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[Vincent Bumgarner]

I have a little Allen & Heath Zed14 that I've been using for small bands. The problem I'm running into is that the line level inputs from the keyboards are just not very loud. I've found myself cranking gain and the fader, just to get it close to usable. I've experimented at home with output from a keyboard, and even if I crank absolutely everything (the keyboard output, the trim, and the fader), I can't get the signal even into the yellow range on the PFL.

Has anyone dealt with a problem like this? Any idea why I would have the problem, and what I could do about it? I was thinking about getting the Behringer Ultralink PRO MX882 to try to boost the signals, but I'd rather not add another piece of hardware if there is a simpler solution.

Thanks in advance,
Vincent

[Jelmer de Jong]

Are you using je jack or the xlr-inputs?

[Keith Broughton]

I have a little Allen & Heath Zed14 that I've been using for small bands. The problem I'm running into is that the line level inputs from the keyboards are just not very loud. I've found myself cranking gain and the fader, just to get it close to usable. I've experimented at home with output from a keyboard, and even if I crank absolutely everything (the keyboard output, the trim, and the fader), I can't get the signal even into the yellow range on the PFL.

Has anyone dealt with a problem like this? Any idea why I would have the problem, and what I could do about it? I was thinking about getting the Behringer Ultralink PRO MX882 to try to boost the signals, but I'd rather not add another piece of hardware if there is a simpler solution.

Thanks in advance,
Vincent

Are you using the 1/4" input on the board?
Try going through a DI box and into the XLR.

[Mark Oakley]

You'll first need to change your "handle" to your real name before a moderator comes along.

The above idea (using a DI) is good, but any passive DI will drop the signal down to mic. level, so there may not be any increase if the keyboard is very low level. If the DI into mic. level XLR doesn't boost up the level, you could buy or make some 1/4 inch to male XLR cables and plug the keyboard directly into the XLR's. Most keyboards would overdrive the preamps this way, but if the keyboard is low to begin with, this might work.

-Mark

[Doug Fowler]

Come on guys, please don't reply to name violation posts. 

Thanks....

[Vincent Bumgarner]

Are you using the 1/4" input on the board?
Try going through a DI box and into the XLR.

If I use a direct box, everything is fine, but the board only has six XLR inputs, which fill up quickly.

The board has four sets of stereo balanced/unbalanced line level inputs. The players of course want to run stereo from their keyboards and guitar processors, so I really want to use those line inputs.

Is there some magic adapter I can use to take an unbalanced to a balanced in a meaningful way? Or do I need an amplifier like that Berhinger?

Thanks.

[Tim McCulloch]

If I use a direct box, everything is fine, but the board only has six XLR inputs, which fill up quickly.

The board has four sets of stereo balanced/unbalanced line level inputs. The players of course want to run stereo from their keyboards and guitar processors, so I really want to use those line inputs.

Is there some magic adapter I can use to take an unbalanced to a balanced in a meaningful way? Or do I need an amplifier like that Berhinger?

Thanks.

It sounds like there is some kind of cancellation taking place.  Can you tell us exactly how the keyboards are being connected... what brand/model of instrument, the cabling used and what inputs on the Zed...

[Keith Broughton]

If I use a direct box, everything is fine, but the board only has six XLR inputs, which fill up quickly.

The board has four sets of stereo balanced/unbalanced line level inputs. The players of course want to run stereo from their keyboards and guitar processors, so I really want to use those line inputs.

Is there some magic adapter I can use to take an unbalanced to a balanced in a meaningful way? Or do I need an amplifier like that Berhinger?

Thanks.

It seems odd to me that a keyboard won't put out enough level.
Changing to a balanced input config will probably not make a difference.
Are you using regular 1/4" instrument cables?
If the keyboard has a headphone out, you can use an adapter that has a stereo TRS on one end and splits to 2 1/4" plugs for left and right.
like this...http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mSE6-RNQ_khIAZWGRtbK8VA.jpg

[Michael Gazdziak]

I think it's an impedance mis-match issue.  The keyboards have a Hi-Z out, designed to run into a backline amp.  The 1/4" ins on the mixer are Hi-Z, expecting a Lo-Z input from a CD player or whatever. 
You need to use a direct box to match the impedance, 'convert' the Hi-Z keys out to a Lo-Z out, which is needed to connect to the Hi-Z mixer input. 
Direct box inputs are padded down so that the level from the keyboard doesn't saturate the transformer.  So now you also need a preamp. 
If you are out of mic inputs with preamps on your mixer, you either need a) and bigger mixer, b) a second mixer to sub mix the keyboards, or c) a standalone preamp, like a $100 Nady single rack space preamp.  The sub mixer or preamp could connect to the 1/4" inputs on your current mixer. 

If I use a direct box, everything is fine, but the board only has six XLR inputs, which fill up quickly.

The board has four sets of stereo balanced/unbalanced line level inputs. The players of course want to run stereo from their keyboards and guitar processors, so I really want to use those line inputs.

Is there some magic adapter I can use to take an unbalanced to a balanced in a meaningful way? Or do I need an amplifier like that Berhinger?

Thanks.

[Tim McCulloch]

I think it's an impedance mis-match issue.  The keyboards have a Hi-Z out, designed to run into a backline amp.  The 1/4" ins on the mixer are Hi-Z, expecting a Lo-Z input from a CD player or whatever. 
You need to use a direct box to match the impedance, 'convert' the Hi-Z keys out to a Lo-Z out, which is needed to connect to the Hi-Z mixer input. 
Direct box inputs are padded down so that the level from the keyboard doesn't saturate the transformer.  So now you also need a preamp. 
If you are out of mic inputs with preamps on your mixer, you either need a) and bigger mixer, b) a second mixer to sub mix the keyboards, or c) a standalone preamp, like a $100 Nady single rack space preamp.  The sub mixer or preamp could connect to the 1/4" inputs on your current mixer.

I won't dispute that there is, in fact, an impedance mismatch, but I don't think it's enough to get the 40dB or greater of level drop the OP is fighting.  This is a very common use of small mixers in local band situations.

My guess is that he's running 1/4" TRS cables from a stereo (headphone?) output to the balanced, "L/mono" input of the ZED.  The Tip & ring are nulled by CMRR, whatever is left is referenced to signal ground.

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