Hello Again folks
Hope you all are doing good.
Hello Again folks
Hope you all are doing good.
OK... Here is my latest issue. I have an Alesis 3630 Compressor Limiter hooked up to my audio chain going from my soundboard and into my transmitter. It seems that I never can get the right sound. It always sounds like one of the channels is weaker than the other. I have both A and B inputs and Outputs going into the board and then fed to my Transmitter. Is there is some setting that I may be overlooking? Also I tried the mono/Stereo switch ...but it basically sounds the same. Issue #2 is what are the correct settings for say running an instrumental light vocal type of format. I play alot of instrumental music with some occasional vocals mixed in. Often times it sounds a little distorted. If someone could tell me the proper way of setting the Comp/Limiter that would be most helpful. I have a feeling I may not have it set correctly.
As always I appreciate any help or advice y'all can give.
Thanks
Jim
Hi Jim,
Since you are referencing left and right channels I presume you are operating a FM transmitter.
The first thing you can try is to reverse the right and left inputs to the transmitter at the transmitter and listen if the problem reverses channels or stays with the channel. This will tell you if the problem is in your audio chain or in the transmitter. When I have this problem it is always due to a bad jack or cable (RCA pin connectors are junk and maybe a cleaning with alcohol or contact cleaner will help). If it use to work OK and now has a problem this is probably the cause.
It could be that your transmitter has a left and right audio input adjustment potentiometers and maybe one of them is not set right. Also, some transmitters have a balance pot which may be in need of adjustment.
What transmitter are you using?
Neil
Heya Jim!
I'd agree with Neil's approach for starting to troubleshoot the problem.
It might help if you describe your sound chain a little more. What kind of board you are running, any software sound processing (assuming the computer is one of your usual sound sources), how long the cables are, etc.
Now, to add to the possibilities that Neil listed, even if your transmitter doesn't have trimpots inside for volume or balance, it can *still* end up being off balance sounding because of things like component tolerances. Like, say there's a 20k 5% tolerance fixed resistor on each stereo channel at the input. That means they can be any value from 19k to 21k ohms, and if one actually *is* 19 and the other 21, that can be more than enough difference to make make it sound off-balance. Still fairly easy to find and cheap to fix though.
I use RCA connectors at some places in my sound chain, and while I wouldn't say they're *all* junk, there are a lot of them that are low enough quality to cause problems. If you have to use RCA in some places, make a custom cable yourself if it needs to mate like a piece of RCA jack gear and 1/4" phone plug type gear. "Adaptors" are often junk. In fact, either buying reasonably good cables or (if you're reasonably good with a soldering iron) making your own can save you a ton of grief.
Cables are a funny thing.. some people will buy the best gear and lay out hundreds of bucks or more for it.. then hook it up with any old junk cables they have lying around. Radio Shack has a lot of little cables, but I can't really recommend them since I've had more failures off their premade molded end cables than any other single manufacturer's item I've tried using. Their plugs and jacks are usually ok so long as you don't go for the cheapest ones they've got. Go for the least expensive gold-plated type they have if they're your only local supply place. Sadly, you're probably going to want to go elsewhere for your lengths of cable if you're making your own, though.
But anyway, back to the point. With your board, what kind is it and could you explain a bit about how you have your compressor limiter hooked into it?
Daniel