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Author Topic: Splitting XLR Line level signal  (Read 6947 times)

Josh Billings

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Splitting XLR Line level signal
« on: December 03, 2012, 05:22:36 PM »

Hi guys,

So I've done a bunch of research and I don't quite know what to think.

To give you the skinny we have an EAW Avalon installation with a UX3600 setup in stereo. There is one output left and one input left so not enough to do another full stereo mix via the UX3600. I want to be able to record our setup every week and keep the recorder in an area that won't get bumped and whatnot so I decided to stash it next to the rack.

I was wondering what effects would splitting the XLR Cable at the end of the line have? The XLR line is 50 or 100 feet (I can't remember 100% but leaning towards 100'. The XLR Split would only be another 6 feet or so on each side. One going to the UX3600 and one going to a little behringer sub-mixer for the recorder + 2 audience mics.

We don't have a standard mixer between the processor and DJ Mixer so it's not possible to just use that.

Easiest solution is a couple $10 XLR Splitters, but I really want to make sure the sound system stays as high quality as it can get (The behringer side isn't as important because the recordings all go on the website in mp3 format anyways). I'm a big fan of keeping things as simple as possible for the best sounding results.

So my question: If i just split the line level XLR signal will that negatively effect the sound and if so how much. I know "I probably wouldn't notice it" if it does effect it, but I'm just curious what the facts are here. If it's pretty much zero difference, then I'm probably going to go with it. If it'll have a decent impact what are my options then to keep this sounding great?

Josh Billings

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2012, 05:33:14 PM »




We don't have a standard mixer between the processor and DJ Mixer so it's not possible to just use that.



You want to record a DJ?
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Josh Billings

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2012, 05:34:50 PM »

You want to record a DJ?

Yes, and there was no need for that.
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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2012, 05:39:56 PM »

Yes, and there was no need for that.

I just wanted to be clear on your situation.  Why don't you just take the little sub-mixer and put it in between the DJ mixer and the processor?  Make your recordings from it right there in the chain.  Record to something like an H2 or H4.  They'll take all the bumping they're likely to encounter.  Unless you're worried about someone walking off with it.
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Josh Billings

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2012, 05:45:26 PM »

I just wanted to be clear on your situation.  Why don't you just take the little sub-mixer and put it in between the DJ mixer and the processor?  Make your recordings from it right there in the chain.  Record to something like an H2 or H4.  They'll take all the bumping they're likely to encounter.  Unless you're worried about someone walking off with it.

Well the mixer is a bottom of the line behringer mixer made just for the recording side of things to mix 2 audience mic signals into it. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that mixer in between the main signal and my UX3600. It's made just for recording the sets for our website. I prefer to have as clean as a signal as possible and a mixer is generally unnecessary for my setup and just an added thing in the signal chain. I have an Aphex Dominator in between for gain control and that's all the tweaking that ever needs to be done with pre-recorded music. We already have a recording unit that we run to from the little behringer mixer, I just need a way of splitting the signal a very minimal amount of distortion / signal loss. I'm hoping the standard XLR Y splitter will get the job done, but that's why I came here to ask first before I made the purchase.

Josh Billings
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Tim Perry

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2012, 05:51:50 PM »


So my question: If i just split the line level XLR signal will that negatively effect the sound and if so how much. I know "I probably wouldn't notice it" if it does effect it, but I'm just curious what the facts are here. If it's pretty much zero difference, then I'm probably going to go with it. If it'll have a decent impact what are my options then to keep this sounding great?

Josh Billings

Josh, you may parallel quite a few line level balanced inputs before  loading become an issue.

Take care that the XLR input on the mixer will truly accept line level without overload. Some form of attenuation might be needed.

Usually adapting to the 1/4" line input of a mixer is a pretty safe procedure.

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2012, 06:43:51 PM »

Well the mixer is a bottom of the line behringer mixer made just for the recording side of things to mix 2 audience mic signals into it. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that mixer in between the main signal and my UX3600. It's made just for recording the sets for our website. I prefer to have as clean as a signal as possible and a mixer is generally unnecessary for my setup and just an added thing in the signal chain. I have an Aphex Dominator in between for gain control and that's all the tweaking that ever needs to be done with pre-recorded music. We already have a recording unit that we run to from the little behringer mixer, I just need a way of splitting the signal a very minimal amount of distortion / signal loss. I'm hoping the standard XLR Y splitter will get the job done, but that's why I came here to ask first before I made the purchase.

Josh Billings

I'd just use the hard splits.  And by coming out of the 3600 you can likely use some delay to synch up the live mics with the recording. 

Are there any copyright issues with using the recordings on your site??????
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Scott Carneval

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2012, 10:54:30 PM »

One split isn't going to cause an audible drop in signal quality, and it probably won't cause a measurable difference either.  What DJ mixer is installed?  If it's a Pioneer it will have a record out with a fixed volume that the DJ can't adjust.  You could pull from there instead.  If it's a Rane then you can use the aux out, but the DJ could inadvertantly adjust the level, or possibly turn it all the way down.  You could remove the pot altogether and hardwire the traces, but that might be a little extreme for what you're looking to do. 
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Josh Billings

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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2012, 11:53:25 PM »

One split isn't going to cause an audible drop in signal quality, and it probably won't cause a measurable difference either.  What DJ mixer is installed?  If it's a Pioneer it will have a record out with a fixed volume that the DJ can't adjust.  You could pull from there instead.  If it's a Rane then you can use the aux out, but the DJ could inadvertantly adjust the level, or possibly turn it all the way down.  You could remove the pot altogether and hardwire the traces, but that might be a little extreme for what you're looking to do.

It's a pioneer DJM-900 with an RCA Record out, but I really wanted to simplify our setup and get that recorder out of the booth. I guess I could plug in a DI every week to the RCAs and run XLR back to the racks, just one more step I'd prefer to avoid.

Josh Billings
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Re: Splitting XLR Line level signal
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2012, 11:53:25 PM »


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