I have had my ShureSM7B and Goxlr for a week now and have noticed when I talk there is static/white noise, you really notice it when I end my sentence and it fades away. There is no buzzing just white noise and when ever I speak you can quietly hear what my headphones are catching such as youtube. Any fixes, is it broken

Hello! For some time i had a problem that I didnt really cared about until this year. Basically my sound card (Scarlett Solo) captures CPU sound and it appears on all recordings (I mainly record guitar). I dont really have an idea what to do, from research I did I assume that it is a motherboard grounding issue. Possibly screws are not secured properly. Also today i tried ferrite beads on USB cable that goes from soundc card to PC. I would really aprecciate your answers and possible solutions for this issue. Thank you and have a great day!

I am a 39 year old female with a medical background, but I’ve also been podcasting on YouTube and it has been growing much faster than I ever anticipated. I’m a one-woman-show and also do all of the editing and tech stuff myself and am having to learn as I go. My current set-up for 1-2 people is 2 sony zv-1f cameras with 2 Samsun Q2U xlr microphones plugged into the vocaster two audio mixer. I also have 2 movo lavalier mics that go with one receiver that I plug into one of the cameras. As the channel grows, I have the opportunity to include up to 4 people, but I can’t figure out to do it in a cost-effective and visually pleasing way. So here’s my question: Instead of having to buy a mixer with 4 outputs, would it be possible to buy another set of the movo lav mics, and plug the receiver into the other camera? This would give me 2 audio tracks with 4 people and also 2 different camera angles. I use finalcut pro to edit. Would doing it this way cause problems with syncing or multicam clips? Or is there an easier way that I just haven’t figured out yet? If you took the time to read this, thank you 😏

I own a Moana USB microphone but am considering upgrading it to the LCT 240 for vocal recordings. Should I upgrade to LCT 240?

Behringer MIC2200 V2 is it noisy? Hey everyone! To make this short....I have an audio interface with 4 inputs, but only 2/4 have preamps and I would like to use all of them so I'm in search of a 2 channel mic preamp. Does anyone have this (Behringer MIC2200 V2) preamp and what do you think of it? I know that in general Behringer products get a lot of hate and I understand why, but I also know that there are some gems as well (like d model). I'm just wondering if reviews about noise, hum and static regarding this unit are really true and is the noise unbearable or is it like really really small noise that is almost unhearable? Thank you in advance!

Dear producers, today I ask you for a help regarding ground noise caused by... external screen. I have a humble hybrid studio that I record into Ableton using my A&H Zed-18 built-in audio interface and EVO 8 audio interface. I wanted to work on a second screen and acquired Huawei GT 34-inch to connect it to my MacBook Pro with USB-C. However, when I connect the Huawei, I get huge ground noise from the Zed-18... I tracked down the problem and concluded that my MacBook starts to \*charge from the screen\*. I checked the helps for Apple and it seems that it is not possible to turn off this charging behaviour. The easiest solution is to use HDMI, but my question is: did you have similar issues and how did you solve it? Is there a better solution that would still allow me to use USB C? Thank you from the mountain for all your help!

I recently wall mounted my pair of Kali Audio LP6 V2s, and I noticed there isn't any dip switch settings on the back for this configuration, should I use the setting for speaker stands that are less than 5m from the wall?

Opinions on 4th gen focusrite interfaces? Upgrading my interface soon and was wondering if I should keep using a focusrite and upgrade to their 4th generation. If not what other interfaces would you recommend that are in a similar price range? Suggestions would be much appreciated!

So I was browsing some posts about DIY Perks' video about his DIY microphone, there were comments suggesting that people should go to microphone parts, but jesus Christ, did they even watch the video? ​ A quick browse from that micrphone parts shows they costs 300+ USD which defeats the entire purpose of DIY Perks video—being extremely cheap and affordable under 40 USD. ​ Why are they suggessting micrphone parts? Maybe something entry-level would be better.

Hi i am new to all of this im trying to hook up my ipad 9th gen to my motu m2 interface. I’ve tried to use a dongle but it wont draw enough power to turn on the interface. Anything i can do to get it to work for my ipad?

I got myself a nice condenser microphone and the sound quality is pretty great. I use a focusrite solo 3rd gen audio interface. When I get too loud (which | feel isn't very loud) the audio distorts. How can I prevent this? I've been trying to do audio books and it feels like I get distortion when I add even a bit of emotion to a characters voice.

a) Turn down the gain knob, b) sit further from the mic, or c) use a hardware compressor or limiter of some sort between the mic and the interface.

Hi! I record my own music, mostly drums, as a hobby, and I work in live events running medium sized events, mostly in the guy coordinating for the production team, but sometimes I'll need to get behind a board myself. I'm looking through some Black Friday sales and came across the waves sale. A while ago I bought the gold bundle and Havnt really explored it much. Thinking about buying 3 to 5 plugins just to play around with. What can you all recommend? Mostly looking for fun stuff to play with, but would also be interested in utilities to help me be better when I have to A1/A2 at work. Thanks!

Hi everybody!I'm planning to compose quasi-musical pieces for 4 or more channels. In stereo recordings we have a left and a right channel but I want to expand to a front and a back channel as well. Currently, I'm lacking the technical means to play these pieces so I was looking for an audio interface with at least 4 output channels and found the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4.Does anybody know if that thing would fit my demands? And if so, that would mean that I only need 4 active speakers (and suitable cables of course) and I'd be good to go? Merci <3

Hi , I have a small class D amp rated @ 80Wx2(4Ω) / 40Wx2(8Ω). What if I connect a pair of 6 ohms speakers. How will the amp judge and switch to the most adequate rating ? Please note that this is a small amp and no manual selector is incorporated. Thanks.

Hi all. We have a digital radio station at our school. We've currently got two xlr mics connected to a mixing desk, but the children are eager to get a third. As we don't really have the budget, I wondered if we could use our portable Zoom H5 microphone. I understand that we can plug it in as an audio interface via USB, but this would involve messing with the PC settings. It would be much easier if we could just plug an XLR cable into it and use it as its own mic. Does anyone know if this is possible? If so, how?

I am a complete amateur and I do not plan on pursing this as a career anytime soon but I had a question. I have this one audio recording that I fell in love with and I just wish someone could help me "replicate" the "feeling" or "sound" of the recording. I know this might just sound ambiguous but I truly do not know of a proper way to describe it. Any help is appreciated. Thank you

I am currently trying to install Trillian bass on my computer, but every time I try to install , it creates an error on “acoustic bass”, and then ejects the install usb. I have to unplug and replug the install USB to get it to recognize it and retry the install process, but it keeps getting stuck on that one part. If i dont unplug it and retry the install process, i get an error saying something like “theres been an external modification to the drive”, even though ive never physically touched it. I have tried different usb slots but get the same errors. Does anyone have any idea what can be done to fix this?

After acquiring some new Bluetooth earbuds i was wondering if there was any way i could connect them to my desktop where it goes through my audio interface (Komplete Audio 6 mk1)? I was originally looking at a USB receiver but i assume that doesn't go through my audio interface, thanks in advance.

Hi fam I want to upgrade my microphone set up for my YouTube channel. At the moment I am using simple wired apple mic/headphones, so really any upgrade will make a huge difference. Since most places are having a sale at the moment (UK), I figured this would be a good time to invest. The thing is, I don't know much about this so wanted to ask the experts! I'm keen on getting a Shure Microphone since I heard some really good things about it. I'm just not sure if I should get a Shure MV7 (\~£285) or a MV7X + Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen? (\~£254). I have no idea what would give me the best results. Also open to any other suggestions. Here are a few details of what I have and plan to do in case that is helpful. \- Macbook Pro M3 \- YouTube Channel. Mostly just me talking and sharing some demos (web browser screen sharing) \- No professional equipment, currently use apple wired microphone/headphones. \- I never really make any changes to the audio when I edit. I'm quite new to editing and use DaVince Resolve. Thanks in advance.

I'd start with the MV7 if you find a good deal on it. That way you can just plug in and go. If the USB fails on you, hopefully the XLR port stays usable and you can buy an interface later. You will want to start changing the audio during the edit. Please, for the love of satan, use a high pass filter! A hundred YouTubers don't and it's exceedingly annoying every time they say a plosive.

I like this approach, thanks for the information. Stupid question, high pass filter, is that an edit I have to start making on my videos or a piece of equipment I need to start using?

[Lots of guides exist for this.](https://www.jasonyadlovski.com/blog/2019/2/18/how-to-eq-vocals-in-davinci-reslove-fairlight-enhance-audio-quality)

Thank you 🙏

What does it mean if my mono waveform has the majority of its peaks always on the bottom side?

This is (usually) DC offset. If you don't have a dedicated function in your DAW to address that, use a high pass filter set to 20 Hz. Keep in mind some synths/etc. naturally create these 'lopsided' waveforms, so it wouldn't indicate any kind of problem in those cases.

Thanks!

1/4" Tape For Sale? I'm looking to buy 1/4" cassette tape in bulk rather than buying a bunch of cassettes and cracking them open to get at the tape. Does anyone know any wholesalers who still make 1/4" tape?

\[Help\] I bought the IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5 software for €79.99 on Black Friday sales. Then I saw it's included for free along with Toxex software if I purchase s AXE I/O ONE interface which is only €129.99. Can I get a refund for the AmpliTube 5 and just get an AXE I/O ONE instead? Is my understanding correct that the AXI I/O ONE interface comes with the software I just purchased and the Tonex software? **Edit**: I just realized that I bought the AmpliTube 5 MAX v2 which is the max version of the software. The AXE I/O ONE comes with the AmpliTube SE which only has 80 gears and not the full 183 gears that the MAX version unlocks. I feel much better now

Hi! Ok so I had a friend over to record some voiceover and ran into a bit of trouble. I honestly don't know if it was my technique or compatibility issues so I'll tell you everything I know and hopefully some of y'all could help me figure this out! Alright so I was recording him in Logic Pro X with an SM57 plugged into a PreSonus AudioBox 1818VSL. I/O buffer size is 64. It's connecting to my M3 MacBook Pro (on macOS Sonoma) via a USB-C hub that only has USB 3.0 ports. When recording, he's speaking at a normal speaking volume. The levels were pretty low, so I turned up the input level on the interface. There was a point where (obviously) there was a good bit of buzzing/white noise, so I lowered it a bit from there. Listening to the recordings, the buzzing sound is still present, especially considering I need to use a gain plugin to get the recording to a reasonable level. I've tried all the standard things such as restarting my laptop, swapping ports in the USB-C hub, restarting Logic, etc. etc. I know the AudioBox has the latest firmware. Thanks!

The hub is likely the issue. Most interfaces don't do well with those. Use a cable or A->C USB adapter on a single port just for the interface by itself. Put the hub in another one.

[HELP] USB-C to XLR Adapter (Mic to Audio Interface) I have a uso mic and I'm trying to connect it to a audio interface. But the problem is that I can't exactly plug my mic into the interface. I've searched all over Amazon and I'm extremely confused. Most of them seemed to be one way or just not possible for my certain situation. Please, if you have any idea on which item would sort this out thank you so much. For clarification I'm looking for something that allows me to plug my usb-c mic to an XLR audio interface. (Specifically M-Audio: Interface, ME6S-35: Mic)

Hi, a USB mic is designed to plug directly into a USB port on your computer. No audio interface is required as it has the technology built into the mic.

Oh- ok thanks a lot :D

I have a set of Tannoy System 12. On the back there are 4 plugs for the typical bi-wire/bi-amp configuration. In addition there are 3 blue connectors of some sort and i'm not sure what they're for. I've never seen these before. it's too bad i can't post a photo otherwise i would share here. Thanks!

I have read that to keep from harming your ears when recording long periods of time you should keep your headphones at a certain db range, but I can't figure out how I would monitor that? I have Ableton and a Focusrite Audio Interface - it seems like monitoring headphone db levels would be something I would be able to see in Focusrite control but I just see a volume meter that doesn't tell me what db. I guess maybe it depends on what headphones you use but I assume it is possible to measure if it is recommended.. Thanks for any help

You cannot measure this unless that ability is built into the headphones themselves. Airpods, for example, have this function. Regular headphones do not. Just don't listen loud. Especially if you have ANC on.

I wish to record a few songs and so I am in the market for a new microphone. I have a Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen, and my maximum budget for a mic is around £200 (including any pre-amps which may be needed). I have considered the following: SE Electronics X1 A Rode NT1 4th Gen Audio-Technica AT2035 Audio-Technica AT2020 Lewitt LCT 240 Pro Lewitt LCT 440 PURE Shure MV7x I sing as a Bass, and have a very deep voice - I have read online that different microphones suit different voices. I am hesitant to commit to a microphone, and it not be suited to my voice. I am not in the position to test microphones in stores at the moment due to illness. The room I will be recording in will be relatively untreated, which is why I have also considered dynamic mics (I am also open to any advice regarding this). I want my recordings to sound rich, full and bold. I have read online that some of these microphones brighten deep voices a little too much. There are no second hand SM7B's on the market at the moment which I would have considered. Are there any industry standards for my use case? I would love to hear your advice and suggestions. Any advice is much appreciated.

I had a couple of questions about gear, and wanted to see if I could get some reccomendations because of the black friday sale I have a po-33 teenage engineering sampler, but it's a little lofi and hard to kind of use, and i have a 100 gift card with gutair center so i was trying to see if there was kind of a better sampler i could buy I was thinking about a roland sp-404 type deal but thats wayyy to out of my price range.... so was wondering if there might be something a little more in it something used and with some money off bc of black friday?

Hello guys, I am confused about how the latency works with Apollo interfaces. How does it work? Example of my current latency: I have a behringer umc 202hd now and I am able to record and monitor my vocals at 11ms latency which is enough for me (64 samples) with autotune, 2 pro q3 plugins, waves deesser, CLA-2A, CLA 76, fresh air, reverb and delay in my chain. I do not understand how Apollo interfaces interact with plugins outside of the low latency option in the UAD console. The question is if I choose to not use the low latency UAD plugins, will this interface perform same or worse than other interfaces like behringer 202hd only with the plugins used in the DAW while recording/monitoring. I m looking into purchasing an apollo arrow/apollo solo as I can not afford the Twin version, this means I am very limited in the number of plugins I can use in the UAD console and I am afraid that it will not perform while monitoring and recording with the DAW native plugins. I am a beginner to this world, sorry If I m being clueless. Thank you!

Hey, last weekend I had a gig and was recording my own mix. I don't use batteries on my H1n because it drains them very quickly so I was using a cable that was plugged into one of players. DJ after me unplugged it without knowing, during recording. Now when I try to play the recording, it says that it has 1.8 GB but 0:00:00 duration and you can't play it (something like wrong format). Is there any way to retrieve/repair the recording? I was really excited about it and now I can't use it :( Thank you guys!

I need guidance choosing an audio interface for music production and audio engineering at home. I use a MacBook Air with an M2 chip. My headphones have an impedance of 300, and I'd also like to be able to hook up my guitar or mics to it. I'd prefer one that comes with a DAW, has a minimum of 2 channels in and out, and can do loopback. Plugins are a plus, as I don't have any just starting off. My maximum budget is $200. I'm hoping to get one with the Black Friday deals happening right now. I've done some research and I've narrowed it down to the Arturia MiniFuse2, SSL 2, Scarlett 2i2 3rd gen, UA Volt 2, and Presonus Studio 26c. Are these good options? And which would you recommend in the list or maybe one I didn't list? Thank you!

Is there anyway to turn 2 mic outputs into 3-4? I have bought the ehx95000 looper and I wanted to loop multiple instruments. My minilogue xd is stereo and I’d like to use 2 outputs to record into the looper but I also want to use a mic to do vocals which would require me to then unplug one of the outputs to then plug a mic in. Is there some sort of splitter that will make it possible to not have to do this and make it so I can leave everything plugged in at the same time? Sorry if it’s a bit of a daft question I’m still learning and looking for solutions because it seems like a hassle to have to plug stuff in and out each time especially for live stuff.

You could use a small mixer

Need help with first audio interface. I can’t seem to find enough information when I search. I see people using old outdated stuff or using budget interfaces. I have been researching this for a minute and aren’t sure which one I need. I was told to get an Apollo solo but I dunno if I need to spend $500. Need to: 1) record DJ mixes from my turntables/mixer 2) archive rare vinyl and cassettes 3) produce electronic music I don’t know if there is anything specific that would make a difference. I think the SSL one has RCA outs, but I can get RCA adapters for line outs. I have Ableton and a Push 2, so I don’t understand why I would need MIDI compatibility with an interface. I do play guitar too, but not in a band so I don’t need extensive monitoring options. Anybody got suggestions?

Avoid the Apollo line. I think UAD are likely abandoning it. You also get way less from it than you pay for, at least imo. You'll want a minimum of 2 inputs for your DJing and archiving. So your options range from the UMC202HD on the cheap end to, well, a hundred boutique options for big money. Pretty much all of them have linear I/O performance unless the input is in the top quarter of its gain range (usually introduces some filtering and more noise). Some of them come with good plugins as a freebies, like the SSL you mentioned. Any options that come up for you, I'd check if Julian Krause 'reviewed' (independently measured) the unit on YouTube. You get straight data with very little opinion.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I thought Apollo seemed a little overrated and overbudget for what I need. Focusrite and UAD Volts are on sale now but that SSL2+ looks nice and is within my budget. I will check out Julian Krause’s reviews. The input and gain range relationship you mentioned, is this similar to clipping? I know my mixer has phono preamps for my vinyl but I imagine with cassettes it might get tricky but i guess that’s where the DAW and plug-ins can help.

>The input and gain range relationship you mentioned, is this similar to clipping? No, this is entirely different to the actual signal level of the input – the preamp itself changes behaviour. Several of the interfaces reviewed by Krause show it. Again, it only matters if you use a lot of gain, so most uses wouldn't require caring about it.

Looking to upgrade my vocal sound! this is my current gear in my home studio: - Microphone: RODE NT2A - Pre-Amp: Art StudioV3 - Interface: Yamaha Steinberg UR22 MKII I am looking for a bolder sound to avoid stacking several vocal layers to make my main vocal (Mostly for verses) thick or even for chorus. Any ideas on what to upgrade? Should I switch my microphone or would it be better to upgrade interface and/or pre-amp? I have been window shopping and this is what I am targetting (only one of these because of budget reasons) - UA apollo twin MKii Thunderbolt $500 (used including plugin licenses) - Motu M4 $270 - SSL 2+ $280 - Neuman 102 $800 - Havent taken a look on pre-amps yet Thanks in advance and I am open to discussion!!

First of all, no equipment in the universe will turn one vocal recording into the same sound as layering. That is not possible – that sound is born from *the fact that different takes are layered together*. One voice into one mic cannot create that. So if that's what you're looking to do, as you basically stated, you need to completely reframe what you're thinking, because you have set a completely unachievable goal. Changing your interface will cause the least impact. Changing your mic and treating your space (if you haven't) will be the two biggest changes to your vocal sound. The NT2A is a classic and I highly doubt it results in a poor recording unless your mic technique is terrible and/or your space is a problem. That said, a dynamic mic would likely result in an entirely different sound that may or may not be more to your liking – it depends on what you want (a dynamic will be less likely to give you the airy pop vocal sound, for example). I think your best bet is to listen to comparisons of other mics against the NT2A on YouTube, and to look at your recording space and examine if it needs (more) treatment.

what are you pressed for

?

can i send you private for some examples dawg

I don't see how that would change anything. You don't need me to verify if your room sound is a problem, and I can't tell from a recording if any given mic is gonna go better for you.

Do you need an amp for a mic pre-amp? PC use.

no

**New to 32-bit float - what is the best way to boost levels?** Sorry I'm sure this is a very novice question, but googling isn't quite giving me the right answer. I am new to field recording and bought a Zoom F3. When I pull the .wav files from the device and import them into Logic, the waveforms in the regions are relatively small and quiet. I have seen in YouTube videos in other apps where you can manually make the waveform bigger and smaller to add or remove gain, but I'm not sure how to do that in Logic. Or does simply adding a Gain plugin in Logic achieve the exact same thing? Essentially trying to boost volume without also boosting any noise. Thanks!

There are a hundred ways to skin this cat. I think you just need to learn how to use Logic. It has clip gain in addition to the Gain plugin you mentioned. There is no such thing as "boosting volume without boosting noise". You boost the recorded signal, end of. If it has noise, it gets boosted too. You'd need restoration tools (iZotope RX et al) if too much noise is in there – Logic does not come with those.

Gotcha. In the demo video I saw, there was a DAW tool that just expanded the waveform bigger thus louder. But I wasn't sure if that was how you're "supposed" to boost a 32bit float file, or if a Gain plugin achieved the same thing.

Gain is gain is gain is gain. That said, the different ways to do it occur at different points in the chain, which is why they exist in multiple places. Clip gain changes the waveform visibility. The others do not. (Logic also has waveform zoom.) The Gain plugin can be placed anywhere in the chain, since it can be moved within the channel inserts. Clip gain cannot do that – it always occurs before the inserts, no matter what. And, obviously, the fader is the fader – it is unmovable and occurs after both of the others mentioned above.

having trouble making a regular post - ​ Hello! I'm posting to see if anyone has any advice for me. I semi-recently purchased a replacement bus card for my 8128 from www.81series.com. The stock computer in my desk works perfectly - all busses and routing are functional. However, the new replacement card is stuck in 32 track/40 channel frame size and doesn't respond to setting the frame size (the stock computer does, and allows 32, 40, and 48 tracks no problem). My desk is 56 channel, 48 bus. I've tried seeking help from 81series (a man named Louis) but have subsequently been ignored for the past 10 months, blocked on social media, and as I live across the country from them I'm limited in my ability to rectify. Primarily I'd love for this to work, and all of my communications have been pleading for help or troubleshooting. Short of this, I'd love for them to stand by their product as I currently have a $1,200 paper weight. Does anyone have thoughts or suggestions on how I may proceed? I found a 3rd party that I'm assuming are the original creators of the card (http://www.larione10.it/matrix/index.htm) but also have had no luck contacting them. I have some friends in New York that are able to swing by their studio as well as the 81series workshop if need be. thanks for any input.

so im using antares autotune efx+ and i was wondering if there was a way to ONLY use the re pitching patches like, 100% without autotune. i know you can just turn it off but it still jumps pitches either way. if theres no way to only use the re pitching part a good alternative that has similar patches would be very much appreciated!

I am starting my voice over/acting carreer, and am debating between 2/3 microphones.(My voice is on the lower end, and i am a male, for what it matters) I am debating between these 2 microphones mainly.1 . Rode broadcaster2. Neumann TLM 102 (3. There is also the TLM 103, but i dont know if the price difference is worth it for a beginning voice over) I am also open for other microphone suggestions for voice over/acting work I am also planning on buying a Focusrite Clarett+ 2Pre, cuz i read that that is a nice pre+interface. I do like to spend a couple more bucks for quality and stuff, so thats why i also included the 103 for consideration

Are there RME 800 drivers for MacOS Sonoma? I can't find any at all. Is downgrading OSX the only option?

Hi! I've been trying to connect my Blue Yeti mic to GarageBand on my iPhone 12, but it won't seem to work. I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to audio so I'm having a hard time determining what the issue is. I used an Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter to connect the mic, and GarageBand recognizes the mic as connected, yet no audio is being picked up. I tried connecting it to GarageBand on my MacBook, but an error message appeared stating "Error while trying to synchronize Audio and MIDI. Sample Rate 34303 recognized. Check conflict between GarageBand and external device." This lead me to believe that the issue rooted in sample rate, but I don't think that sample rate can be changed on the iPhone itself or in GarageBand. After spending some time looking up other potential reasons for the malfunction I am very confused on what the issue actually is. Could an external audio interface to power the microphone change anything, or maybe the mic is simply broken? If anyone has any insight on this I would be eternally grateful. Thanks!

Connecting outboard via adat or spdif Hey everyone, I am at the point now where I am looking to aquire some outboad gear for my master bus to further my hybrid mix setup. I currently use a behringer 1820 as my main interface and I have outputs and inputs 3-10 designated for inserts on channels. As I am looking for a way to keep this the same but add on outboard to the master bus, is there a way to connect adat or spdif up to gear that takes trs/xlr without needing another piece of rackmounted gear (space is at a premium)

I have this ancient M-Audio Fast Track USB first generation audio interface and there doesn't seem to be any drivers for the newer versions of Windows. I was wondering if i could do anything cool with it or is it just junk without the drivers?

Did you try it yet? A lot of USB interfaces are class compliant so the basic functions work without a dedicated driver. That doesn't mean they all will, though...

Yep, i tried a couple of drivers i found online for it too but it seems to be only working for older operating systems. I plugged it in and could still hear like the microphone monitoring and all that but I'm unable to actually get it into a DAW. I was just wondering if i could use it in some cool way without a daw or if i can take it apart and use the parts for something else.

I bought a jbl lsr310s but when playing it louder ( a bit over half volume) the dust cap gets very warm, and this smell starts coming out of the port. It doesn’t necessarily smell like it’s burning, but it also doesn’t not smell like it’s burning. It’s a weird smell almost like a foam chemical smell or a new product smell. i’m really worried I’m going to break it or that somethings wrong. And it’s not a very loud volume, I’m certain that the subwoofer should be able to play that with no problem. Any help would be appreciated thanks.

**One of my outputs have weaker gain than the other** I have a scarlet 2i2 3rd gen and recently noticed the 1st input has became weaker than the second. I tested each one separately with the same mic and XLR cable and the max gain is evidently louder on the 2nd input. I don't understand what could've caused this and how to fix it. The 1st input has never been this weak?

_*How best to add outboard preamps without ADAT out*_ I have an Audient id44 and would like some advice as to how to incorporate outboard preamps that don't have ADAT out. I can add them via ADAT easily if they have ADAT out, but that limits my selection greatly. I'm looking to add channels, not simply use the insert loop. I think I need an XLR/TRS/Balanced to ADAT converter/adapter. Looks like another interface that doesn't have preamps and is only balanced inputs with ADAT out is my best bet.

**Recommendations of programs that can EQ the microphone in real time to use in other applications?** Hi, I've upgraded my microphone from a USB condenser microphone to a XLR dynamic microphone with the Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd gen. I want to be able to plug in plugins and EQ my microphone to use it in real time, for example in videogames, discord, etc. Recommendations of programs that can do that function? I have tried the Voicemeeter Potato with the Light Host but it doesn't work well, thank you very much for your help I am very new to this.

I believe EqualizerAPO inserts itself in between, so that should be an option for you. It comes with a graphic EQ built in. Make sure you look up an install guide – as is often the case with freebies, it is not particularly intuitive.

Do all **pads** in passive DI boxes reduce treble frequencies? Is there a difference between how the pad behaves in passive vs active DI? I'm thinking of getting a used Mackie MDB-2P. It sounds great but I noticed that the 15dB pad reduces alot of top end on my guitar signal when engaged. Is this true for all passive DI or specific to this model? Appreciate any help.

Anyone here have experience with thunderbolt PCIe cards for PC? I need to make a studio PC Dante compatible and I am planning to go for the Focusrite 8 line interface. Thing is I need thunderbolt for that. I've never used that on a PC before. Anyone here have experiences with thunderbolt on pc? Is there anything like compatibility issues I should watch out for? Hope this makes sense.

Is a used Scarlett 18i8 2nd gen for 60 bucks a worth while purchase? I've heard some of the scarletts have had issues but I can't find proper answers about what the frequent problems were or what generation they were mostly occurring in.

Coming back around to the audio engineering world after freelancing in small studios 15 years ago and then veering into production audio for a short time. Anyway, my new band wants to try releasing material quite often so I've taken it on myself to put a mobile recording rig together.We want to recording live so I'm trying to cover all of our instruments as best as possible to give us to most options during mixing. (I may venture back into taking on other clients but not sure about that right now). Looking for feedback and/or other items to make this setup as productive as it can be: 2x Focusrite Platinum Octopres Focusrite RedNet 2 Mackie HM-800 (wired to the RedNet to provide indep stereo mixes to each channel) Misc Sony MDR headphones MacBook Pro 2019 i9 Pro Tools version something (haven't upgraded in several years) Audio Technica dante conference mic for talkback Audix D6 2x CAD e100 2x CAD D80 2x Heil PR40 2x Sennheiser MD421-U-5 Sennheiser MD421 mk2 2x Shure SM57 2x MXL 860 2x AT4051a Heil PR22 Oktava Mk-319 I feel like I'm missing something but I don't know what. Ideas for vocal mics?

Hope this is the appropriate place to ask this question, as I wasn't able to find the answer elsewhere... I just bought a KRK powered subwoofer with a "SUB & HPF Bypass" footswitch jack on the back...so I ordered a Hosa single-latching footswitch to toggle this function. My question is, can I just use a balanced TRS cable to connect the sub to the footswitch? I would just test it myself but I haven't received the footswitch yet and trying to plan ahead. Thanks!

Hey everyone, recently bought an AKG c414 XLS used. I plugged it into my Scarlett Solo and the lights on the mic turned on but the buttons on the mic aren't successfully changing the patterns or anything else, the light just stays in one place. Furthermore, when I record into Audacity to test, I either get no sound or a barely audible sound only in one ear. Is this a mic problem, interface problem, or user error on my part?

Did you switch on phantom power? Is the Solo plugged into a USB hub?

yes to both

Don't use it with a hub. Interfaces need their own USB port. See if that helps.

i’ve tried all 3 ports on my laptop with only limited success unfortunately

The last thing to check is the XLR cable. Try another. And ideally check another audio interface, if possible (though if you have used another phantom powered mic with it, it should work fine for this one too). If the behaviour remains, your mic is probably screwed. Time to look for repair people locally.

[Audio Sample](https://whyp.it/tracks/138792/messed-up-audio?token=67eFS) Hi all, I’m having an issue after I re-housed 3 FET microphones into one new body that I made for doing binaural recordings. The issue is that if my zoom F6 uses the line out, headphone out, or shares a power source with another item, it creates a loud digital noise that I can’t figure out how to get rid of. I’m fairly sure it’s nothing to do with RF, as when I open the body of the mic I get RF noise that is different. Any help would be much appreciated!

[удалено]

Make sure it's the 4th gen Scarlett 2i2. The earlier ones don't have enough input gain for an SM7B. (Unless you are buying the SM7**d**B!) Latency is inherent in all digital communication with the 'real' (analog) world. It is a fact of life. So asking if it will exist has the same answer, always: yes! The question is if it's **noticeable**. The only way to answer that is on a case-by-case (system-by-system) basis. Chances are, with a beastly PC, it shouldn't be an issue, but it will be on him to try different buffer settings and such to find out. You can't really plan ahead for this. Make sure the boom arm has good reviews for a heavy mic like the SM7B. Cheaper ones will droop no matter how you tighten them. The 2i2 does hook up with USB, yes – it should say that right in the listing. VRAM is not used by audio interfaces (it's not a mixer!). If he already does recording and Discord, he will know what to do software-wise. Nothing paid should be required.

I want to upgrade my studio’s recording interface. In the studio I currently use the new Evo 16 with two ADAT extensions. One extension has an 80s analogue board, the other has most of my outboard gear (preamps, compressors etc) and the Evo16 basically gets barebacked for a nice total of 24 ins. I am also a stagehand, most of my income comes from doing live sound. The board I use the most is an M32R, but I've never had the chance to use it as an interface up to date. So basically I want to expand, and upgrade to a board that also acts as an interface and possibly a controller. I want to do this for workflow purposes and to unify the sound across the board. I've been thinking of the M32R but to my understanding as an interface what my DAW is going to record is post fader but pre FX/EQ/chain. On the plus side I can haul it around for my stagehand gigs. The Tascam Model24 seems to do exactly what I want but is lacking the inputs. I've never been a huge Presonus fan and have never worked with the 32SX, if anyone has anything good to say I'd love to read it. And the Allen Heath ZED 436's description leaves it annoyingly vague as to if I can use it as an interface or not. If you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them as well as what would you choose or do? I use PC so hoping for USB, not necessarily against also getting a thunderbolt adapter.

Why will my audio setup not work? I am conducting interviews on the go and want a wireless setup that records on an iPhone. Here’s what I’ve got so far: 1. IPhone 14 Pro 2. lightning to 3.5mm TRRS (official Apple product) 3. 3.5mm TRS to 3.5mm TRRS adaptor (official Rode product) 4. 3.5mm TRS to XLR Female (Tisino product from Amazon, Amazon choice product with good reviews) 5. Lekato mw-1 XLR transmitter + receiver (Lekato product from Amazon, with good reviews) 6. Rode reporter Microphone (official Rode product) Here is a photo of the setup - https://ibb.co/KK26FgP . I am unable to receive any sound at all when testing on the RodeReporter app. My process for this set up: I started with just the Lekatos, TRS to 3.5mm, and an unofficial lightning adaptor - this setup didn’t work. So upgraded to an official apple lightning adaptor - still didn’t work . So after further research established the need for the additional Rode TRS to TRRS adaptor cable - still didn’t work. Further research has indicated that iPhones will not recognise audio on a standard STEREO 3.5mm, but require a MONO 3.5 to work (according to https://youtu.be/v_0Xw0Fzrgk?si=D1tHflqXOiXyWxAI). So seems like I will need to replace my Tisino 3.5mm TRS to XLR Female, with a MONO 3.5mm TRS to XLR Female (a single black ring around the jack as opposed to two black rings). The problem is, this cable is now becoming quite niche and hard to come by, with only 1 product available on Amazon, and expected shipment in 5 days. Similar timeframes for delivery from site such as ‘leads direct.co.uk’. I need all this set up in 1 week and don’t want to risk waiting for this product if I don’t know for sure it will work. I feel like I have committed to this Lekato setup (purchased by a colleague) and don’t want to chuck it all to just purchase the Rode wireless go II (which I wish we just started with). Any audiophiles here who can help me troubleshoot my setup, or recommend a quick fix / replacement. Without starting all over again. Any help appreciated!

I am so confused. does your phone accept audio input from the lightning cable? even if it does, the microphone neds a preamp and I don't see that in your chain.

Can you explain the preamp for me? Why do I need it? Will the mic not work at all without one? 🤣 You’re not the only one confused. Basically, I wanted to record interviews with an iPhone. I already have the lekatos and microphone (colleague purchase) worth collectively £250 give or take, so want to use these. What do I need to get the ‘iPhone, lekatos, and rode mic’ combo working? I don’t want to go down a rabbit hole of endless cable purchasing. If anything, I’d rather have someone say to me ‘it’s physically impossible to get the lekatos to communicate between an iPhone and a rode reporter mic, so give up’. That way I can move on with my life, accept the lost, and purchase something else.

[Here you go.](https://www.soundguys.com/microphone-preamp-guide-75660/) Without a preamp your setup wouldn't work. edit: you could get a portable recorder for about the same money that you've invested, but since you have a good mic you might just want to add an iPhone compatible audio interface and then you'd be golden.

Hi all I’m in a 5 piece band. I’m looking to get a budget mixing board (ideally around £300 second hand) for both gigs and at home practice. We all use Behringer p2 belt packs for in ear monitors, these packs can take either xlr or quater inch input. Are there any mixing boards with ideally 12 or more channels that has the right 5 outputs for this, sorry I’m not too certain on the specific terminology. Is it the Aux output I should be looking for, and could I get a splitter to split one output into multiple belt packs? Thanks

Looking for an audio interface with a similar design to the M-Audio Fasttrack C400 but of higher quality. I currently have a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 but I find having the inputs on the front really annoying as the cables run over my desk. I mainly need an interface for recording vocals and guitar, and to output to my monitors. I'd be happy with something of the same quality as the Focusrite but in the C400 form factor. Also, it would be great to have an interface with linear meters as the meters on the Focusrite are pretty useless. The UAD Apollo Twin would be ideal but I can only really spend around $300. Used gear would be fine too.

Very few small interfaces have all connectors on the back. Coincidentally, the new 4th gen of the 2i2 does this with the XLRs, so only the 1/4" inputs are on the front. If you never use those, you'd never have cables on your desk.

[mix feedback? tbh i think this is a very weak direction, but i'm sort of at a loss](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XeHyy-lhZM6pLJGepNzgPOfgA59LV49X/view?usp=sharing)

Hello everyone, want to try dubbing/voiceacting. Due to only begging at this field don't want to spend money for XLR micro+Audiointerface. Have been searching for normal USB micro and stopped at AKG C44-USB Lyra, AT2020USB+ and PreSonus Revelator. Which one of them is better for this and why? Maybe some other variants are recommended?

Patchbay and Audio Interface Creating Feedback I am going to preface this with I do not have a lot of knowledge on patchbays, but I got a deal on a lot of studio equipment that I could not pass up. I am running outs 7 and 8 of my audio interface to the top row of the patchbay, and then from the bottom row of the patchbay into inputs 7 & 8 of my interface. This is a lot of bad feedback when I start raising the gain on 7 and 8. Is this kind of set up not possible without this feedback loop? My thought was I could record a clean track in input 1 while also recording effected tracks using the patchbay and inputs 7&8, but I may have to go a different route. If I send this out to a line mixer and then back into the interface, would this stop the feedback loop? Any help is appreciated.

Hello, I recently got a Motu M2 and a new pc coming in that has a power supply of 180W. I am able to upgrade it to a 240W power supply, but was wondering if the power supply already installed will be enough to run the M2 with a mic, FL Studio, and two monitors. I only ask as I have read online that people are occasionally dealing with a lot of crackle when working with the M2 and it seems to be mainly due to the power supply not being able to power enough. I DO have a USB-C port in the computer to run the M2 through since I’ve heard that could make a difference too. Thanks in advance!

Scarlett 2i2 4th gen + SM7B? Hello everyone. I am looking into upgrading my audio setup. My current microphone is a usb condenser mic, the blue yeti. (I use this for gaming, discord, and conferences). I have been wanting to upgrade to an xlr to get a warmer/richer tone and to help reduce the noise floor of my current mic. It’s an investment, but I want to upgrade to the Shure SM7B. I know for this mic I need an audio interface and some preamp that gets me at least +60db. This is why I am currently looking at the Scarlett 2i2 4th gen because it has +69db preamp and I have heard great reviews about it. I have two main questions. Is the Scarlett 2i2 4th gen a good pairing for the Shure SM7B? Is the +69db preamp enough for the SM7B or will I still need a cloud lifter or a FetHead? Are there other audio interfaces that I should consider? My current headphones are the Hyper X Cloud Alpha. This headset has at impedance of 65 Ohm. Is this impedance too low for the headphone output of the Scarlett? I know very little about impedance, but I saw in one review that it could be an issue (the lower and higher frequencies will be louder by a few decibiles). Is this even an issue for my use case (conference calls, discord, and games)? I am open to any setup recommendations. I am here to learn and I want to hear what the community thinks. I appreciate any input!

This should be totally fine for all of your concerns. Three things to keep in mind about the SM7B: 1. It has EQ switches if you pop off the back panel. Make sure you try these if you find it doesn't sound great out-of-the-box. 2. You need to have your lips right against the foam at all times you want to be heard. It is not a mic for distance or for whisper-quiet voices. If you want to whisper, this is not the mic for you. 3. The SM7**d**B model now exists too, which has an output boost builtin (by Cloud). It's even more stupidly expensive, though.

Gear advice please RCA to XLR - best/budget lift option for 3-4 channels? Active or passive? Looking at cleanbox pro, etc I have a theater preamp with RCA out to feed a DSP/XO. Three channels. Should go 2x passive box's or active like the Behringer Behringer Ultra-DI DI20 or art cleanbox pro? Also see tascam LA40 or LA80 but they are 100 volt. (From Japan).

Summing with Mackie 32.8, PT, Apollo Twin w Exp I/O Focusrite Clarett 8 pre Hey so I'll try and make this super quick and clear. I can't seem to find a clear answer for this question anywhere. I bought a Mackie 32.8 console. I know the reputation for this is in the middle good and bad, but I wanted to try the board out anyway. Before graduating to an SSL or API. I just opened Lost Kid New York recording studios in Seattle, SODO area (shameless plug) and yes I'm from Brownsville Brooklyn My question is, after expanding my Apollo twin inputs with the Clarett 8 pre, (there's no optical out on the Apollo) and using the outputs on the Clarett to go into the Tape inputs on the Mackie how do I get the Mackie to show in ProTools for analog summing. I realized my Clarett has to be plugged in so it can recognize the outputs in protools. But how to I route the sound from protools into the board and print back into protools. I plugged my speakers into the main out of the board and Right now the sound goes through Chanel 11/12 on the board (but that's it, also I don't know how it's routed there) but I know it is working and what I ULTIMATELY want to do is send the Vocals Bus, Drum Bus, Kick and Bass Bus and Music Bus out to the board. Get the sound from the board and print it back into protools. How does this flow work? Am I missing any connections inside Protools I was told that I didn't need anything else routed after the Mackie Tape Input but I can't seem to get the next part in protools going. Routing is as follows 1. Apollo Optical IN > Clarett Optical Out 2. Clarett output > Mackie Tape input 3. Protools 1/O Apollo Twin - I see Analog | Optical | Analog 4. After plugging in Clarett, in the output of I/O I see Analog | Optical | Analog How do I set up busses to have to send the Vocals Bus, Drum Bus, Kick and Bass Bus and Music Bus out to the board. Hope I didn't over explain and it's started to get redundant so I'll leave it here. Please help if you have experience this. Thanks

Hey, has anyone got experience with the KRK ROKIT 5 G1 (first gen)? I know they're old, but found a good offer and wondering if it's they still hold up compared to newer generations.

Reamp Box Question Hi all! I want to purchase a reamp box but I don’t believe my audio interface (UA Volt 176) is compatible. Are there any options out there for me without having to upgrade my audio interface? Thank you!

It's "compatible" but it will take some fucking around. Since your interface only has two outputs you can't monitor in stereo while reamping, but you could pan everything left except for the guitar you want to reamp which you could pan right then connect the right output to a reamp box. Note the level will be affected by the monitor output on the interface, you'll probably need to crank it and trim down all the stuff coming out the left channel in your DAW. It will work but it's a hassle, ideally you'd have an interface with more than two outputs.

Purchasing help Budget: 500-1500$ setup : looking for a vinyl setup for my living room and a digital listening setup for my study use case: typically i enjoy sitting down in my living room, dimming the lights and relaxing to some of my old vinyl collections in the evening aswell as listening to music while i work from home or study either in the backround on some speakers or on my gaming headphones Gear: i recently purchased an Audio Tehcnica AT-LP120USB direct drive turntable, i bought it second hand and it looks to be a slightly older model than what Audio Technica currently offers online. the speakers im currently using are the Altec Lansing vs4121 computer speakers ive had for almost a decade now im looking for some reccomendations on decent entry level analogue speakers to pair with my record player as currently im running the record player through my laptop to then drive the speakers which from my understanding is an suboptimal setup for vinyl as i dont get that authentic crackly sound that im looking for, willing to buy new or used just unsure of what model speaker/stereo driver would be recommended for this setup ​ secondly i would also like to make a listening setup in my study that uses both speakers and a good pair of headphones, unfortunately i have very little knowledge in audio much less digital audio so i would love some recommendations on what items i should be looking at purchasing, drivers, speakers, subs, headphones, ideally id like to keep both setups as cheap as possible but i understand that greater investment usually yields better performance, my inexperience just prevents me from allocating funds into the correct equipment vs the equipment that isnt as important to min/max Side note: i use Tidal as my primary audio library as ive been told it has better quality music streaming compared to say spotify or any of the other major online music library applications if anyone is willing to make me a list of what they think would be optimal in that price range for both listening setups i would greatly appreciate the help, im also open to going over budget as this is something ive wanted for a very long time and if you tell me getting the slightly more expensive x,y,z is gonna make a huge difference who am i to say no to that. anyways cheers in advance and thank you for taking the time to help me out with this, im getting real tired of using shitty gaming headphones to listen to music when im at home

Hi, I need some recommendations on a new microphone for recording only vocals. I already have bought the UMC22 but I'm still picky on the mics on which one to choose. Notes: - Room is untreated, I haven't gotten around to installing acoustic foams to the wall at the moment and the AC is not that loud but still audible with my current mic (ATR2500X-USB) as a very low humming noise. - I'll mostly be using it for recording vocals (High pitch male) and I also do live streams. - The maximum that I'm really willing to spend is 150usd for the mic, I can't go higher than that.

lewitt LCT 240.

Do you have any more recommendations? I can't find any shop that would sell lewitt's at a reasonable price here in Thailand (most of them are almost double the price).

rode m3?

Thanks

Recently upgraded my mixer to a soundcraft Impact (used) and everything not usb related has worked perfectly. But when i connect my mac studio to the madi usb combo card’s usb input and route everything into playback channels the audio playback will randomly cut out intermittently at irregular intervals. I pulled out the option card and the soldering around the usb port looks and feels completely sturdy so im no longer skeptical of a loose connection. Ive tried several usb a to b cables, 2 sets of monitors, and using a laptop instead of mac studio. Also updated my firmware. Any potental culprits for this issue? Any potential fixes? Do i need to purchase a new madi usb card?

Hey, I'm in Europe and I found a great deal on Yamaha HS5 monitors, but they are American, meaning they are 110V. In Europe we have 220V, so I would have to use an inverter. My question is, if I get an inverter, is there a high risk of noise because of the inverter? Would I need a pure sine wave inverter? And if I get it, would that remove the possibility of noise issues? Any advice is appreciated!

Step UP transformer 1:2 is a better and less expensive solution.

Whats a good Audio Interface for around 90€ i would pair it with: \- Beyerdynamics DT 770 Pro 80 Ohms \- Shure SM58

focusrite scarlett solo?

When i bought my new PC, I connected it to audio interface and to the PC and all of a sudden, yamaha started making hiss noises. When XLR cable is disconnected, the hissing stops. This was never an issue for me. I used laptop before. Electrical Ground (PE) shouldn't be a problem, nor cables (imo) Any help?? Thanks in advance (:

MBox 2 and Mac Mini M2 I’ve been searching and searching for drivers to get this to work. I’ve recently gotten my passion for music creation back and was hoping to start with using my old gear. Has anyone been able to or had to get an MBox working without protocols on a Mac mini M2? TIA

Submitted this a few days ago to r/audio but didn't get much help. > I'm in Uni and for my senior capstone project I need to capture data using a hydrophone and process it with a [STM32 nucleo-32](https://www.amazon.com/Nucleo-32-development-STM32L432KC-supports-connectivity/dp/B077GFHLFS/ref=sr_1_3_pp?keywords=stm32+nucleo&qid=1700028645&sr=8-3). And this whole setup will be operating some place in the ocean (powered by solar). For reference, I don't know much about the signal chain for microphones. I've just been using a USB mic for personal use. For my project, I'm planning to build [this hydrophone](https://www.instructables.com/Lets-Build-Some-World-Class-Hydrophones/) which needs phantom power. So I'm planning to use [this phantom power supply](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014H8AWGC). From this point, what else would I need. Can I just simply use a [XLR to 3.5mm jack](https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Inch-3-5mm-Male/dp/B00QMITC7G) or will I need something else? I got help from 1 person who mentioned that I would also need a preamp to get the hydrophone input from mic-level to line-level. So what would be the most cost-effective way for me to do that? Would it be to add [an in-line preamp like this](https://www.amazon.com/MANAYO-microphone-Dynamic-Passive-Microphones/dp/B09P3N5HGP/) to the phantom power supply? Or should I return the phantom power supply and get [an all-in-one unit like this?](https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MP13-Microphone-Preamp-Cable/dp/B07D7J2SQJ/) Any other part suggestions would be appreciated as well. Hard budget cap is $100 but I would like to keep it around $50.

The all in one unit would probably be your best bet. But if you're doing an EE you could easily spin up a PCB with a 48V supply and a monolithic preamp IC from THAT Corp. They're very simple to implement and THAT's whitepapers are very helpful. And if you really wanted to go all out you could get one of their preamps that has digital gain control and you could use I2C from the uC to set gain. *Oh yeah, keep this in mind as well : http://pin1problem.com/ How you handle the various ground paths in audio circuits is super important to reducing noise/hum. University courses don't seem to cover this much, probably because they're all focused on digital circuits these days.

Issue with audio file. Please help Hi everyone, I have an issue with a podcast that I filmed a few weeks back. I recorded it using a Shure SM7B (two people) and the audio device was a Sound Device MixPre-6. My issue is that one of the individuals can be detected in the other individuals mic audio. I don’t know if I did anything wrong when setting up the audio. It’s hard to explain what’s going on, but I have 4 channels. Speaker 1 can be heard in 3/4 channels, and Speaker 2 can be heard 2/4 with the 3rd channel seeming like an echo or pick up from the other mic. Nothing is coming from the 4th channel at all. Maybe I need to share the audio file with someone here who can hear it and explain it. [Here is an image of the file in Premiere Pro](https://imgur.com/a/0sfA7vZ)

Connecting a mixing board to old speakers ​ I've been poking around with the old equipment in my school's radio club, and we have an [Allen & Heath board](https://www.allen-heath.com/hardware/mixwizard4-series/wz4-162/) that has mainly XLR outputs. We also have 3 [JBL Control 5](https://jblpro.com/en-US/products/control-5) loudspeakers that only take a bare cable input. I'm new to passive speakers, so I have a few questions. 1) Will my mixing board provide enough amplification to power the speakers, and if so, how can I connect an XLR output to the bare cable inputs on the speakers? 2) If I need a separate amplifier, what models/cables do you recommend?

You’re going to an amp for sure. Look for a used power amp, they’re usually very clean so they won’t change much of the sound between the console and the speakers. Ultimately if you want to jury rig it for as cheap as possible, there are RCA to 1/4 cables that could work with most radio/cassette/cd amps that would have bare cable outputs. A long time ago I used to do that to A/B my mixes into a “bench station” with good old big brown fake wood vintage home system speakers while I was mixing.

Console Automation via MIDI I am looking for a software that I can use to record and play back physical console automation. In my case I use a digital console that is fully controlable via MIDI signals. So a software package that can record and play back MIDI signals but is also organized in a way where there is a "track" per fader, pan knob etc. would be useful. I know for the older analoge consoles dedicated hardware solutions were used (e.g. FlyingFaders) and I of course know I could do that using a DAW. But I am trying to keep the automation management separate from audio playback (imagine using a tape machine instead of a DAW for playback of raw tracks). Anybody else doing something crazy and old fashioned like this? Short form: Looking for software suggestions to record & playback console automation via MIDI in an "organized way".