Hello all! Just got my Pro32 Sub2 with T8S. I am sure this has been covered but I need to get the best sound from the mixer to the tower base. Last night was my first night using it and I used the 1/4 out of the mixer into the 1/4 input on the system EQ channel in the base and selected live sound. I had to turn my tower base up the entire way to get a good sound throughout the venue. I don’t think I should have to turn it up so far to get the sound out of my mixer. Thoughts?
Hello Justintune,
Congratulations on your new equipment! The T8s and L1 Pro32 should be quite a potent combination. Here are some suggestions to make sure you're getting the most out of your equipment. What inputs are you sending into the T8s, i.e. microphones, instruments, laptop/tablet/phone/MP3 player? (Proper connections for digital music players are very important.)
There are two ways to connect your T8s to your Pro32:
- As you described, by using a 1/4" cable, while powering the T8s from its included ToneMatch power supply. Make sure you are using a TRS-TRS balanced cable for best performance and noise rejection. A TS-TS cable will work, but the signal level will be lower and subject to noise.
- By connecting the T8s to the Pro32 with a ToneMatch cable for both power and signal. This is covered in the Pro32 manual, but not the T8s manual (since the T8s came out long before the L1 Pro systems.) You won't need the 1/4" cable at all, and you can turn all three Pro32 channels down to zero. The ToneMatch cable is a robust CAT5 cable with locking ends. If you don't have one, you can use a standard CAT5 Ethernet cable directly between the T8s and Pro32. (If this works for you, I'd look into obtaining a ToneMatch cable for the long term.)
Two very important points about the T8s:
- Check the firmware level on your T8s to make sure it's up to date. (It may have been sitting on a warehouse shelf for a while.) Instructions to check the version are here, and if needed, the instructions to perform a firmware update are here. If you update your firmware, be sure to to the T8s reset -- updates will not take effect until you do. Firmware updates include improvements for routing, reverb, and "digital noise".
- Proper gain staging of your inputs is very important to make sure you have a full signal coming into your mixer from your microphones, instruments, and/or digital music players. Use each channel's trim control to adjust the incoming signal so you get steady green. Flashes of red are OK, but steady red indicates clipping. Here's a great video explaining the steps.
After checking the firmware and doing your gain staging, you're ready to test. If you use the 1/4" cable connection method, make sure you're coming from the L master out on the T8s. You can connect the other end to any of channels 1, 2, or 3. If you use the ToneMatch cable connection method, it will automatically send the L main out signal. Then use the Aux/Pan control to pan each channel left. This will ensure the full signal goes to the left main output.
On your T8s, turn each channel's volume all the way down. Bring the master volume up to about the "3" mark (about 10 pm on a clock dial.) That should be a good starting point. If you're using the 1/4" cable connection method, bring the connected Pro32 channel up to about the 3 mark as a starting point well.
Start making music. The trim LED's on your T8s should be green. Bring up the channel volume controls for each channel that has music running. You should start hearing music from your Pro32. Use the channel volume controls to mix your signal, then raise or lower the master volume to adjust the overall mix being sent to your Pro32.
If you're using the ToneMatch cable, just use the T8s controls; you won't need to do anything on the Pro32 base. If you're using the 1/4" cable, watch the Pro32 channel LED to make sure it's not steady red -- if it is, turn down the T8s master volume (same technique as gain staging the T8s inputs.) If it's steady green, you can use the Pro32's channel volume to make further adjustments.
Sorry for the long-winded post, but each step is important for best performance. If you still don't get the performance you're looking for, please come back and tell us the exact inputs and connecting cables you're using to the T8s.
Does that help?
Wow thank you so much for this in depth reply, this has truly taught me a lot and I really appreciate it! It is hard to fathom that a tone match cable isn’t provided given I just spent over $4k lol but there are other ways to connect at least so I will likely try those options first - thank you again!!
Sorry and to answer your question, I am sending in three XLR cable Shure beta mics and two 1/4 Gibson guitars
Hello again, Justintune,
"Wow thank you so much for this in depth reply..." You're welcome.
"It is hard to fathom that a tone match cable isn’t provided..." I understand your concern about the ToneMatch cable ... it was included with the original T1 and is with the T4s. Those mixers could be powered by the L1 Model II or 1s, where the T8s could not. (The L1 Pro series wasn't introduced for nearly three years after the T8s.) That's why they include the power supply with the T8s, instead of the ToneMatch cable. The power supply is an extra purchase for the T1 or T4s.
The ToneMatch cable that Bose sells is an "Ethercon cable." Ethercon cables are available in various lengths from many computer parts suppliers, and the L1 systems will support lengths up to 50' (the Bose cable is 18', and that's way plenty for me.) As I said, a standard CAT5 cable works fine, the only difference between them is the locking protective ends and more robust jacket.
Good luck with your testing!