Mac Pro Sound question

[flashtank]

Hey everyone,

I am getting my mac pro in a week or two and I am wondering how I can hook it up to my amplifier from my recording studio.

My amplifier is an Alesis RA-100 and it has 1/4" inputs for a left and right channel. I see the Mac Pro has a minijack output.

Is there a connector out there that goes from minijack to 1/4" but splits it into left and right channels? Or does that even matter? As long as I have a minijack to 1/4" Y so to speak?

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! Even a different hook up ideas are welcome.

thanks
Jason

 

[Sesshi]

I doubt you'll be able to easily find a minijack to L/R 1/4" cable, but you can readily find a minijack to 2 x RCA at most audio shops and you can also readily find RCA > 1/4" jack converters. Another way is to get hold of a 1/4" Stereo to Y Mono cable, then use a 1/4" > 3.5mm stereo converter. Is there any reason why you're using the mediocre built-in sound of the Pro in a studio?

 

[4nex]

Isn't the RA100 balanced input? I'd be surprised if it wasn't. You will get impedance and gain problems if you run the unbalanced mac output into the balanced amp.

Is there any reason why you're using the mediocre built-in sound of the Pro in a studio?

Very much seconded

 

[flashtank]

..

hey man,

thanks for the response.

I should have clarified my equipment setup...I have that amp left over from a recording studio I onced owned and just wanted to incorporate it into running my reference monitors I still also have.

Are there better sound cards to install into the pro that will accomodate what I am trying to do? You said the pro's audio output is mediocre. I would like to get into some computer based recording, nothing to fancy, probably track at a time stuff.

thanks
J.

 

[4nex]

I'd have thought more or less anything you could buy would be better than the on-board. On-board sound is always toss and you'll pick up all the noise from the system. Get a firewire or usb interface. There are loads to choose from, just depends on your budget. You could get an internal one but external ones do give you the flexibility of moving around- e.g. if you have/get a laptop and that sort of thing.
Personally I really dig the Focusrite stuff atm, the Saffire firewire interfaces sound great and the mic pre's are top. Around £230 UK, not sure what you'd pay in the US, we usually pay more on everything in the UK anyway for some reason.

 

[flashtank]

thank

Thanks 4nex..

Any ideas how I could hook up my reference monitors to my Mac Pro? They are Alesis as well and just have speaker wire inputs...

 

[Sesshi]

If it's not powered you'll need an amp. In which case why bother hooking up onboard audio to monitors.

If you don't need the DSP of the Focusrite Saffire (comes with VST DSP FX), there is the LE version with the same quality i/o at $300. It's what I'd recommend too although Presonus has a similar interface.

Other than that, if you just want sound out of the onboard soundcard just get a cheap pair of computer speakers.

 

[4nex]

If you don't need the DSP of the Focusrite Saffire (comes with VST DSP FX), there is the LE version with the same quality i/o at $300. It's what I'd recommend too although Presonus has a similar interface.

Sorry I meant to put that. I use the LE, didn't think the DSP was worth paying for (not the way I use it anyway).

 

[orangezorki]

I'd have a look at a cheap-ish DAC.