Practicing through Studio Monitors

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vegasl

Guest
Feb 27, 2016
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4,531
Chicago, IL
#1
Hi all,

I'm a college student looking to practice my bass through my Mackie CR4s (we aren't allowed amplifiers in dorms). I would like to practice alongside playback from iTunes/Youtube etc. What is my best option here? I've done a bit of research but they don't really answer my question
1) Can I use some sort of Y splitter and have input from Bass and PC into monitor RCA input?
2) What about Behringer Xenyx 302USB or Focusrite Solo?
3) Lastly, what about the Vox amPlug Bass straight into PC microphone input then out through PC speaker output (listen to device enabled)?

My bass has a preamp and I am looking to spend no more than $50-$100. The ability to run some amp simulation would be great- what's the best way to integrate this? Thank you so much
 
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#2
I have used a Presonis sound card (audio Interface) through my desk top studio speaker for years. The work great. Mine is for firewire but the USB version AudioBox is the same thing, 4in /4 out for $100. You need something at least decent so you won't have a latency problem listening to You tube and playing. The Mackie speakers will sound great at dorm room volume.
 
#3
Bodeeni said:
I have used a Presonis sound card (audio Interface) through my desk top studio speaker for years. The work great. Mine is for firewire but the USB version AudioBox is the same thing, 4in /4 out for $100. You need something at least decent so you won't have a latency problem listening to You tube and playing. The Mackie speakers will sound great at dorm room volume.
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Thank you for your reply! So you just connect the audio interface into PC USB and Bass into audio interface- then you just play bass with Youtube and this works? Do you need other programs? Also, how does the Presonus AudioBox compare with the Focusrite Solo?
 
#7
vegasl said:
I have a laptop. HP Spectre; Core i5; 8Gb Ram; Windows 10 64bit
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I'd go for a small format desktop mixer like the Xenyx or something similar...it'll give you a lot of flexibility to do what you want to do.

I've got an Alesis MultiMix 8USB (almost identical to Xenyx 12) I use for the same type of thing. You can mix stereo audio feed coming in via RCA jacks (ie. from laptop, phone, tablet), you can plug the bass in direct (or use DI, preamp, etc). Multiple mic input with decent preamps for vocals/other instruments as desired. Monitor with headphones and/or studio monitors. Also has two track USB interface in case you want to record on your laptop.
 
#8
DirtDog said:
I'd go for a small format desktop mixer like the Xenyx or something similar...it'll give you a lot of flexibility to do what you want to do.

I've got an Alesis MultiMix 8USB (almost identical to Xenyx 12) I use for the same type of thing. You can mix stereo audio feed coming in via RCA jacks (ie. from laptop, phone, tablet), you can plug the bass in direct (or use DI, preamp, etc). Multiple mic input with decent preamps for vocals/other instruments as desired. Monitor with headphones and/or studio monitors. Also has two track USB interface in case you want to record on your laptop.
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Thank you for your suggestion! I was already about to settle for the Presonus- so how do these two compare with regards to latency, tone, quality of sound and amp simulation?
 
#9
vegasl said:
Thank you for your suggestion! I was already about to settle for the Presonus- so how do these two compare with regards to latency, tone, quality of sound and amp simulation?
Click to expand...

My suggestions assumes that you are running everything to the mixer and monitoring from that, as opposed to running everything into the computer and monitoring from there. The former is good for practice, etc. and the latter is more if you want to do any kind of multi tracking in a DAW.

So, for my suggestion, latency is not an issue, sound/tone is more than adequate for practice. Amp "simulation" would come before the bass signal input into the mixer, in the form of your amps preamp/DI out or some other preamp type hardware or pedal.

You'd use the mixer to mix the incoming bass signal (DI and/or mic) AND the incoming audio signal from your laptop and monitor this mix thru headphones or your speakers.

As in this diagram below (this is for a MM4, but is same for MM8 or 12, just more channels). One thing missing from this - you can run a signal from the headphone out on your laptop (or phone, tablet, or MP3 player) to the stereo in (CD player input in this diagram) using a 1/8" stereo jack to RCA cable. The USB can be used to send a digital stereo signal from the board to your computer and whatever recording software you might use. Any preamp you might want to use could sit between the guitar and the 1/4" input in this diagram.

alesis-multimix-4USB-schematic.jpg
 
#10
Alternatively you could use something like the Zoom B1on which has an aux input, and will provide you with tuner, fx, amp sims, basic drum machine and looping capabilities - run your playalong audio into the aux in and connect the outputs to your monitors.
 
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