Using "Y" adapters

EPAC_Matt

Member
I've been thinking.. for our fall production (Macbeth) I'd like to be able to individually control the levels at which our minidisk and CD decks send to our four balconly and catwalk monitors (4 of these plus the two main house speakers used to create a 6 channel simulated surround sound). The most conventional method would be to use the four pre-fade aux sends on our Mackie SR-24x4 VLZ Pro, but I'td be quite nice if I could control these levels via faders instead of aux send knobs.

I thought .. maybe we could use a second mixer then?

Would I risk greatly degrading the signal if I were to run my two minidisk decks into Mixer 1 (Mackie SR24x4), then use the channel faders on that board to send to the main mix (house speakers) then put the aux sends at unity or so, then split the aux sends with y-adapters and connect to the linelevel channel inputs on mixer 2, where each channel would send to one of four aux sends on that board which would go to the amps?

If that made any sense at all...

I guess.. Here's an example.
Our minidisk deck 1 would be plugged into channels 1 and 2 on the SR24x4. Channel 1 would send to Aux Send 1. Channel 2 would send to Aux Send Two. Channels 1 and 2 would be labeled "Minidisk 1 House" and the LR button would be pressed.

Mixer 1 Aux 1 would be connected to Mixer 2's channels 1 and 3 using a 'y' adapter
Mixer 1 Aux 2 would be connected to Mixer 2's channels 2 and 4 using a 'y' adapter

Mixer 2 Channel 1 would send to post-fade aux 1
Mixer 2 Channel 2 would send to post-fade aux 2
Mixer 2 Channel 3 would send to post-fade aux 3
Mixer 2 Channel 4 would send to post-fade aux 4

Mixer 2 Chanenls 1 and 2 would be labled "Minidisk 1 Balconly Left and Right"
Mixer 2 Channels 3 and 4 would be labled "Minidisk 1 2nd AP Left and Right"

Mixer 2 Auxes 1 and 2 go to balconly left and right amps, and auxes 3 and 4 go to the 2nd AP left and right amps.

I'd do essentially the same thing for the second minidisk deck, eating up 8 total channels on mixer 2, However, splitting a signal from Mixer 1's aux sends isn't going to cause any ... issues.. will it? Thank you!

Regards,
Matt
 
Your setup would work as you suggest without any problems (as far as I can figure without writing anything down), even though it seems alot of work and precision for a high school production. (ie, you're the only one who will probably appreciate it in the end).

The only time you have to be careful of a Y splitter is if you plugged into two channels and they both sent to the same source. It would create a +3dB "sum" of the signals that might make your output a little too hot.
 
that is why people sometimes dislike me "I am a little too hot" rofl (rolling on the floor laughing)!!!
 
RelativeMischief said:
The only time you have to be careful of a Y splitter is if you plugged into two channels and they both sent to the same source. It would create a +3dB "sum" of the signals that might make your output a little too hot.

Actually, it will be a great deal more problematic than that. There are many technical reasons why you should *never* use a normal wye splitter to combine sources. Read this Rane Note for more details: Why not Wye?
 
EPAC_Matt said:
I've been thinking.. for our fall production (Macbeth) I'd like to be able to individually control the levels at which our minidisk and CD decks send to our four balconly and catwalk monitors (4 of these plus the two main house speakers used to create a 6 channel simulated surround sound).

Matt, can you clarify for me what it is exactly that you're attempting to achieve? From what I've read, it seems that you're trying to take a stereo input and mix it down to six outputs in the house, all with separately controllable levels. It is really necessary to have levels for each and every speaker, or it is only necessary to have one master fader that can control all of the outputs at once?
 
avkid said:
that is why people sometimes dislike me "I am a little too hot" rofl (rolling on the floor laughing)!!!


hehehehe ya ... That was an "early morning before work" post :p But I think I'll just leave it.

EDIT:
Actually, it will be a great deal more problematic than that. There are many technical reasons why you should *never* use a normal wye splitter to combine sources. Read this Rane Note for more details: Why not Wye?

Just finished reading the article. I was refering to splittling a signal with the Y and sending it to the same source through the mixer. The article talks about summing the signal of two sources (likely a stereo L/R source from the sound of it) into one channel on the mixer.
 
mbenonis got it correct, and yes, I wanted to have individual control over all the outputs, but I think I'm just not going to go through the trouble of using a second mixer with this, the 24x4 vlz pro's aux send knobs will suffice. Thanks all for the input though 8)
 
Why not just use a Y splitter straight from the minidisc player? By sending the signal first through one board, and then using auxs to feed a second board, you're just asking for trouble. While I don't think there is anything technically wrong with it, it's an overly complicated setup and by adding more parts than necessary into the signal chain it's increasing the possiblity that something will go wrong. Like...what if someone fiddled with the gain on the main board for that channel? Then you would end up affecting your second board, which was supposed to have a completely separate mix anyways.

Once I attempted to use two boards to do a live recording. I wanted to mix the house on my digital board, but needed the direct outs from the analog one. So using a complex mess of auxs and submasters I managed to get it hooked up and have the house mix separate from the recording sends. Unfortunetly having two boards left room for more error....and I accidentally forgot to turn on phantom power on the second board. Not to mention the weird gain structure of going through two pres was just a big mess...and it sounded awful. I ended up scratching the whole thing and just mixing on the analog board. I had to do without processing and effects....but it worked.

Just buy some splitter cables, or make them. Is this just for the minidisc player? Especially if it's just for one source, the simplicity far outweighs any inconvenience it may be to you to buy or make a splitter cable....assuming you don't already have one laying around somewhere.
 

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