I apologise for asking this question on Cubase Forum.
I have an old Yamaha n 12 digital desk that no longer works with windows due to fire wire no longer being supported.
However although the Yamaha N12 does not talk to my pc everything else on the desk works fine.
So I have purchased an audio interface and I intend taking the outputs from the N12 desk into the interface.
Are there any hard and fast rules as how to connect this.
What is bothering me is the I am effectively using 2 sets of preamps.
Should I adjust the input to my pc using both pre Amps on desk and interface, obviously I don’t want to have too high a signal going into audio interface from the desk.
Sorry for basic question but better safe than sorry.
Audio interfaces are new to me.
Thanks Terrie
Really - because my RME Fireface is working just fine (knock on wood) under the latest version of Windows.
Just so we’re on the same page, lets define your signal flow as:
Audio Source > Preamp A > Preamp B > Cubase
I’d use Preamp A to adjust the level of your Audio Source. You want to do this at the start of the signal chain so you are starting off with an appropriate level which affects everything downstream.
Next set Preamp B to unity (zero) gain. This means the signal at the Preamp’s Input & Output should be the same. This basically makes Preamp B behave like a plain wire that you can mostly ignore.
In addition to what raino wrote: If you use the preamps on your Yamaha N12 then the signals that it transfers to your audio interface should be line level. If you switch the interface’s inputs to expect line level input the preamps of the interface won’t be used. Problem solved.
Johnny I’m going to be running keyboard outputs into the Yamaha desk so should I still select line or instrument on the audio interface.
Thanks Raino, according to Yamaha drivers download they support Win 10 and 11, according to tech support at Yamaha they don’t support FireWire any more.
My FireWire card on pc shows up so I assume that’s still working, win 10 fw drivers won’t load any more, could possibly be faulty fw board in the Yamaha n12, either time to move on now I think
I’m glad your rme interface is still working, long may it continue.
Keyboard outputs are usually line level, so there is no need for pre-amplifiers anywhere. But you can check in the manual of your keyboard (technical specifications, often the last page).
“Instrument” is often used for guitars and basses. To be more precise - the difference between Line Level and Instrument lies in the electrical resistance, or rather impedance. It is much higher for Instrument.
Ah , so the keyboard is powered from mains outlet so that makes it line level and guitars are passive
( let’s keep this simple for me) So they go into instrument input.
Thanks Johnny.
Yes, those are the correct levels for the different items, but it doesn’t depend on power sources or anything like that. They are just different standards which independently evolved to meet specific needs & circumstances.
Raino I’ll never understand the technicalities,I just do as I’m told by people with more knowledge
Just didn’t want you to think that the way some equipment gets its power has anything to do with its audio connections.Fortunately 99% of the time the manual will tell what type of connection to use.
EDIT
And for the other 1%, you’ve lost the manual
I’m just taking in your explanation.
This is what I’m looking for.
Many thanks.