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Mixer (Behringer UB802) Question

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(@mbroughton)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 17
Topic starter  

Hello,

I am having a few problems and I was wondering if anyone could help.

I have brought a Behringer UB802 Mixer and have connected my Guitar (Rickenbacker 360) to the Line In 1 Port. I have then taken another cable from thge Main Out (Left) socket on the Mixer and run this through directly to the line in on my soundcard on my laptop. I am using Audacity on the laptop.

The problem I get is an inordinate amount of crackle when trying to record. In fact when not even touching the guitar the recording will be crackling away.

If I ditch the Mixer and go stright from Guitar to Laptop all seems ok (albeit quiet). Am I doing something heinously wrong here? The recording I have mucked about with seem a lot worse for going through a mixer.

I brought the mixer because I thought it would improve the sound and the way I controlled it. I also thought the recording would be slightly louder because I needed a pre-amp and that the mixer would come with one..but to be honest I'm not sure what a pre-amp is or does, and I can't see anything on the mixer (apart from on the microphone slot) that indicates there is a pre-amp with this anyway.

I have read the manual but am still none the wiser. Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Mat


   
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 MCH
(@mch)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 79
 

I have the same mixer. I use the mic Line 1 and 2 (the XLR - balanced) connections with no ill effects. I think I've come across other complaints on the noise factor when using the unbalanced 1/4" inputs with UB802.
I'm pretty sure this is your problem. I don't know if you can use the XLR inputs for your setup.


   
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(@smokindog)
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Joined: 20 years ago
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Try using the "Tape out" conections, you will need a double RCA to a stereo mini jack ( or whatever your sound card takes) this should solve your problem :D --the dog

looks like this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/General/Accessories/Cables?sku=333055

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(@greybeard)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

The thing that you could try is turning off the monitor and any fluorescent lights, that you have near the guitar. They, both, can cause a lot of noise. I had that problem (caused by a desk lamp) and I solved it by buying a DI box on ebay, which has a ground lift on one of the inputs, that completely cleared the noise.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
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(@twistedlefty)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 4113
 

Try using the "Tape out" conections, you will need a double RCA to a stereo mini jack ( or whatever your sound card takes) this should solve your problem :D --the dog

looks like this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/General/Accessories/Cables?sku=333055

I use the "tape out" connections also.

#4491....


   
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(@mbroughton)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 17
Topic starter  

Cheers folks,

I will try turning off the monitor, and I have just nipped down the local music store and purchased a "double RCA to a stereo mini jack" so when I get back home tonight (which may be a while yet as a lightning strike seems to have stopped all the trains around these parts!) I will give it another go.

Thanks again.


   
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(@kalle_in_sweden)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 779
 

Hi mbroughton
Connect the electric guitar to Line 1 or 2 , increase guitar gain to max and mixer Line 1 (or 2) GAIN potentiometer until the PEAK indicator starts to flash when playing really hard.
Connect the mixers MAIN OUT (or Tape out) to soundcard Line input with a stereo cable.
I am using the main out with 1/4 jack mono to RCA female converters and a stereo RCA to 1/8" jack cable.
Set Main Mix potentiometer to mid position (0 dB) and increase Line 1 (or 2) LEVEL potentiometer until the output level LED indicators 0 ( dB) starts to flash when playing really hard.
To avoid overdriving the input circuitry of the soundcard, you may then need to reduce the mixers MAIN MIX potentiometer a bit.

Tanglewood TW28STE (Shadow P7 EQ) acoustic
Yamaha RGX 320FZ electric guitar/Egnater Tweaker 15 amp.
Yamaha RBX 270 bass/Laney DB 150 amp.
http://www.soundclick.com/kalleinsweden


   
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(@kalle_in_sweden)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 779
 

Hi Again
Come too think about one thing.
Do your Laptop only have one audio input (mic) ?
A mic input is a hi gain/low level input that only can handle low level signals from normal mic´s.
A mixer has a to high signal ( Line Level) output and even an electric guitar can have a too high signal for a mic input.

But my guess is that you can reconfigure the mic input to line level input with Windows audio settings.

Tanglewood TW28STE (Shadow P7 EQ) acoustic
Yamaha RGX 320FZ electric guitar/Egnater Tweaker 15 amp.
Yamaha RBX 270 bass/Laney DB 150 amp.
http://www.soundclick.com/kalleinsweden


   
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(@mbroughton)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 17
Topic starter  

Gents, cheers. I think that has solved my problems!

Kalle, cheers for all the Mixer advice. If I set the GAIN potentiometer until the PEAK output level LED indicators start to flash I start to get all the crackle again. I seem to have to keep these settings really low in order to get a good sound. I will check the Windows Audio Settings when I get back tonight though and see what happens. (As an aside I was in Helsinki last week and watched the Sweeden - Finland Ice Hockey game. Boy were there a lot of glum faces there!)

One final thing, Is it best to go through an amp and then into the mixer do you think? I haven't tried that yet.


   
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(@smokindog)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5345
 

You might try going through the amp line out, but you should not be geting distortion with either method.I use a sm57 or go with the line out on the amp ( or both). I will usually plug my bass right into the mixer.

My Youtube Page
http://www.youtube.com/user/smokindog
http://www.soundclick.com/smokindogandthebluezers

http://www.soundclick.com/guitarforumjams


   
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