Fantom Outputs

[rnmw]

Hi all,

I was wondering if someone might be able to help me with a situation that came up a couple of weeks ago, when i did a small, impromtu gig with my X8.

I turned up to do a gig and I set up, and handed the sound man my two leads from my Fantom, as usual, to plug into his desk. He said that I didn't need two leads, and that he had a 'special' lead than came from only ONE of my fantom's balanced outputs, and into his desk. It was an extremely thin lead, and he assured me that the lead would split the stereo signal, and the sound would come out in stereo, and be "just as good as using two outputs"... I was very doubtful.

I only played a couple of songs that night, and I didn't want to question him too much, but I have just heard that the same guy is doing sound again for me at a gig tomorrow night. I'd love to have my facts straight, and know whether or not to go with his lead or if i should insist on using my 2 leads. Does anyone else use this kind of mini-stereo lead, or know what it is?

Sorry if this sounds really picky, but I like to be confident in the gear and sound (as we all do), and I really lack confidence is this sound guy Fortunately, if I'm forced to use the small lead tomorrow night, I'll be getting a decent sound check, so will be able to stand out front and check out what it sounds like before we play this time...

Thanks for any help.

-Rob

[Mad-X]

If you're using the balanced output (A: Left and Right) then one lead would only give you mono sound in the form of your left channel. The desk would output the left channel through both speakers.

The only way to get true stereo sound out of the analogue jacks, using only one lead, is to use the headphone jack.

Also, a simple way to tell if the lead he is using is stereo or not is to look at the number of black bands on the end. One black band means it is a mono lead, and two black bands means it is a stereo lead. Either way, if he was only using one lead, the only way for him to get stereo sound would be to use the headphone jack.

If you were truly using the balanced output, then it would have been mono sound (left channel) spread across both the left and right speakers.

To prove the point, you should use a stereo patch - perhaps something with the slicer effect which alternates between the left and right channel.

~
Roland Fantom X8 w/ Audio Track Expansion 2.01
DP-8, EV-5, 128MB PC-150
replacing my
Casio CTK-601

[dboulden]

Just to clarify Mad-X's statement:

"The only way to get true stereo sound out of the analogue jacks is to use the headphone jack."

I think Mad-X means the only way to get stereo sound with a single cable is to use the headphones jack.

The fact that this guy said he had a "special cable" really smacks of him thinking "I can't be arsed to run stereo... I'll tell him it's a magic cable".

Mad-X is quite correct. The only way to run stereo to the FOH PA is by 2 cables in Output A L&R (either balanced or unbalanced... though it's by far preferable to use balanced in a stage environment) or by the much less preferable method of a stereo unbalanced cable in the headphones jack.

)

Dave

:: http://www.drstudio.demon.co.uk/ :: http://www.myspace.com/daveboulden ::
"Musicians fall into three categories: those with a physical block, those with a mental block and those with a wooden block". Unfortunately, I'm in the 1st category!

[rnmw]

Thanks very much to the both of you, this is all exactly what I needed to know. I also thought he was trying to fob me off, cos he just couldn't be bothered.... He definately wasn't using the headphone jack, and as a result of what you have said, i will insist on using two leads in the normal way.

When I see him, I'll now be confident that I am in the right, (!)so thanks a million.

Regards,

-Rob