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Tomas Billet
Guest
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 Posted:
Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
Best Way To Switch Between Monitors? |
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I have 2 sets of monitors.
One set is active, IOW it has built in amplifiers.
The other set is passive and I have it hooked to an amp.
I am using a Mackie 1604 VLZ mixer.
What would be the best way of hooking up both monitors so that I can
easily and quickly (minimum of button presses) switch between them?
I am running them balanced BTW with TRS 1/4 inch plugs.
I would like to do this without purchasing any outboard gear (Bgi Knob
etc) if possible.
I don't mind building a switchbox if someone would point me to a simple
schematic!
Thanks in advance!
TB
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Scott Dorsey
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
Re: Best Way To Switch Between Monitors? |
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Tomas Billet <billet144.55@spamtrap.org> wrote:
| Quote: | I have 2 sets of monitors.
One set is active, IOW it has built in amplifiers.
The other set is passive and I have it hooked to an amp.
I am using a Mackie 1604 VLZ mixer.
What would be the best way of hooking up both monitors so that I can
easily and quickly (minimum of button presses) switch between them?
|
A switch.
| Quote: | I am running them balanced BTW with TRS 1/4 inch plugs.
I would like to do this without purchasing any outboard gear (Bgi Knob
etc) if possible.
|
You will need a switch. You can build your own in a project box, or
you can buy a commercial balanced one. Or you can buy a cheap one from
Radio Shack and run unbalanced to the monitors, which is probably fine.
| Quote: | I don't mind building a switchbox if someone would point me to a simple
schematic!
|
You need a 4PDT switch with silver or gold contacts. C&K makes some
that Digi-Key will carry. Then you need six TRS jacks.... tip and
ring of left and right outputs for speaker 1 go to the top set of
contacts... tip and ring of left and right outputs for speaker 2
go to the bottom set.... tip and ring of the input goes to the middle
set of contacts (the common ones).
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Nov 02, 2005 2:46 am Post subject:
Re: Best Way To Switch Between Monitors? |
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| you might want to look at the Mackie Big Knob. |
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Mike Rivers
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Nov 02, 2005 3:37 am Post subject:
Re: Best Way To Switch Between Monitors? |
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jakdedert wrote:
| Quote: | The OP said he wanted to make it as simple as possible to switch
monitors. The amplifier in his monitor system is probably set at full
gain, or something close to it.
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He may have to adjust his gain settings. The idea of switching between
monitors is so that you get to hear two different flavors, but you want
to adjust the levels so that you get the same listening volume (SPL)
from both. Most powered speakers have an input level control and you
usually set that so that with the mixer's monitor volume control set
somewhere around 12 o'clock, you get a pretty loud playback level, but
still have a ways to go before smoke pours out of the speakers or the
neighbors complain. The input gain on the amplifier driving the passive
speakers should be set in a similar manner, and those controls should
then remain fixed, with all volume control being done by the Control
Room Monitor control on the mixer. It would be unusual for either to be
wide open.
| Quote: | As I said, with a simple passive
switch, the operation of changing monitors becomes a three step process:
turn down gain, switch inputs, turn gain back up.
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You definitely don't want to do that because then you'd have to restore
your matched gain settings.
| Quote: | I'd have to experiment with something like
that before incorporating it into any system I was building.
|
Of course you would. Othewise it would be a published,
guaranteed-to-work project (for which some people charge money).
Experimentation is good. I think you'd find in your experiments that it
isn't as bad as you anticipate, but you should indeed experiment.
| Quote: | A shorting
switch should probably be mandatory, although that would mean that for
an instant, both inputs would be connected together.
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Unless you made a conscious effort to dwell on that intermediate
position, it would be for such a short time that you're not likely to
notice it. In any case, it won't do any harm.
You mean like the front/rear balance control on a modern car radio?
Again, this would cause you to lose your calibrated level matching. |
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Tomas Billet
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:05 am Post subject:
Re: Best Way To Switch Between Monitors? |
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On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 20:33:54 -0500, Tomas Billet wrote:
Thank you to everyone for all the great advice!
I think I am going to go with the Samson C-Control because it looks like
the best bang for the buck. I'm not really a fan of Samson gear, but a
Servo 170 I picked up at a garage sale has served my mobile keyboard rig
as a monitor amp for years trouble free so go figure.
Thanks again!
TB |
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Jeff Chestek
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 05, 2005 5:42 am Post subject:
Re: Best Way To Switch Between Monitors? |
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| Quote: | Tomas Billet <billet144.55@spamtrap.org> wrote:
I have 2 sets of monitors.
One set is active, IOW it has built in amplifiers.
The other set is passive and I have it hooked to an amp.
I am using a Mackie 1604 VLZ mixer.
What would be the best way of hooking up both monitors so that I can
easily and quickly (minimum of button presses) switch between them?
|
snip
| Quote: |
I don't mind building a switchbox if someone would point me to a simple
schematic!
|
In article <TVN9f.34173$ty1.20295@bignews1.bellsouth.net>,
jakdedert <jakdedert@bellsouth.net> wrote:
| Quote: | Mike Rivers wrote:
jakdedert wrote:
Isn't more than a simple switch required for active circuitry? I'd
think that there would be a distinct possibility of major POPs!! when
you threw the switch on the *input* of an amplifier at full gain, unless
some sort of automatic muting is associated with the switchbox.
There's a distinct possibility, yes, but you wouldn't normally throw
the switch with the amplifier at full gain, and in reality, the
switching current is small enough so that you really don't get loud
pops. You could look for a make-before break switch.
The OP said he wanted to make it as simple as possible to switch
monitors. The amplifier in his monitor system is probably set at full
gain, or something close to it. As I said, with a simple passive
switch, the operation of changing monitors becomes a three step process:
turn down gain, switch inputs, turn gain back up. Depending on the
amplifier, that's five steps: turn down left gain, turn down right gain,
flip switch; reverse.... On the active pair, it couldn't be done
without physically traveling to each speaker, unless they're near-fields
within arms-reach of the console.
It doesn't take much current on an input to make a large pop in the
speakers; and there's also the possibility of skipping a step....
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snip
| Quote: |
Even a small pop would be objectionable. A large pop could be startling
or possibly even damaging.
jak
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FWIW, I've been doing this for years in many studios using variations on
the plan Scott describes here:
In article <dk6h57$24q$1@panix2.panix.com>,
kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
| Quote: |
You need a 4PDT switch with silver or gold contacts. C&K makes some
that Digi-Key will carry. Then you need six TRS jacks.... tip and
ring of left and right outputs for speaker 1 go to the top set of
contacts... tip and ring of left and right outputs for speaker 2
go to the bottom set.... tip and ring of the input goes to the middle
set of contacts (the common ones).
--scott
|
I've used 4PDT toggle switches, rotary switches (non-shorting and
shorting), and relays, feeding amplifiers and active monitor systems
(always with balanced inputs tho).
Never had a problem with pops! My worry was always whether floating the
input to the amp that's not currently connected would cause it to hum or
buzz, but I've never had that problem either.
My personal (mongrel) studio currently has a 4-position rotary switch
driving a bank of 5-pole, single-throw relays (hey, they were in the
junk box!). All the relays are fed the same (balanced) signal from the
monitor send, and one at a time is activated by the rotary switch and a
12-volt transformer. The active monitors (Genelec) are set at full gain,
the Ramsa amp driving the Auratones is set pretty low, an unbalanced
Phase Linear preamp (rescued from the trash, which wasn't the wrong
place for it!) drives headphones, and one relay is left for future use.
This passive switch/relay system works great, and I need to listen
REALLY close with the room silent to hear the tiny "click" that happens
when I switch monitors.
Jeff C.
--
Anti-Spam email address in effect.
My real email should be pretty obvious to an actual human being. |
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