Avoiding a monitor controller for my DAW

[Shlomo]

I recently bought a used Hafler transnova power amp that has too much output power for my Mbox setup.

Instead of plunking down 500 smackers for a passive monitor controller, I've put 15dB XLR pads inline with the signal out of my Mbox. This does the trick (although I haven't spent much time testing audio quality yet) but for some reason, I feel like I'm cheating somehow.

Is this a bad idea? Someone tell me I'm doing something degrading here, so I'll finally fess up and buy that beautiful SPL MTC 2381 that I can't really afford.

Actually, the real dilemma I find myself coping with often is--why spend more money on a passive controller than I spent on my crappy Mbox in the first place?

Thanks for any opinions/insights/scoffs/flames.

(For those of you who care, here's my signal path:

Mbox TRS out (x2) --> TRS-XLR adapter --> XLR-XLR 15dB pad --> nasty 20' Horizon XLR cable extension --> XLR-TRS adapter --> Hafler TRS in --> various Hafler internal circuitry --> Hafler speaker post out --> 16ga zip wire --> Event 20/20 passives speaker post in --> air

)

P.S. Maybe this post belongs in Geekslutz?

[max cooper]

I think there's no reason if you're using the converters in the Mbox; you should be fine, although what's the exact reason for the pads? Is it that the volume goes up too fast when you use the output control on the Mbox?

How about the A Designs Atty? should get you going for around $100.

For a while, when I got my Rosetta 800 and I didn't have a monitor controller, I'd set up an extra bus in PTLE to use as a master out and assign it to the power amp.

So there was no physical vol. control. Just onscreen. It wasn't a problem. Just be reeeeeaaaaal careful if you decide to try it.

http://www.transaudiogroup.com/image...tycutsheet.pdf

BTW, if you're not great at soldering, might be worth it to have someone make you the appropriate cables for your setup instead of using adapters, etc.

[Shlomo]

Originally Posted by max cooper

I think there's no reason if you're using the converters in the Mbox; you should be fine, although what's the exact reason for the pads? Is it that the volume goes up too fast when you use the output control on the Mbox?

Either I'm stupider than I think, or Digidesign is as stupid as I think. My Mbox(v.1) does not seem to have an output control. Hence the reason for the pads. The overall operating level from the speakers (at unity) is far too loud for my tastes.

Originally Posted by max cooper

So there was no physical vol. control. Just onscreen. It wasn't a problem. Just be reeeeeaaaaal careful if you decide to try it.

That's what I'm doing right now, which solves the problem mostly, but I use my Mbox for other Mac apps that don't always have volume adjustment capabilities. I just want a consistent ability to lower the volume (actually, I'm dying for a mute button too, but that's off-topic).

My main question remains: Is it bad for me to use inline pads to bring the volume to a more realistic unity level?

And Max, thank you for the cable recommendation. Once I'm better settled (and have a patch bay set up) I plan on finalizing all my cables with custom made proper connectors.

P.S. Just to be perfectly clear, I find my Mbox to be a sometimes-useful, mosttimes-pathetic interface that I felt forced to work with since I know Protools best but didn't want to spend the money on a Digi002. I'd get an 001, but the backwards compatibility was just cut off in the recent version. Boo to Digi. Big boo.

[Shlomo]

Originally Posted by Shlomo

Either I'm stupider than I think, or Digidesign is as stupid as I think. My Mbox(v.1) does not seem to have an output control. Hence the reason for the pads. The overall operating level from the speakers (at unity) is far too loud for my tastes.

Update: So it turns out both Digi and I are BOTH stupid. I finally used my noggin and realized the stupid panning knob between playback and input is supposed to be used during mixdown as a playback volume control (since nothing's coming in through the input).

How utterly prosumer of Digi.

However, this still doesn't help me when I'm overdubbing, since my overal level is just too hot through the Hafler.

So the question remains: are inline pads degrading my listenback signal? Or should it have no effect, like I surmise?

Where's my G-16 when I need it!

[squeegybug]

Originally Posted by Shlomo

So the question remains: are inline pads degrading my listenback signal? Or should it have no effect, like I surmise?

Theoretically should be no sound degradation, as long as the pads and connectors are decent quality.

Most power amps run way higher level than needed. So you can only use a tiny portion of your mixer's fader/gain control range, and the S/N can suffer. Attenuating the amp inputs is a fine solution to get maximum resolution of the "volume control".

Calibrating levels with pink noise and sound level meters is good to find the settings needed to set proper monitor SPL.

Steve

[Shlomo]

Originally Posted by squeegybug

Theoretically should be no sound degradation, as long as the pads and connectors are decent quality.

Most power amps run way higher level than needed. So you can only use a tiny portion of your mixer's fader/gain control range, and the S/N can suffer. Attenuating the amp inputs is a fine solution to get maximum resolution of the "volume control".

Calibrating levels with pink noise and sound level meters is good to find the settings needed to set proper monitor SPL.

Steve

Thanks for the very clear answer!

Yeah, an SPL meter has been on my list of things to get for a bit now. Thanks for motivating me to make the $50 plunge!

Hehe. Is it not ironic how I don't bat an eye spending $$$ on a mic or preamp, but I cringe when I have to give Radio Shack a measly 50 bucks for something I actually NEED?

[Shlomo]

Originally Posted by JYoder

Is there a reason why you aren't turning the volume down on the amp?

It only attenuates to a certain point, I think -26. No infinity db.

So it IS all the way down and still too loud.