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How to get always a mono signal out of XLR


WolfgangSattler
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I change the settings in the preset's mixer section to center so that all of the outputs are exactly the same, even when I use dual tones.  I am not yet sure how to do this globally, but am interested if anyone has found a way.

 

I was a stereo user for years as I was the only guitarist in my band for a long time, along with keys, and both were produced in stereo.

 

I've found that since switching to a completely mono signal, I can be placed in a mix much more cohesively and there are no more phasing issues to present themselves.  This also helps since I write from a 2 guitarist perspective ala "channeling" where each rhythm guitar part lives in its respective space in the mix.

We basically have one rhythm guitar left, one rhythm guitar right, solos and overdubs respectively placed during mixdown.

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Pan it to center, and every output jack becomes identical.

Try it, trust me.  

 

I've done it this way, ran a 1/4" out line level to the loop return of my Carvin AG100D Acoustic Amp, and the other 1/4" direct to the line input of the PA mixer.

 

They both got the same exact signal.

 

Go to the mixer section, pan everything to center, then place the mixer at the end of the signal chain.

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That does not happen with me, all my patches are with the mixer in the center, but the XLR output is much lower than the 1/4

Pan it to center, and every output jack becomes identical.

Try it, trust me.  

 

I've done it this way, ran a 1/4" out line level to the loop return of my Carvin AG100D Acoustic Amp, and the other 1/4" direct to the line input of the PA mixer.

 

They both got the same exact signal.

 

Go to the mixer section, pan everything to center, then place the mixer at the end of the signal chain.

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Is it "significantly" lower, or just a bit lower?

 

Normally, this should not be an issue as each signal going out will have input trim applied to it anyway at the input of the mixer. 

 

Your XLR's Left & Right will have similar levels respective of each other, but I wouldn't expect that they would be identical to the 1/4" outs. 

 

Also, to what are you connecting the 1/4" outs?  Are you plugging them into an amp, or another line level unit? 

 

Additionally, is the output level switch for those jacks set to "amp" or "line"?

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Putting the mixer at the end of the chain does give you a mono signal but also limits your patch construction.  Placing a mono effect last such as noise gate or hard gate will also give you an identical signal on all four outs. 

 

However, XLR outs are mic level and 1/4 outs are line level.  Totally different signal levels, the XLR is naturally weaker by design to go into a mixing board even though it carries the exact same tone as the 1/4 outs.

 

Of course by design, the left 1/4 out sums to mono provided nothing is plugged into the right 1/4 out for this exact purpose.

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let me say clear, I have a pod hd 500 x, a behringer b212 d, active speaker and a jtv, the sign of 1/4 is signifcantly higher than xlr even if a put the mixer in the end of the chain , in acctulay this didin change anythyng on the sound

 

The XLR outputs are MIC level - the 1/4 inch outputs are LINE level (if switch on front is set to LINE) or INSTRUMENT level (if switch on front is set to AMP).   So the 1/4 inch outputs will be louder because they are designed to be LINE level.  

 

Furthermore - if you were only taking one XLR out then even though you were centering everything at the mixer level you were still only taking half the total output signal (and half at MIC level volume) - but if you were taking one of the 1/4 inch outs then you would be getting both halves of the signal summed in mono (both halves at LINE level volume) - which would exaggerate the difference between MIC and LINE level even more.

Edited by edstar1960
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Better? My preferred outputs are (in order of preference):

 

SPDIF: only go thru the data converters once as they're the biggest source of signal corruption.

XLR: gain is cheap but balanced shielding is not. I'm happy to use a lower signal level to get less noise, interference, and ground loops issues.

1/4": when all else fails, I can always use 1/4".

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