I’m planking on buying a 16 or 32 Bose L1 Pro.
can I connect my traktor S2 controller directly into the speaker or do I need a mixer to go along with it?
Marius Pedersen 🙂
Hello Circolocofanatic,
You can connect the Traktor S2 directly to the L1 Pro series without a mixer. You can then control the mix via the controls on the L1 Pro or via the L1 Mix app.
There are a couple of different ways to connect your controller:
1. For the best possible signal, use two 1/4" TRS-TRS balanced cables, like this:
Run them from the Main 1 and 2 on the controller to two channels on the L1 Pro. If you are using a mic plugged into your Traktor, then use channels 1 and 2. If you are going to connect a mic directly to your L1 Pro, plug it into channel 1 and use channels 2 and 3 for the controller. Explore the ToneMatch preset library in the L1 Mix app to select an appropriate setting for the channels. Note: If you plan on running stereo to two L1 Pro's, this is the only way you should connect them. Run one cable to a channel on L1 Pro, the other cable to a channel on the other L1 Pro.
2. You can also use a Y-cable with two RCA plugs on one end and a 1/8" TRS jack on the other, like this:
This cable is not balanced and the connectors are less robust, so they are more prone to interference. Run them from the RCA jacks (Outputs 1 and 2) to the Aux input on the L1 Pro channel 3. The advantage is that you only use one channel on the L1 Pro.
Does that help?
having a hard time finding out how to connect as to your first proposition.
the S2 only has two RCA outs and as it seems one 3.5 stereo output which I’ve never used?
The TRS balanced cables doesn’t fit into the rca out on the S2, do they?
Hello again Circolocofanatic,
I apologize for the confusion. The Traktor S2 manual I looked at showed two RCA jacks and two 1/4" TRS jacks. Turns out there have been different models of the Traktor S2.
The RCA method I described will work, although it would probably be easier just to use a single 3.5mm (1/8") TRS-TRS cable like this:
If you want to run longer distances from your controller to your L1, you could invest in an audio converter, like the RapcoHorizon LTIBLOX:
Plug the 3.5mm (1/8") end into your controller, then run an XLR female to 1/4" TRS male cable to the L1 Pro. The LTIBLOX combines and converts your unbalanced left and right stereo signal to balanced pro audio, so you can run a long cable reliably.
If you decide you ever want to use two L1 Pro's in stereo, get a RapcoHorizon LTI-1 instead:
It's like a double LTIBLOX and hooks up the same way, except it maintains the stereo signal. You run two XLR-TRS cables, one to each L1 Pro. If you're using only one L1 Pro, it has a mono/stereo switch so you can run just one cable and still get both the left and right channels combined in one connection.
You could always invest in a small format mixer to connect between your controller and your L1 Pro. That would give you more versatility and probably cost about the same as the interface boxes, but It also adds another level of complexity.
Does that help?