Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

[wickenspoet]

I don't know anything about electronics. I'm pretty uneducated on the topic, so please forgive my dumb questions.

First, my amp has a direct out for both stereo and mono applications. Just wondering how do I decide when to use mono and when to use stereo? Wouldn't mono work most of the time?

Here's the close-up of my direct outs:
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/6/3/7/264637.jpg

My second question is about "American Recording" 1/4-XLR adapters.

What if I plugged one of these adapters in to my amp's mono or stereo direct out and hooked the XLR side up to a mic cable/PA system for live use? Is that what they're intended for? Would that sound okay? After looking at the previous picture of my direct outs... can you tell me which one would I need? Or is this just a bad idea?

Here's the link to the XLR adapters:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitar/navigation?q=xlr+adapter

Like I said, I don't know much in regards to this topic.

Any input/advice?

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

I am not sure what amp it is here exactly. Are the XLR speaker compesated or what does it say exactly?

 

[ginormous]

Re: Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

Unless you have stereo all the way through the signal chain, from your guitar outs to the back of the (seperate) amp channels, then you're only getting dual mono. Most of these back-of-the-amp outs are usually flip-phased anyway, +/- 180 deg.

The signal may have padding out the back, but using an XLR x-former adapter ahead of a PA in is a good idea, if you don't know what the deal is level-wise.

 

[DesertRat]

Re: Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

Mono should be fine for most things.

Here's options for your line out:
1) You could run a guitar cable from the amp to a 1/4" line input on a mixer if it's nearby.

2) You could use your adapter if the 1/4" side is MONO or tip/sleeve (as opposed to tip/ring/sleeve) then run a mic cable to your mixer.

With options 1 & 2, GROUND loops may cause hum and with 2 you may overdrive the mixer's mic preamp or have thin sound from mismatched impedance.

3) Run a 1/4" guitar cable from your line out to a DI (direct box) and an XLR mic cable from the DI to the mixer. DI's are transformer isolated to prevent ground loops and change impedance to match line-out to mic preamps. You can run the XLR cable 100's of feet with little loss. This is your best option for direct sound.

4) Mic the amp.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

It really depends on your amp and what you're connecting it to. Is that a modelling amp of some kind?

 

[wickenspoet]

Re: Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

It really depends on your amp and what you're connecting it to. Is that a modelling amp of some kind?

It's a Roland JC120. No modeling.

 

[Amateur]

Re: Dumb Direct Out and XLR Questions...

If you're playing live. Hook it up to the mono out and then go through the DI box before going to the mixer with a XLR plug. If you're recording, miking will give you a better sound, but you have to know what you're doing.