Monitoring with no main inserts

[nevada]

Preamble: here's a hopefully simple dilemma I've been thinking about for a little while. I was hoping to solve it with a Radial Engineering product since they seem cool and artifact-y, but I've had no luck. I'll try and spell things out directly. Hopefully someone else has been down this road...

I need to monitor a mix with headphones. I have a mixer with no main inserts. I require that a stereo compressor be run over the full mix, so the signal I need to monitor is coming straight from my compressor, eliminating the possibility that I use the mixer's headphone out. I have an audio interface for recording, but it isn't suitable for providing headphone mix.

How can I take the signal out of the compressor and into some uncolored (passive?) device where I can route 1) to headphones and 2) to my audio interface simultaneously?

I have thought of getting a second, small and normal mixer. This seems less desirable than something like the Radial boxes because it may 1) change the levels and 2) color the signal. But maybe that's the only way.

[Decibill]

What mixer and interface do you have...? Is the signal that you want to monitor coming from your computer/DAW...?

[nevada]

I have a Mackie 1202 VLZ-3 and a NI Komplete Audio 6. I'm monitoring synth sampler stuff that's running into the Mackie.

The Komplete Audio 6 has a headphone monitoring capability, but it's fixed to two inputs that, for whatever reason, seem to have no indication of unity gain.

[Noise Supply]

There may be a few ways to do it with your board... Depending on how many channels you are using, etc...

My main suggestion to try:
On your board, when you mute a channel it sends it out Alternate Outputs (3&4). If you mute all your channels it will go to the ALT outputs and not your mains. Hook up your ALT outputs to your stereo compressor, and then bring it back into the board via a stereo channel, or a tape return or some other return, then monitor that channel or return. Then your headphones AND your mains should be monitoring the compressed stereo signal.

Alternative (but sketchier):
Are using your auxiliaries for anything else? You can send channels to your auxiliaries, use 1 for left and 2 for right (which kind of sucks because you have to set volume and pan by the balance of your auxiliary 1 and 2 knobs on each channel. Then send your auxiliaries to the stereo compressor, and then bring it back into your board down a stereo channel or tape return or something... Then have your output monitor that, so it would be going to your headphones and main outputs. A convoluted way of doing it, but I thought I should mention it anyway, just in case.

Let me know if any of those helps you.

[nevada]

Thanks for the reply!

I should mention that the aux channels are both being used for mix-wide reverb and delay—another complication here. I have tried the first approach, and while I wasn't able to get it quite working when I tested, I eventually ended up using the free stereo channel for additional instrument input. I'm trying to work within self-imposed limitations, yet some GAS got the best of me there.

So this again begs the dreaded solution of different mixer/additional mixer. But I just found this.. http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/ ... patch-plus

Would it make sense? Mix goes to the 1/4" ins; headphones come out from 1/8", mix comes out from 1/4".

[Noise Supply]

So this again begs the dreaded solution of different mixer/additional mixer.

Another mixer would be the cleanest and most "proper" way of doing what you want to do. So if you want to go that route, then it'd be better.

Would it make sense? Mix goes to the 1/4" ins; headphones come out from 1/8", mix comes out from 1/4".

It would make total sense as long as you can run the 1/4" and 1/8" outputs simultaneously without a problem. I assume you can, because they can make passive splitters, no problem. I'd guess they would work that into this passive level control unit (it'd be silly not to), but I'd want to check and be sure. There should be a few devices similar to this out there that do the same thing that you may want to look into - SMPro might be hard to find (especially locally) and can be pretty pricey (at least it is in Canada). I was almost a dealer for them in Canada (I think I still have their dealer price list), but I didn't see eye to eye with the Canadian distributor representative for them.

[nevada]

Excellent. I'm definitely in favor of the passive device simply because I just bought this mixer and, otherwise, I really like it. (They're also such a pain to box/ship.)

Is there a specific alternate device that you'd recommend as opposed to the SMPro?

[Noise Supply]

Is there a specific alternate device that you'd recommend as opposed to the SMPro?

Just want to mention: I have nothing against the build quality or engineering of SMPro, I'm sure it's a great product. I only had an issue with their distribution representation in Canada, not the actual company.

I just did a quick search for units that can do the same thing. There are other options, but they have too many extra options that you don't need that drive up the price, like the Radial MC3 Monitor Controller.

And then I just looked up my SMPro price list from October 2013, and those little Patch Monitor Controller from SMPro, appear to retail for only $80 Canadian (at least back then). Which isn't bad at all (not how I remember their pricing when I was looking into certain models for inquiring customers). So that's probably your best bet - and you can probably find an even better deal in the U.S.

[Noise Supply]

Just be sure to double check with your seller or SMPro directly that the 1/8" can be used simultaneously with the other outputs, so you can actually use your headphones. I'd hate to hear that you picked up one and you're in the exact same boat.

[nevada]

Good call. I just wrote them with a presales question to see. I'm going to report back here for posterity. Thanks again for your help!

[nevada]

No response yet :/

[nevada]

Radial MC3 ended up being the answer to this one