Audio Peeps - Splitting stereo XLR into Dual Mono XLR - Question.

[TechBoyJK]

I have an M-Audio ProFire 2626 firewire Audio Controller.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/ProFire2626.html

It has 8 stereo preamps with Phantom power. Since each pre-amp is stereo, you can basically use each channel as 2 mono channels.

I have a 6 piece mic kit for drums, and I want to split 3 channels into mono channels so I can accomodate each mic.

Kick
Snare
HH
Toms
Toms
OverHead

I want to use channels 6,7, and 8

The back of the unit has XLR/TRS hybrid jacks. So I can only hook up a single mic input to each channel. I'm wondering if I can't get a y-adapter that splits a stereo XLR into 2 mono XRL's and hook the mics into that. 3 y-adapters would give me the 6 channels.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Pro-Co-Y...03-i1128406.gc

Is this do-able?

MOD EDIT: Moved to more Audio/Video forum. - Zap

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i don't know where you're getting stereo from. those are mono amp channels with mono line outs and xlr is a mono cable.

 

[KGB]

Yup! Mono y mono.

 

[TechBoyJK]

i don't know where you're getting stereo from. those are mono amp channels with mono line outs and xlr is a mono cable.

They are stereo. Each 8 input accepts TRS cable. I can split the TRS cable into 2 inputs (left and right).

I could use a TRS Male 1/4" to (2) Mono 1/4" adapter, and plug my guitar and bass into each jack. That single TRS feed into the first channel would give me to seperate mono channels.

Trust me.. already tried it.

 

[Born2bwire]

They are stereo. Each 8 input accepts TRS cable. I can split the TRS cable into 2 inputs (left and right).

I could use a TRS Male 1/4" to (2) Mono 1/4" adapter, and plug my guitar and bass into each jack. That single TRS feed into the first channel would give me to seperate mono channels.

Trust me.. already tried it.

Are you sure it's stereo and not balanced mono?

 

[TechBoyJK]

Well.. It accepts TRS, which are stereo. However, I'm not sure if the XLR is mono or stereo. It's only 3 pin.

 

[whattaguy]

TRS isn't necessarily the same as a stereo cable. It's just grounded as a Regular TS isn't. I believe they mean Stereo to give you the option to pan each channel left or right.

 

[Born2bwire]

Well.. It accepts TRS, which are stereo. However, I'm not sure if the XLR is mono or stereo. It's only 3 pin.

Those may be balanced TRS connections. It's an 8 channel box right? I don't think it would take in 8 stereo inputs/outputs.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

a 3 pin xlr is balanced mono - ground, signal and opposite signal. the signal gets compared to the opposite, and noise is filtered out. a stereo xlr has at least 5 pins. never seen one, myself.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Those may be balanced TRS connections. It's an 8 channel box right? I don't think it would take in 8 stereo inputs/outputs.

It's actually a '26' channel box (with ADAT). It has 8 stereo preamps XLR/TRS hybrid inputs.

For instance, when I'm selecting my source in Sonar or Protools I can select

ProFire Channel 1 - Left
Profire Channel 1 - Right
Profire Channel 1 - Stereo

I put a splitter onto channel 1, and hooked a guitar into the left, and bass into the right. I was able to track them seperately.



Big question, if the mics are dynamic and don't need phantom power, couldn't I just use an XLR to mono 1/4" adapter, and treat that just like I do the bass and guitar?

 

[kornphlake]

If it works with a bass and a guitar it should work the same with a mic. I thought XLR connections were always balanced, there's no way to get a balanced stereo input out of a 3 pin connector though so it must not be balanced in this case.

 

[TechBoyJK]

yea it looks like when you use the mic it just defaults to a 'single' channel on both the left/right inputs. BUt if you use stereo trs it works and can split it into two mono.