M-Audio SOLO clipping

R

Rick Morton

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May 2, 2022
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I am connecting my Mackie DSFX-6 to an M-Audio Solo interface to go into my Mac. I've set the mixer up as every tutorial says to and when I speak into the mic, the main level is peaking at about -4DB. There is no distortion at all. I'm coming out of the Mackie CH 1 Main Out with XLR to the XLR input on the SOLO. The INPUT level on the Solo is all the way down - 0. When I speak, the red clip light comes on with almost every word. ??? I thought I could use either XLR or 1/4 in. TRS into the Solo. I don't have the 1/4 in cables so using XLR.
Any help would be appreciated.

RM
 
The Mackie main output is at traditional "Line" level (0dB on the meter = 1.23V average) whereas the XLR input on the M-Audio is expecting a "Mic" level signal, which is a lot smaller.

You can invest in an XLR to TRS cable which allows you to use the Line in on the M-Audio, or simply turn down the main output of the Mackie until it stops clipping.

Or, plug the mic straight into the M-Audio if you don't need the extra features of the Mackie.
 
David Morison said:
The Mackie main output is at traditional "Line" level (0dB on the meter = 1.23V average) whereas the XLR input on the M-Audio is expecting a "Mic" level signal, which is a lot smaller.

You can invest in an XLR to TRS cable which allows you to use the Line in on the M-Audio, or simply turn down the main output of the Mackie until it stops clipping.

Or, plug the mic straight into the M-Audio if you don't need the extra features of the Mackie.
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Thanks. The problem I was having seemed to have corrected itself yesterday when I was on the phone with Guitar Center tech. I did everything the same. bit could turn the input level up on the M-Audio to about 10:o'clock before clipping. Mackie was set up to "U". The combo input on the M-Audio is supposed to accept either a 1/4 in TRS or XLR as line level inputs. Strange. Not the greatest interface, for sure, but I thought it would be fine for what I needed to do. Yes.. I do need the mixer. Thanks again.
 
"U"nity is a bogus marketing-speak term, the way Mackie promoted it. Unity gain is a valid engineering concept but a terrible marketing gimmick. Turn the knob where it needs to go, not where the U is.
 
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