Help My Fantom is not sounding Crystal Clear..:(

[heartzz_on_fire]

Hey friends.. I usually use my Roland Headphones to listen to wht im playing on my fantom X which is directly hooked to the headphones out of the fantom.. And it sounds amazingly crystal clear.. But when i use my fantom X to practise wid my band on the huge speakers hooked through the mixer, I lack tht crystal clear sound which im used to listening over my headphones. My Fantom is hooked through the mono R+L out using just a single cable which then goes directly into a 2100 watt mixer input, from there it is routed to the speakers.. Is something wrong wid the way my output is hooked to the mixer which is y im not getting the crystal clear sound? Like is it because im not using a pair of seperate cables for the R and L output's indiviualy tht im not getting the clear sound of my board. the keyboard sounds more bassy and not more crystal clear.. Any help wud be really appreciated.. thanks guys..

[Quinnx.]

There is problem with listen to headphones..
some headphones(hp) emphasis the hi frequencies and therefore you over compensate the bass..
others do the apposite..
So the cruts of it is you need real monitoring headphones or use monitors and not hp.

[heartzz_on_fire]

sorry Quinnx but the problem is not wid my headphones.. i meant i cud hear clearly through my headphones.. But the problem is when i hear the fantom over the mixer and huge speakers thts when im not able to get tht crystal clear sound of the keyboard which im used to listening over the headphones.. any idea wht might be causing this?

[Quinnx.]

Yes and reason for this is as stated above.
You dont get the same representation in head phones as you expect to get in speakers.
Headphone sound does not translate to speakers sound for all the reasons stated above.

[lordelix]

This question on your sound is a little complicated. First off, we need more info on your bands set up. Is everyone going thru the mixer....... If so you can expext your sound to get stepped on quit a bit since the frequencies played by you and the guitars, bass and vocals will all be within the same range alot. Also it depends on the type of speakers you are using for your PA. Are they 2 or 3-way. 3-way set ups are always the best but cost alot more. Its very important if using a
2-way set up to seperate the bass frequencies with a sub woofer so the entire mix does'nt become mud. I would sudgest trying to play your keys thru the PA first without everyone else and adjust your sound via the EQ. Then give it a try again. The sound you get when going thru it alone is about as good a reproduction as your gonna get from that paticular set up.

[Septimo]

Check your "Mastering" Compressor.... Is it on? what are the settings? This can cause a drastic change in sound if not set correctly. adjust the highs bring down lows or just shut it off....in other words mess with it til you get what you want......

the difference between setups in headphones scenario and a monitoring scenereo will be different so adjust accordingly....

[MrPillow]

Headphones = stereo

Mono output = mono


Headphones = isolated, channel isolated, frequency isolated

PA = not

Headphones color your sound

PA's color your sound.

Your Fantom could sound drastically different through the headphones and a pair of good studio monitors, it's just the way it works. There is a reason people don't recommend you mix or edit audio through headphones.

[chubbylove]

You could have the mainboard issue that plaqued alot of users. How old is your x ?

[chubbylove]

Roland put the latest revision of the mainboard in my x and when I got it back it sounded horrible. the put the previous revision main board in and it sounds alot better.

the main board evision eally impacts the sound dont let anyone tell you different Roland told me that as well they just are supposed to comment on it.

[chubbylove]

Roland put the latest revision of the mainboard in my x and when I got it back it sounded horrible. the put the previous revision main board in and it sounds alot better.

the main board Revision Really impacts the sound dont let anyone tell you different Roland told me that as well they just are not supposed to comment on it.

[heartzz_on_fire]

First of all thanks to all u guys who took time off to look into my problem.. yup lordelix my whole band setup consists of a bass guitarist, rythm and lead guitarist, a drummer micd wid 5 mics to the mixer and a vocalist.. so all the guys including me, r hooked to the same mixer widout having to go through AMPS. Now when i played just my Fantom widout any others playing.. i cud feel tht the quality and the clearity of the voice was lacking. It sounded more like bassy and not tht sparital clear sound. the speakers r ok not tht gud too.. i dono if they r 2 way or 3 way exactly.. but we all play through it.. Well Septimo My mastering compressor tht is Assigned button number 2 is switched of.. because when i played it widout it i felt it sounded much better and more clearer. MrPillow i get ur point regarding the output.. I used the mono out R+L single cable from the fantom into the mixer.. Do u suggest tht i use 2 cables to make it sound stereo? R and L seperately? Well Chubbylove my X already came wid Version 2.10 audio expanded. is tht the problem?

[dasinsasion]

Until you figure out what the problem is, why dont you run the headphone output into the mixer since that is what you know sounds good. You can get a effects send/return cable to do this ($5). This is a temporary solution until you find out what's wrong (me personally, if it works I would just leave it like that)? Also, I would take up two channels on the mixer just in case one of the patches are stereo. Most mixers have stereo inputs on the last two channels (13/14 & 15/16 for example). Hope this helps?

[javaj_]

I would just work with the mastering EQ and the mixer to get the sound you are looking for. This is normal when playing live- and your mains could be the culprit as well- they may be emphasizing the wrong frequencies (or just tuned to sound a certain way). Regardless, you will never match headphone sound to live sound- that is why guys who know how to run a mixer are so valuable.

[Matias]

heartzz_on_fire, I also play every weekend with my band, but I have a Juno-G. But anyway, I can give you some advices.

First of all, stereo means 2 independent signal paths. The keyboard's left output should use a cable that goes into a channel in the mixer, pan it hard left and it should sound only in the left speakers. The opposite for right output: a second cable into a second channel in the mixer, pan it hard right and the sound should only come from the right speakers. This will give you the full stereo sound in the PA with 2 independent signal paths.

Second, EQ. Start flatening it all, that is, leave all frequencies in the central neutral position. Then listen to your sound: I leave a rythm pattern beating while the guys prepare their stuff and listen to it carefully. Then I play a piano patch in lows, mids and highs. Only then I adjust the mixer's EQ, if necessary: more or less bass, more or less treble, etc.


Try those 2 tips and you'll see you quality WAY better then mono output with bad EQ.

[heartzz_on_fire]

Thanks guys for ur replies.. And i finally got my keyboard to sound crystal sharp and clear And the secret was as u guys said the stereo cables.. I tried 2 seperate R and L cables.. and kept all the faders of the mixer to neutral and panned the right channel of the mixer to the right and left to the left most.. and it sounded gr8 thanks again for ur help guys..