Pulsar and headphones

doodyrh · Post by **doodyrh** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:08 am

Anyone have a nice (cheap) solution for this?

I have active monitors hanging off the analog out and would ideally like to hang some cans on the S/PDIF. But how, without a full-blown mixer?

Quality is not the main issue here. Just a way of silent monitoring when recording from mic.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 8:02 am

usually a DAT recorder does the job, since you're only use it for monitoring it can have mechanical probs, which makes it even cheaper.
I'm using a Philips DCC (pre-DAT tape, $30-60 on eBay) for that purpose. It is in record standby mode for about a year now because I never switch it off

I can honestly suggest those units as very versatile with high quality analog outs, at least for this kind of use.

Mine is connected by coax S/PDIF to the digital master out of my mixer, while it's S/PDIF coax out goes to Roland DS30 monitors. The analog outs of the tape carry the same signal, which I once used to feed to a hifi unit.
I'm shure I'm sacrificing a little quality with this setup, compared to monitors connected directly to Pulsar, but it's much simpler to operate and lets me use the mixer independently from the PC.

cheers, Tom

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2003-07-17 09:03 ]

Post by **hubird** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:38 am

if...your DAT offers 44.1 KHz, which most consumer DATs don't

a second problem is the master/slave issue, most consumer DATs claim to be the master if I'm right.
My Sony DAT, indeed mechanical dead, is one like that.
Coz my SPDIF out on the card is occupied by a Lexicon MPX1, and coz I have two Luna2496 breakouts, I'm still looking for some re-use of the DAT,
If someone likes to have it for free, come over and get it

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:24 am

My Tascam DA-30MK2 does both 44.1 and 48khz, and needs to be Master during playback, and slave during recording/monitoring..

Works quite nice for a headphone amp.. heh

[ This Message was edited by: aMo on 2003-07-17 11:24 ]

scary808 · Post by **scary808** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 2:40 pm

I use a Roland VS880 for headphones. Actually, thats all I use it for. You can get these pretty cheap because they made a lot of them.

doodyrh · Post by **doodyrh** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 6:33 am

Thanks for the ideas guys.

Is the master/slave issue really a problem?

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 6:37 am

I once had my ADAT as Master while trying to record to it, there was some extreme crackling sounds, almost to the point of static noise, then my entire system crashed...

So it CAN be a problem in some cases yes..

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 5:27 pm

doodyrh, as long as you only monitor through an S/PDIF device or even record, there are no problems to expect if the external unit supports your preferred sample rate.
It's automatically set to slave as the receiver.
But if you'd want to play back a tape digitally via S/PDIF there can be trouble, depending of the unit and the other SFP settings, specially with multiple digital connections. The regular S/PDIF standard assumes that the sending unit must be master.

cheers, Tom

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 4:50 pm

This is actually a Mackie mixer, pretty good price, more info here: http://www.tapcogear.com/products/6306/index.html

Price is pretty good if you just use it to hook up monitors/headphones to Pulsar..

Post by **hubird** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 5:33 pm

this is perfect!
exactly what I need, specially the 'Separate Phone and Control Room Level'.
2*phantom, balanced, nothing superfluous, if the quality is Mackie-like, this is perfect in any virtual studio, don't you think?
thanks for this one Amo

_________________
Let There Be Music!

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2003-07-19 18:34 ]

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 6:23 am

No problem, I will be getting one myself I think

(Just as soon as I have a little money left over)

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 5:43 pm

Tom

As I remember it, DCC came after DAT, but it never became a hit (like it usually happens when a compagny try to introduce a new format, that only works on their own equipment).

Hubird

I believe most consumer DATs actually do support 44.1. I have a very early Pioneer. I do not think it was the high-end back then, but it shure does 44.1.

aMo · Post by **aMo** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 5:49 pm

I believe that all DAT's can do 44.1Khz, since the DAT was introduced so people could record in the same quality as cd's when they were introduced...

It never became a commercial hit though..
But studio-people liked it, so it survived..

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 6:17 pm

Actually DAT was introduced with 48KHz, so that HiFi nerds could feel, that they where recording in higher quality than CDs. LPs where still considdered the most accurate media back then (to some it is still).

scary808 · Post by **scary808** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 6:40 pm

I believe the reason for making DAT 48k originally was to prevent digital copies of CDs.

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 6:50 pm

Oh yes

that too

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sun Jul 20, 2003 10:14 pm

thanks for your info, Immanuel

I assumed it was older because it can play back regular cassette tapes as well.
But with it's 18-bit converters and syncing to anything from 32-48 khz, a decent phone amp plus line in/outs it's hard to beat at 30 bucks

cheers, Tom

doodyrh · Post by **doodyrh** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 6:59 pm

Wotcha reckon?
Willy twerk?

Archos thing
It's got digital in (?) and headphone socket.

Okay it's not cheap but it does a million other useful things.

[ This Message was edited by: doodyrh on 2003-10-11 19:59 ]

Post by **garyb** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 9:18 pm

if you get the little mixer,you might consider a product brand called phonic.phonic is the world's largest oem manufacturer.in fact they make products for alesis roland and yamaha.what's important to this discussion is that they make the behringer products and since behringer makes a mackie clone product,phonic does too,but for cheaper.the phonic version of the behringer mixer is the exact same mixer with the phonic name on it.it is more or less to the same specs as the mackie.their products(phonic) are EXCELLENT.

http://www.phonic.com/mm-mm1002a.htm
http://www.phonic.com/mm-mm1202.htm

this rta is the hottest thing on the market: http://www.phonic.com/mei-paa2.htm

doodyrh · Post by **doodyrh** » Sat Dec 13, 2003 3:16 pm

Just thought I'd conclude this thread with my final choice.
OK I cheated. It wasn't really cheap.
Focusrite TwinTrak Pro.

An excellent combined front and back end to a DAW.
Just a simple Scoop EQ (no relation to Scooby Doo) and compressor on the front with a send/return and a digital in feed from PC for monitoring. I route the out to Pulsar and fork one thru guitar effects back to the TTPro return for monitoring and one to ASIO for recording.

Perfect Pulsar Playmate.