I am a solo musician and have been hired to play music at a location where they want me to use their mixer and their speakers.
The challenge: Their sound is horrible.
My question: Can I connect my Microphone and Guitar to my T4S Tonematch mixer like I usually do, set the settings on the Tonematch mixer where I like it, but then somehow connect the Tonematch mixer to their Mackie ProFX12v3 regular mixer somewhere and have the sound come through their speakers?
Cuz that would be AWESOME.
(Please answer with pictures cuz I don't know what anything is called...!)
Yes you can. I don’t know how you have your T4S configured; if your tracks I mean channels are panned left and right, for example. That makes a difference on how you’re going to send your signal to their Mackie mixer. If I was you, and I wasn’t using monitoring, I would pan my tracks in a stereo mix and then simply take the headphone output from the T4S and send it to their Mackie. Get a tip ring sleeve mail quarter inch cable to plug into the headphone output That terminates in (2) 1/4 inch male tip sleeve ends.
Most likely their system is running mono so I wouldn’t worry about panning the Mackies two channels that are receiving your output. There are so many variables, as with any set up like this.
As in most situations, my advice is keep it simple.
There is really no need to utilize two channels on the house mixer if you normally play in mono. Treat the Mackie as you would the Bose system you normally connect to. Use a singleTRS cable. Most Mackie mixers have "unity" marked on input trim, channel, and output controls. Ideally those settings will work allowing you to make all mix and volume control from the T4S. Arrive early to do a sound check just to make sure everything works as expected.
Select line level input on a single channel on the Mackie, set all Mackie eq controls flat, which is the 12:00 position. Make sure all FX are off.
Use the T4S as you normally would.
If the advice given here is not completely understood, find the Mackie mixer manual online and study it before the gig. You need to be knowledgeable and confident if you go against the management's wishes.
Just place two cables between your T4S output jacks and the other mixer.
Dave
I'm very glad to hear it's possible BUT I don't know what you mean by "Just place two cables between your T4S output jacks and the other mixer". Could you clarify?
Yes you can. I don’t know how you have your T4S configured; if your tracks I mean channels are panned left and right, for example. That makes a difference on how you’re going to send your signal to their Mackie mixer. If I was you, and I wasn’t using monitoring, I would pan my tracks in a stereo mix and then simply take the headphone output from the T4S and send it to their Mackie. Get a tip ring sleeve mail quarter inch cable to plug into the headphone output That terminates in (2) 1/4 inch male tip sleeve ends.
Most likely their system is running mono so I wouldn’t worry about panning the Mackies two channels that are receiving your output. There are so many variables, as with any set up like this.
Thanks for your help, my friend. Begging your patience as I am sound system-challenged, here's some questions...
You wrote:
"Yes you can. I don’t know how you have your T4S configured; if your tracks I mean channels are panned left and right, for example."
HOW DO I KNOW IF THEY ARE PANNED LEFT OR RIGHT?
"That makes a difference on how you’re going to send your signal to their Mackie mixer. If I was you, and I wasn’t using monitoring, I would pan my tracks in a stereo mix"
HOW DO YOU PAN TRACKS IN A STEREO MIX?
"and then simply take the headphone output from the T4S and send it to their Mackie."
HEADPHONES OUTPUT? WHERE'S THAT? WOULDN'T I USE THE OUT ON THE BACK OF THE T4S MIXER?
"Get a tip ring sleeve mail quarter inch cable to plug into the headphone output That terminates in (2) 1/4 inch male tip sleeve ends."
TIP RING SLEEVE... IS THAT THE CORD WITH TWO LINES ON THE ENDS?
"Most likely their system is running mono so I wouldn’t worry about panning the Mackies two channels that are receiving your output."
I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY'RE RUNNING MONO. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
"There are so many variables, as with any set up like this."
I am a solo musician and have been hired to play music at a location where they want me to use their mixer and their speakers.
The challenge: Their sound is horrible.
Quick thought: If the sound is horrible through the house system (Mackie ProFX12v3 and house speakers), plugging your T4S into that system may not sound much better.
My question: Can I connect my Microphone and Guitar to my T4S Tonematch mixer like I usually do, set the settings on the Tonematch mixer where I like it, but then somehow connect the Tonematch mixer to their Mackie ProFX12v3 regular mixer somewhere and have the sound come through their speakers?
However, like you, I'm optimistic. I have often plugged my ToneMatch mixer into a house PA - mainly so I have control over the EQ and effects. That works when you disable the EQ and effects on the mixer. Otherwise you just compound all the problems.
Whether you connect to one channel or two on the Mackie ProFX12v3, make sure you set all the EQ controls on the channel(s) you use to 12:00 o'clock. And FX send knob off (fully counterclockwise).
Cuz that would be AWESOME.
(Please answer with pictures cuz I don't know what anything is called...!)
As in most situations, my advice is keep it simple.
There is really no need to utilize two channels on the house mixer if you normally play in mono. Treat the Mackie as you would the Bose system you normally connect to. Use a singleTRS cable. Most Mackie mixers have "unity" marked on input trim, channel, and output controls. Ideally those settings will work allowing you to make all mix and volume control from the T4S. Arrive early to do a sound check just to make sure everything works as expected.
Select line level input on a single channel on the Mackie, set all Mackie eq controls flat, which is the 12:00 position. Make sure all FX are off.
Use the T4S as you normally would.
If the advice given here is not completely understood, find the Mackie mixer manual online and study it before the gig. You need to be knowledgeable and confident if you go against the management's wishes.
O..
Thanks so much for your help. Can I ask some clarifying questions?...
You wrote:
"There is really no need to utilize two channels on the house mixer if you normally play in mono."
I DON'T KNOW IF I PLAY IN MONO OR NOT BUT THE IDEA I HAVE SO FAR IS TO GO FROM THE T4S MIXER TO THE MACKIE MIXER ON ONE CHANNEL, NOT TWO. SO...
I'M WITH YOU SO FAR...
"Treat the Mackie as you would the Bose system you normally connect to. Use a singleTRS cable. Most Mackie mixers have "unity" marked on input trim, channel, and output controls."
I LOOKED ON PICS I HAVE OF THE MACKIE MIXER. CAN'T FIND WHERE IT READS 'UNITY'. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
"Ideally those settings will work allowing you to make all mix and volume control from the T4S."
YES. THAT'S THE IDEAL.
"Arrive early to do a sound check just to make sure everything works as expected."
YOU CAN BET ON THAT!
"Select line level input on a single channel on the Mackie,"
AGAIN, COULDN'T FIND 'LINE LEVEL INPUT' ON THE MACKIE. WHAT IS THAT?
set all Mackie eq controls flat, which is the 12:00 position. Make sure all FX are off.
I see we were typing at the same time. I had not seen your most recent posts when I replied immediately above.
I'd suggest you do NOT use the T4S headphone output jack because that will give you an unbalanced signal from the T4S to the mixer. This will leave you vulnerable to line noise.
The only way to know if the house system is running mono or stereo is to ask them. However most places run mono.
Just in case they are running stereo, you can use two cables like this.
Quick thought: If the sound is horrible through the house system (Mackie ProFX12v3 and house speakers), plugging your T4S into that system may not sound much better.
However, like you, I'm optimistic. I have often plugged my ToneMatch mixer into a house PA - mainly so I have control over the EQ and effects. That works when you disable the EQ and effects on the mixer. Otherwise you just compound all the problems.
Whether you connect to one channel or two on the Mackie ProFX12v3, make sure you set all the EQ controls on the channel(s) you use to 12:00 o'clock. And FX send knob off (fully counterclockwise).
As Oldghm said, please read the owners guide for the Mackie ProFX12v3
Get there well before the gig so you can test things out.
ST
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED - PICTURES! Wow.
Yeah. I am going to switch off the FX on the Mackie for sure, and use the FX and EQ of the Tonematch. And it's not that the sound is horrible, it's just that I don't know the Mackie board nearly as well as I do the T4S Mixer and I don't want to waste gigs where they're paying me to figure it out.
I just want to go in, hook up my proven T4S mixer, and GO.
I'm so thankful to everyone for their input... I'm excited to do this gig now!
If you're running stereo from a backing track player then run TWO cables from the TWO output ports into their desk and pan each channel on the desk left and right.
You can plug all the best top of the line devices, the sweetest sounding gizmos you'll ever find into a sound system that sounds horrible and it's not going to improve a horrible sounding system.
Their horrible sounding system will degrade ANY sound source input.
You can plug all the best top of the line devices, the sweetest sounding gizmos you'll ever find into a sound system that sounds horrible and it's not going to improve a horrible sounding system.
Their horrible sounding system will degrade ANY sound source input.
Hi ScubaBadger,
I might agree that not all systems can be improved with a Bose T mixer, but many, if not most, can. On several occasions I have used the S1 line out, the Compact line out, or the T1 as a feed to house systems and got very good results.
Most times the system is not the issue, the way it is setup is the issue, or the person who is in control is the issue.
Sometimes we have to adapt to the wishes of management at the venues we play. Sometimes, even when not required by management, adapting to the house system is the only way to make the time spent, cost effective.
Almost all modern, name brand systems, have a decent overall frequency response that works well with Bose eq and presets. I have experienced some amazing results using the Compact line out into both marginal and high end house systems.
A few years back I purchased an inexpensive, powered, full range system to use at a recurring gig where I wanted to leave the system in house and connect to it with the Compact. The difference between going direct into the inexpensive system and running through the Compact first is night and day.
One of the great features of the T series of mixers is being able to carry your sound with you. Yes, it might be better with the Bose system you created your scenes with, but it will be much easier to get good results on a strange system if you start with your own mix.
I might agree that not all systems can be improved with a Bose T mixer, but many, if not most, can. On several occasions I have used the S1 line out, the Compact line out, or the T1 as a feed to house systems and got very good results.
Most times the system is not the issue, the way it is setup is the issue, or the person who is in control is the issue.
Sometimes we have to adapt to the wishes of management at the venues we play. Sometimes, even when not required by management, adapting to the house system is the only way to make the time spent, cost effective.
Almost all modern, name brand systems, have a decent overall frequency response that works well with Bose eq and presets. I have experienced some amazing results using the Compact line out into both marginal and high end house systems.
A few years back I purchased an inexpensive, powered, full range system to use at a recurring gig where I wanted to leave the system in house and connect to it with the Compact. The difference between going direct into the inexpensive system and running through the Compact first is night and day.
One of the great features of the T series of mixers is being able to carry your sound with you. Yes, it might be better with the Bose system you created your scenes with, but it will be much easier to get good results on a strange system if you start with your own mix.
O..
No argument there, BOSE can improve..
But if the system as described sounds horrible then a better version of horrible is what you'll get.
DMC later said, "And it's not that the sound is horrible, it's just that I don't know the Mackie board nearly as well as I do the T4S Mixer and I don't want to waste gigs where they're paying me to figure it out."
Maybe you'd like to share your personal experiences of utilizing a Bose mixer or Compact, or S1, as an interface with other brand sound equipment.
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