connect cd player to studio monitor

[atja]

Hi,

I've got a question on how to connect a cd player to my studio
monitors. I'm quite new to this, so I hope someone can help me out.

The problem is this:
I've got a stage piano and guitar connected through a mixer (TAPCO
MIX120), to a set of active studio monitors (SAMSON Resolv 50a). I now
want to connect a cd player, while I want to keep control of the left-
and right-channel volume separately. The cd player has normal RCA
output, can I plug these into two channels on the mixer directly?

Any help would be great!

atja

[Richard Crowley]

"atja" wrote ...
> I've got a question on how to connect a cd player to my studio
> monitors. I'm quite new to this, so I hope someone can help me out.
>
> The problem is this:
> I've got a stage piano and guitar connected through a mixer (TAPCO
> MIX120), to a set of active studio monitors (SAMSON Resolv 50a). I now
> want to connect a cd player, while I want to keep control of the left-
> and right-channel volume separately. The cd player has normal RCA
> output, can I plug these into two channels on the mixer directly?

Sure. The line inputs are described by Tapco as compatible with
consumer line-level output devices. If you want the left and right
channels on different inputs, you may have to juggle cables and
adapters, but it is a straightforward exercise.

[atja]

On Dec 5, 3:14 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
> "atja" wrote ...
>
> > I've got a question on how to connect a cd player to my studio
> > monitors. I'm quite new to this, so I hope someone can help me out.
>
> > The problem is this:
> > I've got a stage piano and guitar connected through a mixer (TAPCO
> > MIX120), to a set of active studio monitors (SAMSON Resolv 50a). I now
> > want to connect a cd player, while I want to keep control of the left-
> > and right-channel volume separately. The cd player has normal RCA
> > output, can I plug these into two channels on the mixer directly?
>
> Sure. The line inputs are described by Tapco as compatible with
> consumer line-level output devices. If you want the left and right
> channels on different inputs, you may have to juggle cables and
> adapters, but it is a straightforward exercise.

Thanks for the (very quick) reply Richard!
I've tried to just connect it this way (I used some plugs to put the
RCA connectors into a channel on the mixer), but the sound quality is
not optimal. The high tones sound as if they are damped. Any idea what
can cause this?

[Richard Crowley]

"atja" wrote ...
> "Richard Crowley" wrote:
>> "atja" wrote ...
>> > I've got a question on how to connect a cd player to my studio
>> > monitors. I'm quite new to this, so I hope someone can help me out.
>>
>> > The problem is this:
>> > I've got a stage piano and guitar connected through a mixer (TAPCO
>> > MIX120), to a set of active studio monitors (SAMSON Resolv 50a). I
>> > now
>> > want to connect a cd player, while I want to keep control of the
>> > left-
>> > and right-channel volume separately. The cd player has normal RCA
>> > output, can I plug these into two channels on the mixer directly?
>>
>> Sure. The line inputs are described by Tapco as compatible with
>> consumer line-level output devices. If you want the left and right
>> channels on different inputs, you may have to juggle cables and
>> adapters, but it is a straightforward exercise.
>
> Thanks for the (very quick) reply Richard!
> I've tried to just connect it this way (I used some plugs to put the
> RCA connectors into a channel on the mixer), but the sound quality is
> not optimal. The high tones sound as if they are damped. Any idea what
> can cause this?

Time for the usual differential diagnosis exercises.
The CD player sounds OK when plugged into something else?
Other sources sound OK when plugged into those inputs?
The cable works OK when used with other equipment?
Does it sound OK of you are listening to only one channel?
With only one channel plugged in, etc?

Exactly how do you have it connected to the Tapco mixer?
For example, are you using some kind of "Y-adapter" to
combine left & right (etc.)?

[atja]

On Dec 5, 3:32 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
> "atja" wrote ...
>
>
>
> > "Richard Crowley" wrote:
> >> "atja" wrote ...
> >> > I've got a question on how to connect a cd player to my studio
> >> > monitors. I'm quite new to this, so I hope someone can help me out.
>
> >> > The problem is this:
> >> > I've got a stage piano and guitar connected through a mixer (TAPCO
> >> > MIX120), to a set of active studio monitors (SAMSON Resolv 50a). I
> >> > now
> >> > want to connect a cd player, while I want to keep control of the
> >> > left-
> >> > and right-channel volume separately. The cd player has normal RCA
> >> > output, can I plug these into two channels on the mixer directly?
>
> >> Sure. The line inputs are described by Tapco as compatible with
> >> consumer line-level output devices. If you want the left and right
> >> channels on different inputs, you may have to juggle cables and
> >> adapters, but it is a straightforward exercise.
>
> > Thanks for the (very quick) reply Richard!
> > I've tried to just connect it this way (I used some plugs to put the
> > RCA connectors into a channel on the mixer), but the sound quality is
> > not optimal. The high tones sound as if they are damped. Any idea what
> > can cause this?
>
> Time for the usual differential diagnosis exercises.
> The CD player sounds OK when plugged into something else?
> Other sources sound OK when plugged into those inputs?
> The cable works OK when used with other equipment?
> Does it sound OK of you are listening to only one channel?
> With only one channel plugged in, etc?
>
> Exactly how do you have it connected to the Tapco mixer?
> For example, are you using some kind of "Y-adapter" to
> combine left & right (etc.)?


The connections in the 'exercises' all work ok, so it does not seem to
be the cable or the inputs.
I connected my monitors through the 'main out' connections on the
mixer, with regular 1/4" cables.

[Mike Rivers]

On Dec 5, 8:49 am, atja > wrote:

> I've got a stage piano and guitar connected through a mixer (TAPCO
> MIX120), to a set of active studio monitors (SAMSON Resolv 50a). I now
> want to connect a cd player, while I want to keep control of the left-
> and right-channel volume separately. The cd player has normal RCA
> output, can I plug these into two channels on the mixer directly?

You'll want to plug those into two Line inputs, which means that
either you'll need adapters for RCA-RCA cables or you'll need cables
with RCA plugs on one end and 1/4" plugs on the other. I recommend the
latter. Adapters are often unreliable.

The first four channels of your mixer are "mono" so if you plugged
into two of those, set the Pan full left on one channel and full right
on the other, you'd have the CD player connected as you want it.

The last four channels of your mixer are "stereo" which means they
have two jacks per channel and you don't have separate knobs for the
volume and tone of each channel, only a single volume control and a
balance control like on a stereo receiver. You can use two stereo
channels as if they were mono channels by plugging your CD player
outputs into the Left jack (only ) of the two channels. Then the Pan
control becomes a normal pan (like on the first four channels) and the
level controls adjust the two channels individually.

You don't have any EQ on those line input channels. You might have to
make some executive decisions about what needs what amount of control.
You don't get everything on every channel on a basic utility mixer
like that.

[Richard Crowley]

"atja" wrote ...
> "Richard Crowley" wrote:
>> Time for the usual differential diagnosis exercises.
>> The CD player sounds OK when plugged into something else?
>> Other sources sound OK when plugged into those inputs?
>> The cable works OK when used with other equipment?
>> Does it sound OK of you are listening to only one channel?
>> With only one channel plugged in, etc?
>>
>> Exactly how do you have it connected to the Tapco mixer?
>> For example, are you using some kind of "Y-adapter" to
>> combine left & right (etc.)?
>
>
> The connections in the 'exercises' all work ok, so it does not seem to
> be the cable or the inputs.

Then we can only conclude that your (unidentified) CD player
is broken.

> I connected my monitors through the 'main out' connections on the
> mixer, with regular 1/4" cables.

Should make no difference. I was asking only about the
connection between the CD player and the mixer.

[atja]

On Dec 5, 6:41 pm, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
> "atja" wrote ...
>
> > "Richard Crowley" wrote:
> >> Time for the usual differential diagnosis exercises.
> >> The CD player sounds OK when plugged into something else?
> >> Other sources sound OK when plugged into those inputs?
> >> The cable works OK when used with other equipment?
> >> Does it sound OK of you are listening to only one channel?
> >> With only one channel plugged in, etc?
>
> >> Exactly how do you have it connected to the Tapco mixer?
> >> For example, are you using some kind of "Y-adapter" to
> >> combine left & right (etc.)?
>
> > The connections in the 'exercises' all work ok, so it does not seem to
> > be the cable or the inputs.
>
> Then we can only conclude that your (unidentified) CD player
> is broken.
>
> > I connected my monitors through the 'main out' connections on the
> > mixer, with regular 1/4" cables.
>
> Should make no difference. I was asking only about the
> connection between the CD player and the mixer.


I'll try to check it with another CD player, to check if that is the
problem. Thanks for all the quick help!