. I would use the Mackie pre, like the "darker" tone, instead of my pre-amps, but I wouldn't have a gate. And I havent gotten around to inserting off the 528 to just use the gate. |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus

Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13023 Location: Camp Cooper
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | Instead of XLR from the 528 to the Mackie, it should be a 1/4". The 1/4" bypasses the Mackie pre. |
Well-- all my other channels have stuff in 'em.
Left and right from both computers, one channel each. I'll bet I don't need to do that any more... it's just old habit, so I could hard pan left and right.
I remember trying left and right 1/4 inchers into one channel on the Mackie, and I only heard one side.
Meh-- I can probably re-patch everything. I had a two-computer recording setup that I don't use any more. But-- the mic setup works right now. I'm not having any trouble with the sound. _________________ DBCooperVO.com
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