UB802 Mixer/Recording Questions

Are the laptop and mixer plugged into the same power outlet? Or different outlets, but the same circuit? I would try to plug them into different circuits and see what happens.

Are the laptop and mixer plugged into the same power outlet? Or different outlets, but the same circuit? I would try to plug them into different circuits and see what happens.

I did that...I ran a 50ft extension chord to the other room and ran that to the laptop. Still have the noise. My temporary solution was to alter the power setting in the laptop when on battery. I have it set to shut off after 1 hour instead of 2 minutes. I saved the settings as a Power Scheme so I can switch to it when I need to. However if plan on using the laptop for extended periods it will drain the battery. I think they make surge protectors with filters for this.

Thanks for the tip

Hi Mike
If its possible, take out the laptop mains connector from wall outlet and turn it 180 degrees and put it in again. By this you change the mains "hot" phase cable and "cold" zero cable into the rectifier of the laptop.
You want to have the "cold" zero cable connected to the "chassi" of the Laptop and the "chassi" of the V-Amp.
Turning the mains connector of test equipment is an old electronic lab trick to reduce hum and noise in sensitive measurement lab setups.

Kalle,

Thanks for the tip but Dell has their power supply to only plug in one way. It has a transformer in the middle of the chord and it only plugs one way. The wall outlet has a grounds prong and it to only goes one way into the wall...

Hmm, is that transformer in the power cord anywhere near the mixer? Is the laptop itself located next to the mixer?

There is two more possibilities. I know that most default configs power up the processors more in laptops when connected to power, which in turns runs hotter, fans come on, etc. I use a program called "SpeedSwitch XP" on mine to make sure the processor is running all out when connected to power. I was playing games on it for a while and could tell when the processor was being turned down (mhz wise) by the performance of the game.

Really, I have no idea. I'm just throwing possible stuff out there 8)

The laptop is near the mixer but once the power chord is unplugged the problem does not occur...plud the transformer is on the floor behind me about as far away as the chord will allow. I think it's just the power chord in general...they do tend to emitt waves. I know where I grew up there was a power transformer not to far away and whenever we went near it with radios, CB's, etc it caused static. I think a filter may help this but I was hoping there could be a FREE solution :wink:

Thanks again

Hi Mike
What type of unwanted noise/statics do you hear :
-low frequency 60 Hz hum ( this could be from a 60Hz transformer in the power cables voltage converter)
-Higher frequency tones ( It could be from a switched voltage converter in the power cable)
-Other types of sounds ?

Some fault finding questions ;
Can you still hear the statics when you reduce all level knobs of the mixer to zero ?
Or when you disconnect all cables from the V-Amp to the Mixer ?
Or when you disconnect the power cables from the mixer and V-Amp?

Here is a recording of the noise I am getting. From what the guy at the guitar store told me it is either from the laptop chord or from the house wiring. An AC noise filter should stop it. However he wanted to sell me a $200 Moster Noise Suppressor and Radio Shack has one for $19!

When the laptop's power chord is unplugged the recording is crystal clear.

Static

I have another question to do with the UB802. Thought I'd give it a try in this thread. Can I connect my soundcard line out back to my 802 via the Stereo Aux Return? The reason I want to do this is to record some drum tracks from a software drum program into Audacity. I assume by using the Phones jack on the 802 I can monitor the sound in this connection configuration.
So the total wiring scheme would go like this: mikes into the 802, Main Out to the soundcard Line In, Line Out of soundcard to Stereo Aux Return of 802 and finally headphones to Phones of the 802. Now that I've written this linear, I think this will not work. I think this will only give me monitoring via the Phone jack on the 802. To record something from the soundcard I'll have use the Line Out of the soundcard to Line In 3/4 or 5/6 of the 802. This would be just to record the drum track. Then I would disconnect it and record my acoustic with mics creating another track.
This kind of stuff really befuddles this old brain. I don't want to destroy anything.
Any ideas?

I have another question to do with the UB802. Thought I'd give it a try in this thread. Can I connect my soundcard line out back to my 802 via the Stereo Aux Return? The reason I want to do this is to record some drum tracks from a software drum program into Audacity. I assume by using the Phones jack on the 802 I can monitor the sound in this connection configuration.
So the total wiring scheme would go like this: mikes into the 802, Main Out to the soundcard Line In, Line Out of soundcard to Stereo Aux Return of 802 and finally headphones to Phones of the 802. Now that I've written this linear, I think this will not work. I think this will only give me monitoring via the Phone jack on the 802. To record something from the soundcard I'll have use the Line Out of the soundcard to Line In 3/4 or 5/6 of the 802. This would be just to record the drum track. Then I would disconnect it and record my acoustic with mics creating another track.
This kind of stuff really befuddles this old brain. I don't want to destroy anything.
Any ideas?

Is there a reason why you just can't import the drum files directly into Audacity since they are already on your computer? Or you can set Audacity to record from your sound card (which it already is doing if you are recording) and just play the drum track and Audacity should record it.

If you were to use the mixer I would use the Tape In jacks instead of the Stereo Aux. However you could use the Line In 3/4 or 5/6 of the UB802...as long as you have the right cables (1/8 to 1/4 Y-cable)

Is there a reason why you just can't import the drum files directly into Audacity since they are already on your computer? Or you can set Audacity to record from your sound card (which it already is doing if you are recording) and just play the drum track and Audacity should record it.

If you were to use the mixer I would use the Tape In jacks instead of the Stereo Aux. However you could use the Line In 3/4 or 5/6 of the UB802...as long as you have the right cables (1/8 to 1/4 Y-cable)

It's a free trial drum software that only allows you to hear the drum sounds generated; there are no wave files generated that are accessable (at least I don't know how). I understand now how the Tape Input could be used. I think I have a 1/8" mini jack to 2 RCAs for this application.
thx
Hopefully I'll begin to understand how all this works. Waiting for my Audio Technica condenser mikes. Tried a cheap NexxTech (Radio Shack) dynamic mike, it was not good. Hoping the Audio Technicas will do the trick. If so I'll probably exchange my SoundBlaster Live for an M-Audio 24/96 soundcard. Then all that is left is to hone my guitar skills. LOL! It never ends.

Hi
I don´t think it is possible to playback a sound from your drum SW and the same time record the same sound into Audacity.
Do this test first to see if it is possible:
Setup Audacity for recording from soundcard input , start playback of the drum SW and check that you have the drum sound on the soundcard output.
Then activate recording in Audacity of whatever signal you have on the soundcard input.
If you can record a signal in auadacity during the same time you can playback a signal from your drum SW it should be possible to loop the drum signal from soundcard output to soundcard input and record same signal in audacity.
But sometimes the soundcards don´t like to have same same output signal on the input during recording, you will get a positive feedback loop that starts an oscillation

I "discovered" a "new" way to use V-AMP 2 as FX-unit together with the mixer UB802.
Connect mic input on V-AMP to FX out on UB802 and outputs on V-AMP to FX inputs on UB802. Then deactivate pre-amp (with Amp & Speaker simulation) on V-AMP by pressing TAB button and Tuner button. The V-Amp will then act as an FX unit (with all and only its FX effects) in the FX loop of the UB802 mixer.
This is very good as you can use compressor effects when you use a Vocal mic on the mixer.
Or compressor and reverb effects when you connect an acoustic guitar (with built in mic) to the mixer.
And when you want use an electric guitar on the V-Amp, just disconnect the FX-loop cable from the V-AMP mic input and connect the electric guitar cable there. Then press one of the "bank" buttons on the V-Amp and you have it´s full function.

I "discovered" a "new" way to use V-AMP 2 as FX-unit together with the mixer UB802.
Connect mic input on V-AMP to FX out on UB802 and outputs on V-AMP to FX inputs on UB802. Then deactivate pre-amp (with Amp & Speaker simulation) on V-AMP by pressing TAB button and Tuner button. The V-Amp will then act as an FX unit (with all and only its FX effects) in the FX loop of the UB802 mixer.
This is very good as you can use compressor effects when you use a Vocal mic on the mixer.
Or compressor and reverb effects when you connect an acoustic guitar (with built in mic) to the mixer.
And when you want use an electric guitar on the V-Amp, just disconnect the FX-loop cable from the V-AMP mic input and connect the electric guitar cable there. Then press one of the "bank" buttons on the V-Amp and you have it´s full function.

If you check V-Amp's manual there is a way to set the V-Amp to seperate the effects from the amp/cab sims...I believe S1 (Studio 1) is the normal setting (everything is one signal) and S2 (Studio 2) will seperate the two. There is also an L1 (Live 1) and L2 (Live 2) for live performanced but I can't remember what thewy do.

They use the terms wet (with effects) and dry (seperate effects from amps/cabs). This way if you record a the tracks the effects are kept seperate from the actual guitar so you can tweak the effects and not have to re-record the track.