Connected speakers to Alt Out?

[Anonymous]

Hi.
I have my Adam A3x monitors connected to Alt out to get a physical knob for setting the out volume.
All my meters show good input levels and output levels. But before turning the alt out knob to even 1 on the scale of 10 I get crazy high volume.
You who have expirience, give me an advice what to do here please.
Thanks!

(BTW. I have a home studio only with hardware synths and 1 set of monitors)

[krazykevParticipant]

check what your alt out is set to, it will do different feeds, might be pre fade L/R

[Anonymous]

Hi. It is set to LR. It seems the QU-pac has a very hot output signal there?

[Anonymous]

Turn the inputs down to the 12 or 1 oclock position on the back of your powered monitors.
I have used many different monitors and allways found that I have had do this.
Also remember it is a balance signal.

[DoctorGParticipant]

I too wonder why the level control on these monitors can not be used to reduce the input level. The input sensitivity of these monitors may be set at consumer levels, and if so, the output of the QU mixer is about 10 db too hot, but the A3X level control should take care of this.

If you can’t use the LR mix after fader, is it not possible to set up the mix you want on a Mix or Group out and use its master to control the volume you send to the Alt Out? Lots of options there, but you will have to work with a separate mix.

Failing that, you can purchase a type of line-level inline volume control. You’ll need to decide if you want balanced or unbalanced signals, and it should be stereo. You can find several devices like this at places like MCMElectronics.com. They even have one you can operate with an IR remote. Some possible part numbers: 555-8485, 50-8394. You will have to have adapter cables to use most of these devices, but you needed one to connect this speaker to Alt Out anyway – right?

The Alt Out is a balanced TRS connection, but you can use a standard quarter-inch mono plug and get an unbalanced signal out. That by itself should cut the volume in half. This assumes that you aren’t trying to run the signal a long way. You’d use this to connect to an unbalanced inline volume control, if you decide that is what is needed.

These are just guesses – I’m having trouble understanding why the monitor’s level control doesn’t work for you.

[AndreasModerator]

I don’t own those monitors either, but from the pictures I found they seem to have RCA and XLR input connectors only, the Alt Out has TRS. So some kind of adapter cable is required for this connection: Which input do you use on monitor side?
The A3X manual does not tell anything about the input sensitivity (does not even contain the word “balanced”), but the RCA inputs are likely to be normalized for some consumer level. Not sure about their XLR input, which is titled “balanced”.
All Qu outputs are normalized to +4dB, which is +14dB hotter (more than four times the expected volume) than what your monitors might expect.
Not sure where the front side volume control is electrically connected. If this is post-preamp (inside the monitors), you may not be able to circumvent distortion at all and you’ll need some external damping device. This could be a volume control as DoctorG said, or a simple resistor divider.

[Anonymous]

I would have thought the XLR in would be the go?
And then trim the ALT OUT here…?

[AndreasModerator]

Thats PAFL trim, at least my Qu does not have trims for its outputs.

[Anonymous]

Oh yes…mmm
Do the Adam monitors not have trim control on the rear?
Im pretty sure my QU is the same as yours 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hi and thanks for all the help. @andreas : I am using the xlr inputs to trs alt out

@nzdave The monitors does not have trim control on the rear, only tweeter control

On the front there is a knob i suppose is input control,or maybe output control… but i dont know how that is connected, its not mentioned in the manual.
If i turn that down to below 1 on the scale of 10 i get ok volume out having alt out on around 12 oclock.
But being so close to zero input is that really good for the sound quality? I mean that is only a micro adjustment between nothing and 100% volume…?

[MarkPAmanParticipant]

Hi

I’d probably set volumes the other way, by which I mean, set the level on the front of the Adams* at 0dB (or lower) then starting with it all the way down, bring the Alt out level of the QU up to get the level I wanted. Also, check that the Alt out is providing Post fader L+R as mentioned above, if its L+R that you want.

*They call it input sensitivity in the spec but as its marked as from -infinity to +14, so not sure what’s happening there…..

Pet hate:

“I am using the xlr inputs to trs alt out”

It may seem pedantic, but if you get used to thinking & saying “from (output) to (input)” it avoids a lot of patching problems!

[AndreasModerator]

Then I guess the XLR input is just “normalized” to the same low RCA level and I recommend some external damping. I’d personally wire some resistor damper (wiring and values depend on real use of the “balanced” XLR input) right into the XLR connector and make this a single-purpose cable. For symmetrical volume control you’ll need a precision 4-gang potentiometer (and you already have volume control on the Alt Out knob)…
As long the output is not distorted (probably difficult to hear in peak transients), it should not affect sound. But that low setting probably makes it difficult to adjust both sides for the exact same volume.

[GCumbeeParticipant]

For control room use you would want to use PAFL to drive the speakers? That way you can solo inputs without affecting LR out. All analog recording consoles that have CR out will solo on those outs. That’s what I would want. Then you can use the PAFL trim.

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