Help With Mixer Setup, using 1/8" audio in on my PBG4/667 Options

[evanmcd]

Hi, I am really impressed by this site and forum; my first time here today. Great job to all those responsible.

I've been struggling with this problem for a while now and have just bought a new mixer (Eurodesk MX-802) with the hope that my old mixer (Spirit Folio) was the problem. It seems, however, that it's not my mixer but my lack of knowledge that is the problem.

I'm a drummer looking to do multi-track recording with my PB G4/667 and Cubase 4.1. Here's how my mixer is setup:

- Electronic drums (Roland V-Drums - the best!) coming in to one of my mixers 1/4" stereo inputs.
- 1/8" output from computer into mixers RCA tape in (for monitoring output from Cubase)
- tape in is sent to main mix (which I'm not using) so that I don't get signal from cubase sent back in to computer.

The problem comes when trying to get a stereo output from the mixer in to my 1/8" stereo input on my computer.

I've tried using the RCA tape out, the 1/4" control room outs, and even the AUX send, but all I get is a mono signal in cubase.

I thought that it must be a problem with my input jack, but after a while I tried sending my headphone out to the computer... and it sounded great! perfect strong stereo signal.

I've tried monitoring the output through the computers out rather than sending it to the mixer, but I get horrible latency.

So I guess my question is: how do I rig my setup so it works correctly?

I won't be surprised (or too embarrassed) if there turns out to be a simple solution, but I've tried lots of things and searched this forum for answers and still am at a loss.

Thanks so much to anyone who might help me out with this.

Sincerely...Evan

[trlynham]

Alright Evanmcd-

You answered all of my questions successfully, and it sounds like you're doing everything right in terms of the mixer and brain inputs & outputs (by the way, I guess the term 'brain' is a throwback to the days of the old Simmons drums, when we all thought that electronic drums were going to take over the world!)
However, as you mentioned, I would use two separate mono channels while you're troubleshooting, just so that you can isolate the left and rights as much as possible. I've got a Behringer MX 1604, which also has the 'stereo' channels for inputs 5-12, but when I'm just hooking up one stereo device I like to use channels 1 & 2 so that I can EQ the left and right independently. If you've panned the individual v-drums left or right within the TD-10 to create an accurate stereo 'picture' of a drum kit (i.e., hi hat on the right, ride on the left, etc.) then you may want to be able to EQ and/or effect the two sides separately. But for now, separate mono channels are just a means of figuring out what's being received by the computer and what's not. Oh, and make sure that channel 1 is panned hard left and channel 2 panned hard right.
For even more clarity, go into the td-10 and pan the bass drum all the way to the left and the snare drum all the way to the right. Then create a Cubase project with two audio tracks, with "Audio 01" set up to receive on "In 1" and "Audio 02" to receive on "In 2". Open up the mixer. Now when you hit the bass drum, the meter in "Audio 01" should jump, and the snare should do the same on "Audio 02".
Okay -- if what I just described doesn't happen (and it probably won't, otherwise we wouldn't be here) then we've isolated the problem down to either your basic audio settings in cubase or your computer's audio input configuration.
What type of audio interface are you using? You only mention the 1/8" input, but is there any other way to get audio into your computer that might be configured as the default 'stereo' input? I'm certainly not a software 'techie', but if you configure things the way that I suggested, you'll be much more adept if and when you have to call cubase or your audio hardware manufacturer. They are the best source when it comes to minute little driver problems and what-not, but I've always found that if I streamline my problem first, and do as much isolating as possible with the hardware that is probably not the problem, then the tech-support bullshit gets where I want it to a lot faster.
I'm probably signing off on your problem here, because I don't really have much more to offer in terms of hardware issues, but if you need any more help or clarification, feel free to e-mail me at trlynham@yahoo.com.
Good luck, Tom