Playing laptop audio into mixer?

[fenderson0005]

I was wondering what is the best way to run audio from a laptop into a mixer?

[EADGC]

I've been wondering this as well.

Of course it's possible to use the 1/8" output, but I'm sure there's a better way.. USB/Firewire interface, maybe?

[fenderson0005]

Thats what I want thinking but I've never tried it before, and I dont have any software/hardware for it.

[Motleyguy]

Most mixers have a "tape" input, as it's usually called. It's a stereo set of RCA jacks (Red & White) use a RCA Y cable out of your sound card into that input.

[EADGC]

What about using the headphone out with a speaker cable or something?

[Motleyguy]

That's basically what you're doing. The speaker/headphone output on the laptop/i pod/whatever. Use a 1/8" RCA Cable. It's a Y Cable. You don't use an actual speaker cable. (Unshielded, connects speaker to crossovers/amps etc.)

[EADGC]

But why use an RCA over a 1/4" speaker cable? Or does it matter

[Moseph]

Generally speaking, you want the solution that provides the least amount of possible noise.

Balanced cables (TRS, XLR) are a better choice than unbalanced (TS, RCA).

The output of a dedicated audio interface (such as a USB or Firewire device, or a pro-level PCI or PCIe device) will undoubtedly be better than the speaker output of a computer's native soundcard. They also will be more useful as a "live input" since the latency between what's happening on the computer and what you hear will be minimized by comparison.

Lastly, minimizing the amount of adapters you need to use is desirable, but will have a less dramatic effect on everything, unless you're using really bad adapters.

[Motleyguy]

But why use an RCA over a 1/4" speaker cable? Or does it matter

Laptops/I Pods don't have 1/4" outputs. That's just the cheapest and easiest way to do it.

[EADGC]

Laptops/I Pods don't have 1/4" outputs. That's just the cheapest and easiest way to do it.'

A 1/8"-1/4" adapter is conveniently easy to find and incredibly cheap, however.

[Motleyguy]

'

A 1/8"-1/4" adapter is conveniently easy to find and incredibly cheap, however.

Yeah, however, if you're going to be using an adapter to make it 1/4", then you won't notice a difference, as it's still going through the 1/8" cord, so it's just as easy to just use the 1/8" to RCA Y cable.

[Aaron]

Have a read here:

http://www.awave.com.au/index.php?cPath=117&osCsid=6809ae471b4c095c140d3ef3d527045f

[EADGC]

Yeah, however, if you're going to be using an adapter to make it 1/4", then you won't notice a difference, as it's still going through the 1/8" cord, so it's just as easy to just use the 1/8" to RCA Y cable.
No

I meant if you were to plug the adapter into the laptop, and use a 1/4" speaker/instrument cable

[The Chemist]

No

I meant if you were to plug the adapter into the laptop, and use a 1/4" speaker/instrument cable

There will be interference added. RCA is your best option.

[EADGC]

There will be interference added. RCA is your best option.

Where would the interference be coming from?


What about RCA compared to USB/Firewire interface w/ speaker/instrument cable?

[Motleyguy]

Every different connection, or piece of gear you add to your signal flow is going to add noise (interference). Therefore, RCA is your best bet, as it is the most direct. When you're talking about USB/Firewire, do you mean out of the interface into the mixer?

[EADGC]

Yes.

[Moseph]

Every different connection, or piece of gear you add to your signal flow is going to add noise (interference). Therefore, RCA is your best bet, as it is the most direct. When you're talking about USB/Firewire, do you mean out of the interface into the mixer?


Unless your cables or adapters are flawed in some way, a few adapters won't harm anything. I'd say all this worry is for naught.

However, do ensure that you're matching connectors and adapters. Using an unbalanced/mono adapter with a balanced/stereo cable will definitely create some headaches, and that isn't the easiest error to spot in a debug process.

The one thing that I should probably stress is that noise is more of a problem with unbalanced (RCA, instrument/TS) than with balanced (XLR, TRS) cables. Particularly in noisy (near a computer monitor, fluorescent lighting, etc) environments over a moderate to long distance of cable.

However, if you keep the distances short, the environment relatively clean of E/M radiation, and the cables consistent with the adapters, I'd say you should be fine for whatever transmission method you choose.