K-Pro Volume issue

ntpetit · Post by **ntpetit** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:57 pm

This exact same problem was happening to me when I was trying to direct inject my Koassilator Pro / KP3 Signal chain into my Korg D3200. Obviously, KP3s and Koassilator Pros output in RCA, so I was using an RCA to quarter inch cable, with the quarter inch side directly inputed into the mixer. I had huge issue with volume at this point - each channel on the Kaossilator was a vastly different volume (this was not the case when I was outputting it straight to the amp, so I knew the problem was not the Koassilator or KP3.)

I was able to fix the problem by buying a DI box and plugging in with my XRL cables. I think it had something to do with converting RCA (stereo) into quarter inch (mono.) Either way I'm pretty confident that if you put DI box before the mixer you will have a massive increase in quality of sound as well as a regulation in channel volume.

So go Kaossilator Pro -> Direct Injection Box -> Mixer. Get your Koassilator plugged in with XRLs (superior cables to quarter inch or RCA any way.)

Pastor-of-Muppets · Post by **Pastor-of-Muppets** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 1:11 am

are you sure you had the right cables? sounds like you might have not been

and XLR (not XRL) cables aren't going to magically make the sound better - you'll only get as good as the kopro puts out

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:11 am

ntpetit wrote:This exact same problem was happening to me when I was trying to direct inject my Koassilator Pro / KP3 Signal chain into my Korg D3200. Obviously, KP3s and Koassilator Pros output in RCA, so I was using an RCA to quarter inch cable, with the quarter inch side directly inputed into the mixer. I had huge issue with volume at this point - each channel on the Kaossilator was a vastly different volume (this was not the case when I was outputting it straight to the amp, so I knew the problem was not the Koassilator or KP3.)

I was able to fix the problem by buying a DI box and plugging in with my XRL cables. I think it had something to do with converting RCA (stereo) into quarter inch (mono.) Either way I'm pretty confident that if you put DI box before the mixer you will have a massive increase in quality of sound as well as a regulation in channel volume.

So go Kaossilator Pro -> Direct Injection Box -> Mixer. Get your Koassilator plugged in with XRLs (superior cables to quarter inch or RCA any way.)

It's a complete waste of mic cable and DI box to hook a line output to a mixer line input that's nearby, within 10-20 feet.

ntpetit · Post by **ntpetit** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:00 am

Yeah I'm new to the world of audio, but none the less I had this exact problem and I fixed it by using a direct in box so I don't know what else to say.

It may not be a good idea what I'm doing for reasons I don't understand, but if your kaossilator pro is outputting crazy volumes on different channels, I recommend at least trying it because it fixed that exact problem that I had.

Pastor-of-Muppets · Post by **Pastor-of-Muppets** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:18 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult_programming

or you could find the real problem and fix it

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:40 am

ntpetit, what if you could have fixed the problem with the right $6 cable instead? You fixed the symptom, but you stopped before you fixed the root cause. That's like Michael Jackson's doctor's cure: hey, he has no problem sleeping now.....problem solved.

Bowmoney · Post by **Bowmoney** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:42 pm

xmlguy wrote:ntpetit, what if you could have fixed the problem with the right $6 cable instead? You fixed the symptom, but you stopped before you fixed the root cause. That's like Michael Jackson's doctor's cure: hey, he has no problem sleeping now.....problem solved.

ha!

DannyOcean · Post by **DannyOcean** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:56 pm

Success! The K-Pro is now completely behaving itself. I followed xmlguy's instructions with the right cables - and bingo! The volume is now levelled out across all programmes. Thanks a bunch fellas.

The problem (apart from my own ineptitude) was the wrong cables and plugging them into the wrong places. Ah, it's always nice to have someone who knows what they're talking about.

Now if I could just try your patience a little further and ask one more question? Everything goes in and out of the mixer fine now, but I want to go one stage further - have all my inputs going in, then out to the K-Pro, then back to the mixer and out to the speakers. And again, I can't quite get it to work.

Here's what I'm doing: various instruments going into the inputs, settings as prescribed by Dr. Xmlguy. Then I'm sending it to the K-Pro via the 'aux sends' using two 1/4 jack to RCA cables into the K-Pro's line input. Then I'm going out of the K-Pro (line out, RCA to jack cables) and back into the mixer into the stereo aux return, l and r, labelled number 1 at the top.

But I'm getting two problems - one, I get the original input signals going to the speakers at the same time as the output of the K-Pro (really, I just want the K-Pro's output going to the speakers) and two, I don't get everything going into the K-Pro. For example, if I'm running a synth into one channel and a mic into another channel, I'll only get the synth getting to the K-Pro.

What I want to do is have everything going through the mixer (so I can adjust levels by the faders), but not out to the speakers, then into the K-Pro and THEN out to the speakers.

Any more advice would be brilliant.

Edit: I've just noticed that the aux sends are aux sends 1 and 2, rather than left and right. That can't be right...

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:25 am

You can run the main outputs 1/L and 2/R into the L+R inputs of the KoPro, then use the L+R outputs on the KoPro to send to the powered speakers.

So long as it's not a "powered mixer" with a built-in power amplifier to drive speakers, then you can send any "line output" level audio that you want to the KoPro. Just keep the L+R channels separate to avoid the problems you experienced, and to get the full impact of the KoPro's stereo effects.

Aux sends are usually numbered instead of labelled R+L because they are often used for monophonic monitor mixes to send back to the stage performers. The aux sends can be pre-fader, so that the artists's monitor mix is unaffected by changes in the main mix.

DannyOcean · Post by **DannyOcean** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:28 pm

Update: for the record, this also worked and is in fact the perfect workflow - everything goes into the mixer, tweaked for levels, then out to the K-Pro, where it's looped (or not), then out to the speakers. Looping heaven.

Anyway, thanks for everyone's help.