Variax Path A, & Mic Path B, assigned to separate outputs POD HD500X

[Cobdog]

First post here, any & all help is appreciated.

Gear- JTV59, POD HD500X, (2) EV ELX 112P

 

Variax is set to input 1, Mic is set to input 2, & I can go in to my powered monitors with either 1/4" or XLR. I could also go in to ONE of my monitors (1/4" or XLR) from my POD & "daisy chain" via the XLR "link" from one monitor to the next. I'm not concerned with having a stereo signal going to my monitors.

 

My powered monitors are exactly as shown in the illustration attached, each having TWO (XLR or 1/4") inputs with their own independent volume controls & a master for overall.

 

Any ideas on the best POD HD500X configuration/connections to allow me SEPARATE volume control of guitar & Mic on my monitors ?

 

To pan, or not to pan in my POD mixer is also eluding me.

 

Thnx for your help !

[edstar1960]

I think the best option for you is to PAN hard L and hard R the paths A and B on the POD mixer block and ensure you don't put any effects in the pre-path before the split - keep the Variax fx blocks on Path A and the Vocal fx blocks on Path B.

 

That way the Variax output will be only coming out of the Pod  L outputs and the Mic outputs will only be coming out of the Pod R outputs.  You can then send the L and R to the appropriate inputs on your monitors and control the volume with the dedicated monitor volume knobs for each input.

[CipherHost]

Keep Input 1 to guitar and Input 2 to mic. Pan one full Left and the other full Right. You can then use the faders in the mixer to adjust volumes independently. 

 

Or insert a volume pedal block in one of the signal chains.

 

Or use the expression pedal to control the volume of the amp.

 

I'm sure there are other options if you get creative. The expression pedal can be used to control just about any parameter in the blocks. You can also use your tone and volume knobs to control parameters just like the expression pedal.

[Cobdog]

I think the best option for you is to PAN hard L and hard R the paths A and B on the POD mixer block and ensure you don't put any effects in the pre-path before the split - keep the Variax fx blocks on Path A and the Vocal fx blocks on Path B.

 

That way the Variax output will be only coming out of the Pod  L outputs and the Mic outputs will only be coming out of the Pod R outputs.  You can then send the L and R to the appropriate inputs on your monitors and control the volume with the dedicated monitor volume knobs for each input.

 

 

So each speaker will bed fed a 1/4"(path A) AND an XLR (path B ) in order to receive path A & B ?

Could the fact that the XLR outputs aren't summed and the 1/4" are, pose a significant signal degradation/difference on the XLR output ? There will be no stereo inserts in the path B (mic) chain.

 

My apologies, but I'm racking my brain over this, but only finding clutter :P

[radatats]

So each speaker will bed fed a 1/4"(path A) AND an XLR (path B ) in order to receive path A & B ?

Could the fact that the XLR outputs aren't summed and the 1/4" are, pose a significant signal degradation/difference on the XLR output ? There will be no stereo inserts in the path B (mic) chain.

 

Move your Mixer block to be the last one in the chain panned hard left and right and that will keep both channels separated.  You will essentially be setting up two parallel mono paths, one to the left and one to the right.  You only need to send one XLR or one 1/4 to your amp and mixer.  However, if you are only sending one 1/4 you should put a dummy jack in the other 1/4 out to avoid summing both channels.  Not an issue with the XLR's.

[edstar1960]

No you don't need to feed both XLR and 1/4 outs of the Pod to your monitors - you can choose to use EITHER the XLR outs or the 1/4 outs of the Pod to feed the inputs of your monitors.

 

Be aware that the XLR outs produce mic level signal and that the 1/4 outs produce LINE level or AMP level depending on what you have the 1/4 switch on top of the Pod set to.  The LINE level output signal choice gives you the strongest (loudest) signal strength. 

 

Also, as Radatats pointed out, be aware that if you only use one 1/4 out that it will automatically sum both L and R channels to that one output.  So if you want to keep the L and R channels separated you need to use both L and R 1/4 outputs - don't just use one. 

 

And as Hurghanico pointed out that if you use a stereo fx in last position on either path A or B that you will need to follow it with a mono fx to sum both halves of the stereo signal back to mono, otherwise you lose half the stereo signal, which may or may not be significant depending on the stereo fx. eg: the analog chorus stereo fx only outputs the fx on one side - so if you didn't sum it to mono then you would either have just the dry signal or full fx signal rather than a mix of both.

Edited February 1, 2016 by edstar1960

[Cobdog]

Once again thank you for your help and input, it is greatly appreciated. However, my ultimate goal is to be able to control my vocal volume and my guitar volume separately using the controls on the back of my powered monitors. I don't see how I can do that with one cable going into one input of my monitors. Am I missing something here ?

[edstar1960]

Yes you are.  Apologies if it was not clear before.

 

The suggested approach allows you to use 2 cables.  One cable for the L output carrying the Variax signal and one cable for the R output carrying the Mic signal.

 

You can choose whether to use the XLR outputs from the Pod or the 1/4 outputs.   That depends on whether you want a mic level input or a line level input into your monitors.

 

Your monitors have 2 inputs available - each with volume control - one input will take the L output feed from the Pod (the variax signal) and the other will take the R output feed (the mic signal).

 

That gives you what you want - individual and separate control at the monitor of the Variax and Mic signals.

[Cobdog]

No need to apologize your help is appreciated.

So adjusting my volume for guitar and mic separately on monitor 1(being fed by POD), will reflect volume levels on monitor 2 if I daisy chain via XLR ?

Therein lies my confusion, I assumed it wouldn't reflect, & I had to run a cable for each input on my monitors.

[radatats]

No need to apologize your help is appreciated.

So adjusting my volume for guitar and mic separately on monitor 1(being fed by POD), will reflect volume levels on monitor 2 if I daisy chain via XLR ?

Therein lies my confusion, I assumed it wouldn't reflect, & I had to run a cable for each input on my monitors.

pretty sure that's correct.  POD to monitor 1 (channels 1 & 2), xlr link from monitor 1 to monitor 2.  Adjust channel levels on monitor 1 between guitar and vocal.  Adjust loudspeaker levels on both monitors for balance and overall volume.

[edstar1960]

Yes, you are correct. As radatats has already confirmed - daisy chaining monitor 2 from monitor 1 will still allow you to control the individual volumes of mic and variax on the monitor 1 which is taking the output signals from the Pod.  Just make sure that your link output control switch on monitor 1 is set to take both Input 1 and Input 2 signals and send them out via the link.

 

Give it a try and see how it works out.

[Cobdog]

Thank you gentlemen for your help. I will try the method suggested. Because of different live settings I am going to try XLR & 1/4" out to one monitor & XLR & 1/4" out to the other as well. Ideally that would give me full control over my mix on stage using ch 1&2 of each monitor, regardless of where my monitors are placed etc. I'm sure it will be a delicate balancing act with the 1/4" being a hotter signal but it's worth a try.

 

Cheers.

[edstar1960]

 I noticed from the picture of your monitor that Input 2 has a mic/line input button option but Input 1 does not, therefore, I suggest you run the XLR to Input 1 as that is mic level so will match, and for input 2 set the button option to LINE and then run the 1/4 inch to that.  That will attenuate the hotter signal.

 

So for the set up we have been talking about, I suggest you take the Pod R XLR out, which should have your mic signal, and run that to the Monitor1 Input 1, then take the Pod L 1/4 inch out which should have your Variax signal and run that to Monitor1 Input 2, with the input set to LINE.   Then for Monitor2 do the reverse, which is take the Pod L XLR out and run that to Monitor2 Input 1, and take Pod R 1/4 inch out and run that to the Monitor2 Input 2 with input set to LINE.  Then use the Volume controls on each channel on each monitor to adjust desired volume levels.

 

That will give you exactly what you want with full control from both monitors.