Confusing Mixer/PC Setup

Mister_Pister · 10 Mar 2006 at 19:21

This is confusing the hell out of me but ill attempt to explain what im trying to do.

Currently I have my mixer/decks setup to output to the line in on the soundcard, allowing me to record and play the tunes through my pc speakers, lovely jubbly.

Then because its such a hassle wiring my headphones in the back of the pc when I want to listen to music loud I thought I know ill pass the pc output through the mixer and then have the mixer output to the speakers (it has two outputs so one is going to the line in on the pc for recording and the other is going directly into the speaker).

Outputting directly to the speakers seems to be ok (phone->3.5mm jack ccable) the problems start when the soundcard output goes into the input. The mixers level on the channel is permanantly super high , turning everything down in windows and on the mixer itself doesnt help and the sound is just rubbish and distorted. I think I may have some weird feedback loop or something but my brains too confused to work it out. Is it simply the fact im using 3.5mm->phonos to convert the sound or is it something more retarded?

Any help?

Heres a diagram because if you followed that explanation ill be impressed..Anyway the important thing is I need to be able to record to pc from the mixer and have the mixer play the output of my pc on the speakers.

DRZ · 10 Mar 2006 at 20:23

If you are outputting the signal from the mixer to the PC and then back into the mixer, which in turn gets sent back to the PC then is that not a classic case of a feedback loop? If you want to do that, its possibe but you will need two sound cards

If everything is running at line level, use the Monitor output on your mixer to connect to the PC speakers. Much, much simpler!

Mister_Pister · 10 Mar 2006 at 21:48

then id lose the recording ability.. oh well i guess you cant have it all! Quiet music it is then

maddad68 · 10 Mar 2006 at 22:04

Do you have an amp with Headphones only switch ?

This is how i do it and it work's realy well .

I can mix and record to my PC , i can playback and edit with pc , If im gaming or its late at night i just hit the " headphones only button

Mister_Pister · 10 Mar 2006 at 22:53

nah no amp mate, i think if these labtec speakers were amped up they would go sky high

I think thats the only good thing with onboard sound is you can plug the phones in the front of your case usually..

Street · 11 Mar 2006 at 03:18

Do you have a line in/phono toggle on your mixer on the channel that your soundcard is connected to?

If you do, you need to make sure it is set to line in, if you are outputting from a line out and going to a phono, its going to be super loud! Hope that helps

DiG · 11 Mar 2006 at 08:43

I'm no expert, but when this happed it was because I had the computer in the Phono instead of Line, or the other way around, I forget, t'was a cheap mixer though

Mister_Pister · 11 Mar 2006 at 09:36

so even though its a line->phono connector I should still plug them into the line input on the mixer?

Street · 11 Mar 2006 at 13:16

Yeh it still needs to be plugged into the line in because the source is from a line out

Mister_Pister · 11 Mar 2006 at 14:13

ah

Ill give it another bash tonight then see if I can at least cure the distortion if nothing else

Mister_Pister · 11 Mar 2006 at 19:02

ive sorted it now

changed the output from the pc to the line in on the mixer, swapped output 1 to go into the speakers, output 2 is now going to the line in, if I turn that to 0 it cuts out the feedback loop and if I turn it on it can be used as a flanger which is nifty