Hi....im learning how to use my Behringer 2442 and i have a doubt:
im trying to use my cubase insert effects over the sound that is coming out of my mixer but i dont know how to use insert fx on my mixer....i mean.....i send the sound into my soundcard than i put the insert fx inside cubase and send this modified sound back to the mixer (now into the insert inputs) but when i plug the cables into the insert input i hear no sound at all
am i using wrong cables (1/4 inch balanced)???
PS: when i send the modified sound to another "normal" channel in my mixer i can hear the modified sound on it but unfortunatly it is being played toguether with the original sound at the same time(so i hear a phaser sound)
btw: this forum rulez
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How to use Insert fx on a mixer
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- KVRAF
- 25031 posts since 12 Jul, 2003 from West Caprazumia
not sure what you're trying to do tbh - it all sounds weird... 
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- AcousticHippie
- 4769 posts since 12 Mar, 2003
well insert cables are usually one stereo jack (for in and out) and two monos one for in and one for out....
don't know if you look for this info though
I'm not really a hardware guru
or if you don't wanna use special insert cables you could use send and return....
send to your soundcards in .... soundcards out to return
don't know if you look for this info though
I'm not really a hardware guru
or if you don't wanna use special insert cables you could use send and return....
send to your soundcards in .... soundcards out to return
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- KVRAF
- 6490 posts since 14 Jun, 2004 from Rochester, NY
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 92 posts since 11 Jul, 2002
multree wrote:well insert cables are usually one stereo jack (for in and out) and two monos one for in and one for out....
don't know if you look for this info though
I'm not really a hardware guru
or if you don't wanna use special insert cables you could use send and return....
send to your soundcards in .... soundcards out to return
I didnt understand: if i wanna use an insert fx i have to have a special cable?? how many cables? 2 stereo?? 2 monos?? explain plz :/
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- KVRAF
- 25031 posts since 12 Jul, 2003 from West Caprazumia
one cable with three jacks - one end is one stereo jack - the other end has got two mono jacks - one goes into the input of the fx and the other one goes into the output of the fx...
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- KVRAF
- 8706 posts since 24 May, 2002 from Tutukaka, New Zealand
SYNTH...forget about the insert sockets on your mixer. The only credible reason you'd need to use those is if you have hardware units such as Eqs, compressors, gates or enhancers. Other FX such as reverbs, delays etc, you'd use as aux sends.
(There are plenty of scenarios I could think of where I would maybe want to use inserts for other reasons, but they're not the common ones you use every day).
You can use the inserts to return the soundcard output with FX, but it's a pretty weird way of doing it though. If you have to use s/w FX and then return it to the mixer, just return it into proper channels - that way you still get access to the sends, Eqs, routing etc.
The straight-forward way would be:
Mixer channel out -> soundcard in -> s/w FX -> soundcard out (on a different buss) -> mixer channel in.
If you want to use the insert, as mentioned, you need a Y-cable (stereo at one end, and two mono cables at the other):
Mixer insert-> out cable to soundcard in -> s/w FX -> soundcard out (different buss)to insert in cable.
Two basic things; Inserts....an insert redirects the channel to an FX unit, which process the sound (usually for the process of completely altering a sound) then patches the changed sound back into the insert. So it comes back at exactly the same point in the signal path that it left. The idea of inserts is that you completely change a sound....you can use a dry/wet mix within the FX unit......but normally if you want to mix dry/wet, you wouldn't use an insert in the h/w world.
Sends...takes the signal out and passes it to an FX....but the difference is that it is returned at a different point in the signal path, and it is then mixed in over the top of the original source.
Inserts = alter
Sends = add to
If you try and use the inserts to route into the PC and back to the desk, you'll get into all kinds of trouble with doubled and delayed inputs unless you carefull mute out the s/w mixer channels and/or the h/w channels. Think about this - you need to have the s/w mixer channel audible so that you can use your s/w FX. So your s/w channel is going to go into the mix within the PC. You're routing that s/w channel back into the mixer, so it is audible there too. Unless you mute the s/w channel, you have 2 identical channels playing (probably one with some latency...hence the phasing effect). If you mute the s/w channel, there'll be no sound coming back to the mixer. Catch 22. So you need to use alternate busses within the s/w host that don't actually transmit to the main soundcard outs. If it's a stereo channel, you're already using 4 soundcard outs just to get one channel onto your mixer and one as the main mix out - not good use of resources, my friend.
You can do all of that, but what type of soundcard do you have? Unless you have multiple in/outs, you have to know your way around a mixer to avoid trouble. I'd actually avoid using a mixer to mix channels that need s/w FX - easier on the brain all around. Use the PC to mix anything that needs s/w FX, and use the mixer to either mix group busses, or just stick with channels that don't need s/w FX. Or use the mixer only for your h/w and then feed it into the PC host mix.
(There are plenty of scenarios I could think of where I would maybe want to use inserts for other reasons, but they're not the common ones you use every day).
You can use the inserts to return the soundcard output with FX, but it's a pretty weird way of doing it though. If you have to use s/w FX and then return it to the mixer, just return it into proper channels - that way you still get access to the sends, Eqs, routing etc.
The straight-forward way would be:
Mixer channel out -> soundcard in -> s/w FX -> soundcard out (on a different buss) -> mixer channel in.
If you want to use the insert, as mentioned, you need a Y-cable (stereo at one end, and two mono cables at the other):
Mixer insert-> out cable to soundcard in -> s/w FX -> soundcard out (different buss)to insert in cable.
Two basic things; Inserts....an insert redirects the channel to an FX unit, which process the sound (usually for the process of completely altering a sound) then patches the changed sound back into the insert. So it comes back at exactly the same point in the signal path that it left. The idea of inserts is that you completely change a sound....you can use a dry/wet mix within the FX unit......but normally if you want to mix dry/wet, you wouldn't use an insert in the h/w world.
Sends...takes the signal out and passes it to an FX....but the difference is that it is returned at a different point in the signal path, and it is then mixed in over the top of the original source.
Inserts = alter
Sends = add to
If you try and use the inserts to route into the PC and back to the desk, you'll get into all kinds of trouble with doubled and delayed inputs unless you carefull mute out the s/w mixer channels and/or the h/w channels. Think about this - you need to have the s/w mixer channel audible so that you can use your s/w FX. So your s/w channel is going to go into the mix within the PC. You're routing that s/w channel back into the mixer, so it is audible there too. Unless you mute the s/w channel, you have 2 identical channels playing (probably one with some latency...hence the phasing effect). If you mute the s/w channel, there'll be no sound coming back to the mixer. Catch 22. So you need to use alternate busses within the s/w host that don't actually transmit to the main soundcard outs. If it's a stereo channel, you're already using 4 soundcard outs just to get one channel onto your mixer and one as the main mix out - not good use of resources, my friend.
You can do all of that, but what type of soundcard do you have? Unless you have multiple in/outs, you have to know your way around a mixer to avoid trouble. I'd actually avoid using a mixer to mix channels that need s/w FX - easier on the brain all around. Use the PC to mix anything that needs s/w FX, and use the mixer to either mix group busses, or just stick with channels that don't need s/w FX. Or use the mixer only for your h/w and then feed it into the PC host mix.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 92 posts since 11 Jul, 2002
thanks for the help guys....
now i got it: i connected my insert into my soundcard mono input (firewire 410) and sent this modified sound into another mixer's channel (where i can hear the modified sound alone)....all i have to do is to put the original volume down and all i will hear is the modified one in the other channel
But my last question is: if the insert socket sends and receives the signal, can't i just connect this insert into the soundcard mono input and i wont need any cable to send the sound back in the mixer??
now i got it: i connected my insert into my soundcard mono input (firewire 410) and sent this modified sound into another mixer's channel (where i can hear the modified sound alone)....all i have to do is to put the original volume down and all i will hear is the modified one in the other channel
But my last question is: if the insert socket sends and receives the signal, can't i just connect this insert into the soundcard mono input and i wont need any cable to send the sound back in the mixer??
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- KVRAF
- 8706 posts since 24 May, 2002 from Tutukaka, New Zealand
Yep, you can do it that way...although traditionally you'd use the direct out to do that kind of thing (so that you still have access to the insert for insertFX.But my last question is: if the insert socket sends and receives the signal, can't i just connect this insert into the soundcard mono input and i wont need any cable to send the sound back in the mixer??
But I don't know if your desk has a direct out. Sure, you can use the insert as a direct out.
