How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Dear Mohamed,

You will find an entire section of the Sonic Exciter SX3040 user manual on page 6. Here it will show you how to hook up your equipment for live sound and studio applications. Here's the link to the user manual:

http://www.behringer.com/assets/SX3040_P0582_M_EN.pdf

Enjoy using your Behringer equipment, hope this helps!

Best,

Michael LAPKE
Specialist, Customer Experience, Engagement
MUSIC Group
BEHRINGER
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Thanks for the reply.
I did downloaded the manual before (sorry for not mention that in my 1st post), but the problem I've with the manual is:-
1 - The mentioned mixer is not my model because the mixer in the manual is 1622USB while mine is 1204USB and as far as I can see the main different between my model 1204 and the one in the manual 1622 is that the 1622 includes inserts ports while the 1204 does not.
2 - May you tell me the exact ports to use in the mixer and the exciter ? and the exact cable type? is it the XLR or the 1/4 cable?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000068O3C
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Mohamed GadAllah said:
Thanks for the reply.
I did downloaded the manual before (sorry for not mention that in my 1st post), but the problem I've with the manual is:-
1 - The mentioned mixer is not my model because the mixer in the manual is 1622USB while mine is 1204USB and as far as I can see the main different between my model 1204 and the one in the manual 1622 is that the 1622 includes inserts ports while the 1204 does not.
2 - May you tell me the exact ports to use in the mixer and the exciter ? and the exact cable type? is it the XLR or the 1/4 cable?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000068O3C
Click to expand...

Mohamed,

Luckily the differences between the 1622 and the 1204 aren't specific to what you need to know in order to hook up your SX3040. Essentially the Sonic Exciter gets inserted between your mixer and your amplified output signal but just to be clear you wouldn't need to use an insert cable to do it. All you need are standard XLR Cables and/or 1/4" cables depending on your signal amplifier.

All you would just need to do is run standard XLR cables from the MAIN Left and Right XLR outputs on the back of the QX1204USB Mixer to the XLR Inputs on the SX3040. Then you would run the XLR Outputs of the SX3040 to the XLR Inputs of your Power Amp or powered speaker inputs. You also have the option to run 1/4" cables from the SX3040 to your amp if that's the type of connection it has.

Option 1: QX1204USB XLR Outs ----> SX3040 XLR Ins / SX3040 XLR Outs ----> Power Amp (or Powered Speaker) XLR Ins
Option 2: QX1204USB XLR Outs ----> SX3040 XLR Ins / SX3040 1/4" Outs ----> Power Amp (or Powered Speaker) 1/4" Ins

Let me know if you have any other questions. :)

Best,


Michael LAPKE
Specialist, Customer Experience, Engagement
MUSIC Group
BEHRINGER
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Yes, I do have another question sir.

I've the following 4 Behringer devices and I would like to know the exact order to connect them all together the right way.

1- ULTRAGAIN PRO MIC2200
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/MIC2200.aspx

2- MULTICOM PRO-XL MDX4600
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/MDX4600.aspx

3- SONIC EXCITER SX3040
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/SX3040.aspx

4- XENYX QX1204USB
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/QX1204USB.aspx

So is it possible that you may tell me like what you did in your last reply?

I mean what options I've? and what type of cables to use?

I want to use all these 4 devices together and I will have only one microphone to be used.

And finally I want to record everything out into the audio digital recorder zoom h4n, so where shall I place or connect the zoom, and with which type of cables?

So this is the 5 devices that I am trying to connect the right way since 13 months and was not able to do so ... so please make my day and tell me.

Please determine the input and output ports in each step, and type of cable in each step.

Can not thank you enough.
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

What are you trying to do with all this stuff? Curious as to why you have a recording preamp and a mixer at the same time. You say you are only using one microphone. Is this for speeches? Singing with a band?

If you are truly only going to use one microphone, the recording preamp/channel strip will serve to bring a microphone up to line level (to drive other equipment) and provide equalization. You don't need the mixer at all. A mixer is only if you have multiple sources that you need to mix together. Or if you need to control different outputs such as mains and monitors.

Which brings us to the compressor. You can do a couple of things with it. But the important part is why did you buy it? What purpose were you trying to achieve? To limit peaks? To even out levels? To "squash" dynamics like folks talk about on recording forums? The last isn't really practical in small live sound. When you are constantly in gain reduction then as the input signal goes down, the compressor applies "make up gain" to bring the signal back up until the level dies below a threshold. This is akin to someone constantly turning the volume of the mic up and down and is a recipe for feedback as the compressor turns things up by itself. Now you could put the compressor in line between the mic preamp and the mixer and it would only affect that one input. But that is the most likely to cause feedback. And if you're running separate monitors any singer won't be able to tell how loud they are singing because the louder they sing (often trying to hear themselves over a band) the more the compressor limits it and the monitor doesn't get any louder. Singers have blown out their voices having well meaning but uninformed sound people compress their monitors. More likely you would put the compressor in line after the mixer (or preamp if you don't use the mixer). Although most pro sound people are not fond of "exciters", that would probably go last. Just before the power amp.

This is a lot of stuff ganged together without a clear purpose. You are going to have to spend some time adjusting the output levels and input levels of the following stuff to make sure that nothing is getting overloaded but is otherwise at maybe 80% of full (ideally all the "fulls" should line up but this takes a lot of understanding to accomplish so leave a little margin at each step). The better you do this, the less noise you will get at idle from the system. And a bunch of stuff hooked in series will add noise. Mostly hiss.
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

I am doing only three things:-

1) Screen-Casting for educational based video tutorials I am creating and upload it to YouTube.
2) Audiobooks ... Arabic books.
3) Podcast ... mostly will be in my own and only by myself talking.

No music, no singing ... all just my voice.

No other sources and just one microphone.

Here is the exact details for why I did bought the hardware I've.

I was completely new to audio and start to record using my iPhone and when I asked for a review regarding the recording sample I've been told that it has a noisy background and a reverb or an ecco, so I start to google for such things and that lead me to what it titled Podcast which I was not aware about at all, and I started to follow many groups at Facebook and google plus and I've been advised to use dynamic type microphone which will not collect all the background noise but will only record the front side of the microphone and the 1st microphone I've bought was the Audio Technica ATR2100 USB/XLR.

Till I've been talking to a very good friend of mine which suggested me to buy a mixer to be able to do what I want and in case I may expand the podcast later on, and he shared with me his studio equipments and I was amazed by the sound quality and this is why I asked for what are the hardware he is using and it was this list:-

Zynex QX1204USB (this is the mixer he suggested while he was using Zynex X1222USB).
UltraGain Pro-MIC2200.
Multicom Pro-XL MDX4600.
Sonic Exciter SX3040.

So he told me about the order to connect the devices in the following order:-

Microphone (XLR) > UltraGain Pro-MIC2200 (XLR) > Multicom Pro-XL MDX4600 (XLR) > Sonic Exciter SX3040 (Insert TS/TRS) > Zynex QX1204USB > Then record the output from the mixer to digital audio recorder (I've zoom H4N - I've bought this as I've read many reviews recommending using it instead of recording to computer in case computer generate any noise or application crashed).

But he realized later on that the mixer does not has any insert (Zynex QX1204USB) so he told me to use the XLR for everything but I've found the sound quality is not good at all.

Later on he got very busy and barely online so I respected his circumstances and tried to find an answer by posting in the forum here.

Regarding the Gate MDX4600 that was after I found many recommend it to reduce or eliminate the background noise as possible, and the sonic exciter to get this lovely tone like the tone in the FM.

1st time I thought about get all these things done in the post production using software like Adobe Audition, but I've found that using software will have an effect on everything on the track while trying to do this using the hardware will make things easier as possible and software task will be much easier.

Now when I connect my headphone monitor to the mixer and nothing else connected to mixer and I mean nothing else, just the AC power cord cable connected to power source I can hear a clear hiessssss in the headphone monitoring, so I thought that the mixer could be faulty or need to be maintained, and I was confused to determine if Behringer is a good product or not as I am new and I keep read a lot of articles and watch a lot of videos on YouTube.

So if you think that I do not need to have a mixer at all, may you tell me the exact order of connecting the devices? and what are the cables to be used? and how to record everything to the digital audio recorder.

I hope that you may help for sorting this out as I can not sort the hardware I've the right way and I do not know if I need to change or replace any of it.

Thanks for your reply :)
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Okay, so what you are doing is basically recording. This being a live sound forum you may get more responses at a recording forum like GearSlutz. There are a fair number of voice over artists on that forum.

So, the first stage has to be the preamp. Plug the mic into the preamp. Since you are going to be squashing the dynamic range with the compressor to keep the voice over level even, you probably want the compressor to be next in line. Using the gate to kill noise during pauses. I would seriously consider not using the exciter and just go mic-preamp-compressor-recorder. The exciter basically adds high frequency distortion (depending on how far into Aphex's patents they've gone) or some sort of high frequency expansion. Which is just going to aggravate sibilants and hiss. It's pretty easy to find a mic that has more high end sparkle. Most of the low cost imported (capsule or entire microphone made in China) large diaphragm condenser mics are trying to emulate a Neuman U87 and have a pretty pronounced high frequency peak. Invest in a pop filter and one of those curved absorber things that goes behind the mic to block out room reflections. You're going to want this set up to be about the level of your forehead to limit sibilants and so you can read your scripts underneath. Although you don't want to be tipping your head down and constricting your throat, so mount things up a ways.

Taming the hiss is a matter of what is called gain structure. Optimizing the level of each piece so that it is putting out the maximum amount of clean signal that it can and that the next stage can accept cleanly. This raises the desired signal above the level of the background noise. Like several pieces of dirty glass layered together, the final result will never be cleaner than the dirtiest pane, and the more layers you stack up or add together, the harder it will be to keep the final result clear. It's temping to cobble together gadgets to "improve" sound but in audio, the simplicity of signal path is the clearest. With entry level equipment like this, the less of it the better.
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

I've the following:-

JZ Microphones JZ-PF Pop Filter

RODE PSA1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm

Shure SM57-LC Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

Shure A55M - Shock Stopper for SM58, SM87, SM87A, BETA87A, BETA87C and all other 3/4 Inch and Larger Handles

Electro Voice RE-20 Cardioid Microphone

Heil PR-40 Dynamic Studio Recording Microphone with its Heil Sound PRSM-B Shockmount

Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone, Cardioid




I did posted in the forum you mentioned but did not get the answers for my questions.

I will follow your advise and connect only one or two devices each time to adjust it as best as possible then add others later on.

Ok, I will connect the microphone to mic preamp using XLR cable, then how to connect the mic preamp to digital recorder?

After I adjust the settings for these 3 devices (microphone - mic preamp - digital recorder) I will add the gate later on, but just to go for one step in a time, I will add the gate mdx4600 later on as you advised.

How to go form the microphone preamp to digital recorder? By the way zoom h4n has one port for both linein & phone monitoring.
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Wow! That's a lot of money in pro grade broadcast microphones. And then to plug them into entry level gear? Definitely not a matched set up. At the level of an RE-20, PR-40 or SM7B voice over people are plugging them into Focusrite ISA preamps or some other pro level single pre. Some of which have models that go straight to USB to feed into a computer. Compression and other signal processing is then handled in post production with plug-ins.

You may have offended serious folks on other forums by plugging a $400 RE-20 into a chain of Behringer equipment, which is like putting bicycle tires on a Maserati. There was some early Behringer dynamics processing that was pro, and their latest digital mixers are a decent value, but that's not the stuff you listed.

To answer your connection question, the Zoom has XLR and 1/4" inputs. The XLR is limited in how hot a signal it can accept. If you don't turn up the output on the preceding piece too far this would be the best way. Or you could just use regular 2 conductor 1/4" cables. The 1/4" input can take a hotter signal at the expense of being more sensitive to external noise. Try to keep the cables as short as possible. Especially if you use 1/4" ones. Instead of 15 foot guitar cables, get some short Hosa patch cables or similar. Longer cables just increase the likelihood of picking up noise and are in the way in any event. It cracks me up to see folks with excessively long cables all neatly wound into little coils. Which is the very definition of an antenna. Tie-wrapping multiples together is the very definition of a transformer, coupling one signal to another.

Hopefully you will be successful with a basic mic-preamp-recorder hookup. Not sure about the fear of computers. Just dedicate a clean computer to the recording and don't play on the internet with it. Virtually every music recording you hear these days was done on a computer. If they were that unreliable, you wouldn't have platinum artists standing around waiting for someone to fix them. At some point, you can use the Zoom as a computer interface and then investigate signal processing plug-ins. Which will give you much more control than trying to "print" a processed sound directly to the recorder in real time. Particularly with entry level analog gear.

I've no idea what a common plug in for voiceover work is. I use Izotope Nectar for musical vocals along with various other ProTools things. Maybe one of the voice over artists on GearSlutz will take you under their wing and give some useful advice if you go in without preconceptions or talking about cheap entry level processors. Good luck.
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

Steve Kirby said:
Wow! That's a lot of money in pro grade broadcast microphones. And then to plug them into entry level gear? Definitely not a matched set up. At the level of an RE-20, PR-40 or SM7B voice over people are plugging them into Focusrite ISA preamps or some other pro level single pre. Some of which have models that go straight to USB to feed into a computer. Compression and other signal processing is then handled in post production with plug-ins.
Click to expand...

You mean like this model:-
http://global.focusrite.com/mic-pres/isa-one
Steve Kirby said:
You may have offended serious folks on other forums by plugging a $400 RE-20 into a chain of Behringer equipment, which is like putting bicycle tires on a Maserati. There was some early Behringer dynamics processing that was pro, and their latest digital mixers are a decent value, but that's not the stuff you listed.
Click to expand...
Actually I was not aware of all the technical information and all I was trying to do is having a good hardware as a long term investment.
Shall I sell all the Behringer devices I've? or what?

Steve Kirby said:
To answer your connection question, the Zoom has XLR and 1/4" inputs. The XLR is limited in how hot a signal it can accept. If you don't turn up the output on the preceding piece too far this would be the best way. Or you could just use regular 2 conductor 1/4" cables. The 1/4" input can take a hotter signal at the expense of being more sensitive to external noise. Try to keep the cables as short as possible. Especially if you use 1/4" ones. Instead of 15 foot guitar cables, get some short Hosa patch cables or similar. Longer cables just increase the likelihood of picking up noise and are in the way in any event. It cracks me up to see folks with excessively long cables all neatly wound into little coils. Which is the very definition of an antenna. Tie-wrapping multiples together is the very definition of a transformer, coupling one signal to another.
Click to expand...
When I bought the Zoom H4N, I've got the kit
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XLJGGDW/
You are talking about the included cable that has a male interface and two female interface in the other end, right?
what is the out put I should go from in the micpreamp and the gate?

Steve Kirby said:
Hopefully you will be successful with a basic mic-preamp-recorder hookup. Not sure about the fear of computers. Just dedicate a clean computer to the recording and don't play on the internet with it. Virtually every music recording you hear these days was done on a computer. If they were that unreliable, you wouldn't have platinum artists standing around waiting for someone to fix them. At some point, you can use the Zoom as a computer interface and then investigate signal processing plug-ins. Which will give you much more control than trying to "print" a processed sound directly to the recorder in real time. Particularly with entry level analog gear.
Click to expand...
Actually I've found this video for a guy who is using Zoom H4N directly and honestly I do not know how he did it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tmSgJfJLcs
 
Re: How to connect Behringer Mixer Zynex QX1204USB to Sonic Exciter SX3040

I think you can just plug the H4N into the computer over USB an it will show up as an audio device that you can use with your recording software. I don't think you need anything else to do what you are trying to accomplish.
 
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