Sound source options

[mackerr]

(even a simple pair of transformers adds an extra 8 connectors to the signal path), & the extra faff & time (of which there is never enough) involved.

 

 

Maybe 8 connections if you count the connections on the circuit board of the interface. The Peavey USB-P and its ilk have a USB in and 2 XLR out. A 3.5mm adapter has a relatively unreliable connection to the computer, and 2 RCA or 1/4" plugs. What are the 8 more? How much extra time is involved in patching 2 short XLR cables?

 

Mac

[sandall]

What are the 8 more?

The isolator that a couple of people have linked to has phonos in & out. Compared with using a single 3.5mm to 1/4" jack lead that's 8 extra connectors. Agreed that the 3.5mm connectors aren't particularly reliable (which is why I keep enough laptop leads to regard them as disposables), but then neither are most cheap plastic phono connectors.

[mackerr]

What are the 8 more?

The isolator that a couple of people have linked to has phonos in & out. Compared with using a single 3.5mm to 1/4" jack lead that's 8 extra connectors. Agreed that the 3.5mm connectors aren't particularly reliable (which is why I keep enough laptop leads to regard them as disposables), but then neither are most cheap plastic phono connectors.

 

Those are not the ones I linked to. I don't know how much this would be in the UK, but in the US they are $46. Pretty reasonable for a USB in 2 XLR out balanced, transformer isolated audio output interface. I carry 3 of them with me as a freelance FOH mixer, 1 for my own laptop, and 2 in case video expects me to use the headphone output of their computers.

 

Both USB A/B and XLR are far better (more reliable) connections than either 3.5mm or RCA.

 

Mac

[MarkPAman]

Those are not the ones I linked to. I don't know how much this would be in the UK, but in the US they are $46. Pretty reasonable for a USB in 2 XLR out balanced, transformer isolated audio output interface. I carry 3 of them with me as a freelance FOH mixer, 1 for my own laptop, and 2 in case video expects me to use the headphone output of their computers.

 

Both USB A/B and XLR are far better (more reliable) connections than either 3.5mm or RCA.

 

Mac

 

I have one (bought on Mackerr’s Recomendation IIRC - thanks) and would love another one, never had a problem when using it. However, nobody in the UK or Europe seems to sell them, though they do crop up on eBay occasionally, which is where I got mine - though it cost me almost double that!

I've asked a couple of Peavey dealers, and they said that they can't get them in for me.

Maybe the do not meet some EU regulation for radiation or something.

[Brian]

I too tried to get hold of the Peavey units and couldn't which is why I went with the units linked to in my post.

[sandall]

I have nothing against USB interfaces in general (or the Peavey one in particular) & use both Behringer regularly & Focusrite occasionally (though My Echo I-O PCMCIA interface is the most convenient as it can be left plugged-in while in transit). I have also wasted the odd £10 on ebay offerings that never worked, but if anyone ever produces a decent device that is genuinely plug-&-play without the need to install any drivers, works with Windows 2000, NT, XP, Vista, 7 & 10, plus all versions of Mac OS, & is cheap enough to throw several in the toolbox I'll definitely be in the market.

 

In the meantime they see little use in my bread-&-butter work.

 

Scenario 1 - Conference (early start & really rushed get-in of course). 2 laptops provided (one of the videos won't run within PowerPoint), keynote speaker arrives with a video to be played off her own (insert your choice of OS for PC or Mac) laptop. Next speaker to arrive has brought her presentation on a Mac. I now have 4 laptops, all different OS, but they all have headphone sockets, & they are all hum-free.

 

Scenario 2 - Yoof event. The poet/rapper & the principal dancer, who I've been promised will be bringing CDs, both turn up with laptops (probably Macs or Surface-10s - yoof seem to have disposable income) instead. In neither scenario are USB interfaces going to help me (I MIGHT need a transformer or 2, but I have DIs to cover that).

 

Scenario 3 (now getting a bit nearer the OP's question) - small-scale drama in a community hall. Laptop with Multiplay, smallest footprint mixer, powered speakers. In this case I COULD use an interface, but I don't need to, so I don't bother (I could also use a dugital desk, but I don't, for the same reason).

 

My advice to the OP was, & still is, if going the laptop route, try Multiplay (it's free & eases you very gently into the computer-audio world) & the headphone socket first . If this works for you - fine. If you can guarantee to always have someone technically-minded on the show, maybe try a cheapish interface & SCS.

 

I'm not anti-technology (I was trained by the broadcaster with probably the highest technical standards in the world), but a lesson I learnt from a wise old producer was K I S S (keep it s***ing simple!!).

 

E2A: I drink my morning coffee from a Soundcraft mug which carries the slogan "Appropriate Technology" - says it all really :)

 

 

 

[mackerr]

I have nothing against USB interfaces in general (or the Peavey one in particular) & use both Behringer regularly & Focusrite occasionally (though My Echo I-O PCMCIA interface is the most convenient as it can be left plugged-in while in transit). I have also wasted the odd £10 on ebay offerings that never worked, but if anyone ever produces a decent device that is genuinely plug-&-play without the need to install any drivers, works with Windows 2000, NT, XP, Vista, 7 & 10, plus all versions of Mac OS, & is cheap enough to throw several in the toolbox I'll definitely be in the market.

Beating a dead horse here, but the USB output interfaces I have used, Peavey, Radial, Black Dog, are all class compliant and require no drivers on either MacOS or Win7 or Win 10. I have not tried them with other OSs, but I suspect they will also work without installing drivers on any machine that has USB.

 

In the meantime they see little use in my bread-&-butter work.

 

Scenario 1 - Conference (early start & really rushed get-in of course). 2 laptops provided (one of the videos won't run within PowerPoint), keynote speaker arrives with a video to be played off her own (insert your choice of OS for PC or Mac) laptop. Next speaker to arrive has brought her presentation on a Mac. I now have 4 laptops, all different OS, but they all have headphone sockets, & they are all hum-free.

 

Scenario 2 - Yoof event. The poet/rapper & the principal dancer, who I've been promised will be bringing CDs, both turn up with laptops (probably Macs or Surface-10s - yoof seem to have disposable income) instead. In neither scenario are USB interfaces going to help me (I MIGHT need a transformer or 2, but I have DIs to cover that).

Both your hypothetical Mac and Surface 10 will work fine with a USB interface.

 

Scenario 3 (now getting a bit nearer the OP's question) - small-scale drama in a community hall. Laptop with Multiplay, smallest footprint mixer, powered speakers. In this case I COULD use an interface, but I don't need to, so I don't bother (I could also use a dugital desk, but I don't, for the same reason).

 

My advice to the OP was, & still is, if going the laptop route, try Multiplay (it's free & eases you very gently into the computer-audio world) & the headphone socket first . If this works for you - fine. If you can guarantee to always have someone technically-minded on the show, maybe try a cheapish interface & SCS.

 

I'm not anti-technology (I was trained by the broadcaster with probably the highest technical standards in the world), but a lesson I learnt from a wise old producer was K I S S (keep it s***ing simple!!).

 

E2A: I drink my morning coffee from a Soundcraft mug which carries the slogan "Appropriate Technology" - says it all really :)

 

Mac

[sandall]

Mac, I do appreciate your efforts to drag me kicking & screaming into the modern age, but you may indeed be flogging a dead horse :). USB connectors are infinitely more secure than VGA on the average laptop, but they can, & occasionally do, get dislodged when laptops are being shuffled around (especially when the unit they are attached to ends up on the floor), something that doesn't happen with a headphone lead, which needs a straight pull to dislodge.

 

I accept that the D/A convertors in a good interface may well be better than those in a mid-price laptop, but I doubt if the difference is very marked. Certainly, audio quality has never come up as an issue, even when playing classical music clips. Ignoring the vast difference in cost (not easily recouped), the clincher is that having a couple of 3.5mm leads at the desk means that I can instantly cope with whatever BYOD the customers arrive with. I've been in this business long enough to know that that alone is worth more than gold :)

[cedd]

Mac, I do appreciate your efforts to drag me kicking & screaming into the modern age, but you may indeed be flogging a dead horse :). USB connectors are infinitely more secure than VGA on the average laptop, but they can, & occasionally do, get dislodged when laptops are being shuffled around (especially when the unit they are attached to ends up on the floor), something that doesn't happen with a headphone lead, which needs a straight pull to dislodge.

Got to disagree with you there on the merits of 3.5mm jack Vs USB. I've seen many more failed 3.5mm jack sockets in my time than USB (don't think I've ever seen an issue with a USB lead being pulled out or being damaged/dead, but maybe I'm more careful than others). I have however known 3.5mm jacks to be pulled out a click (with the inevitable thud) often (not on my machines, I tend to tape cables down to the table that the device is sat on) and a good sideways tug can damage the socket irreparably if the device is heavy enough to resist moving when the cable is tripped over. Often the length of the strain relief means that a sideways pull actually has a slight pulling out effect too as the connector tries to rotate.

The soldering and physical attachment of 3.5mm jack sockets via SMD to consumer laptops is pretty poor and I've soldered a few back on for colleagues over the years (as well as plenty of DC connectors).

At least USB hardware has more chance to fail gracefully - a powered interface or USB DI with balanced outs will more likely go silent with maybe a slight pop. A 3.5mm jack pulled partially out and then picked up and handled by the panicking user is going to make one hell of a noise.

I fully understand the need to be prepared for every eventuality and I do have a good stock of 3.5mm to whatever leads with me. More often than not they're used for dance captains who ask at the last minute if they can plug in a phone to warm up the cast. I certainly wouldn't plan on having anything show critical coming through one though.

 

I'm not an apple fan-boy but I do feel that in these instances apple's hardware has the edge - the sockets are physically part of the case so they're far stronger and don't rely simply on solder to keep them there. I can also say with some certainty that they're squashed banana proof! (long story involving my lunch hastily placed in my rucksack below my macbook and then promptly forgotten about for a couple of days!).

 

 

[Jivemaster]

always consider using a port replicator/docking station. They use a multi pin connector and some locating pins to provide some extra connectors.

 

It's a work round for a lappy with a broken connector, or it's sacrificial connectors just in case someone might be careless.

[sandall]

,

Got to disagree with you there on the merits of 3.5mm jack Vs USB. I've seen many more failed 3.5mm jack sockets in my time than USB (don't think I've ever seen an issue with a USB lead being pulled out or being damaged/dead, but maybe I'm more careful than others). I have however known 3.5mm jacks to be pulled out a click (with the inevitable thud) often (not on my machines, I tend to tape cables down to the table that the device is sat on) and a good sideways tug can damage the socket irreparably if the device is heavy enough to resist moving when the cable is tripped over.

All good points, Chris & one of my golden rules with laptops is that NOBODY touches anything but the keyboard on one of mine. I'm very conscious that while there may be 3 or more USB ports, there is only one 3.5mm, so I am ultra careful with cables (no trip hazards allowed), & if a cable does need taping down there is always plenty of slack at the laptop end.

 

The soldering and physical attachment of 3.5mm jack sockets via SMD to consumer laptops is pretty poor and I've soldered a few back on for colleagues over the years (as well as plenty of DC connectors).

Even USB ports aren't immune to damage. On my first Dell, which only had two, a customer somehow managed to fold up the contacts of one of them when plugging in her mouse. Dell said it would need a new motherboard, & refused to repair it under warranty. Not only has this made me ultra cautious with the old Tosh I use for family history, which only has one, but it has made me very careful when plugging ANYTHING into a USB port.

 

always consider using a port replicator/docking station.

Interesting point. A couple of mine do have docking connectors, so I might investigate that.