Recording with a laptop, help with +4/-10 please!

[lwr]

Hi,

I just bought a Sony Vaio laptop, an MAudio FIrewire 1814 and a Behringer ADA8000. I bought this setup just for me to do some editing when im away from the studio, and just some rough demos while im about.

i want to test drive this setup at a gig aswell this week.
the desk they have is a soundcraft live 4 24 i think...

the maudio has 8 analog inputs (2 on XLR or jack). but the jacks are unbalanced.

im pretty sure the soundcraft's direct outs are going to run too hot for these inputs. i just tried this out at my studio. took direct outs of my mackie 32:8 and played a track i was doing. the input meters on the maudio just went straight to red.

is there any workaround apart from using the ada8000 and going in with adat.

thanks

[lwr]

bump! anyone?

[Legacy]

Hi Longwave,

There are a few companies that make line level converters that go both ways. I have the Aphex 124A which has XLR - RCA going both ways. Its 1/2 rackspace and about $250. new - works well. I bought it from Markertek which has a couple kinds to choose from.
FYI in case you are not aware the actual difference in level between balanced and unbalanced is about 11.5 dB I believe. This is because the +4 and -10 are referenced to different things. So if you have some way to compensate level-wise I would start with this ammount.

Good luck,
Silas

[lwr]

cheers legacy, ill check that out!

im not sure if its pads i need or what.

basically, the signal coming out of the desk is just way too hot and is overloading my unbalanced ins on the 1814. the outputs of the desk are on standard jacks.

ill have a look into those thigns you mentioned!
thanks!

[Legacy]

Hi Longwave,

Pads would do. Not totally transparent quality-wise necessarily and for 8 channels will still cost real money. Is there a friend who has a decent line-mixer with Direct Outs or busses you could borrow / rent? Any sort of small format mixer would at least allow you to attenuate the inputs enough to get into the maudio cleanly. It would still worsen the signal to noise ratio but at least you wouldn't have sunk the money into something that you may not need very often...

Best,
Silas