#Y Ching
3 messages in this thread
Rick,
Is it okay to take the stereo outs of my drum machine (or anything
else- reverbs, synths, etc.) and using a "Y" cable plug into an amp? I have
Yo'mamaha's KS10 keyboard amp/speakers. I remember reading something about
not summing inputs or outputs or shotputs???, because the signals would try
to feed into each other.
Same question but now "Y-ing" into a 4-track cassette deck?
BTW, I finally got my Alesis HR16 from MAO. Apparently, Alesis won't allow
anymore mail order sales but since I ordered mine long ago, I got in before
the well went dry. I'm having a blast with it, (using DMCS and Sonix) and I
haven't yet noticed the drum machine going out of sync with those programs,
as you said others have reported.
I think I'm going to stay with DMCSonix until KCS and Music-X have been
reviewed. Do you know if KCS uses the Amiga's infernal voices?
Thanks, George
Hi George!
A Y cable is generally okay on VOLTAGE outputs, which is to say line-level
outputs from drum machines, effects boxes, synthesizers, you name it. On
CURRENT type outputs, such as power amplifiers, you are STRONGLY urged to
avoid doing this at all costs. You can get away with it… you can also fry
your output stage. And the driver stage. And the pre-driver stage. And your
wallet.
Taking the outputs from two DIFFERENT devices and Y-ing them together falls
somewhere inbetween the two extremes. A simple resistive mixer is suggested
as the safe alternative.
How do you like the HR16? I've been toying with the idea of one, but haven't
heard one yet. The Roland MT-32 sounds interesting too: 32 voice
multitimbral PLUS 30 percussion samples for $695. Again, I haven't heard it
earwise… have you?
I'm still waiting for my copy of Music-X; I'm working on the KCS review as we
speak. KCS provides no way to use the Amiga's voices directly, except for a
built-in metronome on one channel. However, you can supposedly loop it back
to another program, like Soundscape Pro MIDI Studio, to get your samples.
The programmer also tells me he wants to do a sample player module for this
purpose too, but it's down on his list a ways.
Rick
Rick,
Thanks for the info! I compared the sounds of several drum machines
and I thought the HR16 sounded fantastic- especially considering the price.
It's very easy to program, and seems more than flexible enough for my needs.
The manual is pretty good but doesn't go into any detail on midi data dump
formats or anything technical. I think Home and Studio recording is going to
review it next issue. I think it's incredible, but I'm a strictly a
low-budget home studio type.
I have listened to the the MT-32 extensively and liked it. I have
heard some incredible demos done on it. If my wife hadn't pulled the plug on
my purchases, I would have bought one. However, more experienced people than
I don't like it very much, based on dozens of messages I have read on local
(Los Angeles) midi BBS's. The problems most cited: noisy, the built in
reverb is poor, volatile memory (won't store patches or settings once powered
off) and a really strange midi channel assignment set-up. The general
opinion seems to be: not for pro or semi-pro recording. Anyway, I think it
blows my FB01 away, and I'd sell the FB01 and replace it with the MT-32, but
I think they look different enough that my wife would notice <grin>.
George