What is an AES/EBU XLR output and how can I use it?

Hi Everyone,

I'm using an APOGEE Mini Me converter box, USB version. At present I'm using the 1/8 inch output to my Mackie DFX 6 Mixer.

I hate using this means of output because it is really a headphone jack and I'm using a cheap HOSA cable instead of MOGAMI, which I use exclusively, but unfortunately MOGAMI doesn't have an 1/8 to 1/4 inch or XLR cable. I feel as though I'm not getting the best quality sound in the output to the monitors because of the cable.

There is an AES/EBU, XLR output jack available, can I use it and how?

Also, of course there is an RCA S/PDIF output as well.

What should I do to obtain the best quality output?

Thanks Everyone.

Thanks ohhey!

But let me ask you, do I have an alternative to using this cheap 1/8 inch output cable out of the headphone jack?

Am I losing that much audio quality?

What esle can I do? If nothing, is there a good 1/8 cable made?

This is just for monitoring purposes, right? You go straight into the DAW with the USB connection?

R

I just checked the Apogee web page. The 1/8" jack is for headphones !! It's not for a line output. Since it's going through the headphone amp the quality of the cable is the least of the worries about using this output. If you do run this into the line inputs of a Mackie you should get an attenuating patch or adapters to drop the signal down closer to line level. If you do run it directly into the mackie at least make sure the headphone control is WAY down or you will get distortion.

When recording you should use the USB connection (if you have that option) or one of the digital outputs (AES or SPDIF). Needless to say you will need a sound card that has one of those.

Keep in mind the mini me is just an analog to digital converter. So if you go back to analog like the headphone out you have lost all the quality the unit was designed to deliver. If you don't have the USB option then at the very least you need a sound card that has SPDIF in to get the benefit of the mini-me.

ORIGINAL: Vincent

Thanks ohhey!

If I understand correctly...what your saying is that by using the headphone jack to output the signal to my mixer and then to my monitors, I'm losing sound quality, right?

What about if I use SPDIF out on the the APOGEE?

Should I then run that to my mixer or......use the SPDIF out of the APOGEE to the SPDIF in on my ECHO GINA 24 Breakout Box and the use the outputs on the GINA to my mixer?

Can you help, Please. I don't have much knowledge in the routing dept.

Thanks ohhey!

You should connect the SPDIF out of the mini-me to your spdif in on the Gina 24 you should also use the Gina control panel to set the Gina to get sample rate clock from the mini-me. It's clock will be better then the one in the Gina. Make sure the mini-me, gina, and your Sonar project are all the same sample rate !!. Remember with digital interfaceing only one device can be the clock, the other has to slave to that device. If both are using their own clock you will get pops and clicks. That takes care of the recording part. When you record select the spdif input of the Gina as your input for the audio track in Sonar.

Now for monitoring. This is not as important as the input so don't get overly concerned about the cables, etc. If you are using input monitoring in Sonar just use a pair of the outputs on your Echo Gina 24 to monitor while you record. If you can't get the latency down to an acceptable level then you can turn off input monitoring in Sonar and connect the headphone out of the mimi-me to the mixer along with the gina outs. That way the existing tracks will come out the Gina and you can blend the output of the mini-me headphone output with that using the mixer to monitor. Like I said just keep the headphone level way down in fact start all the way down, set your level on the mackie about in the middle on both gain and fader. Then slowly start turning up the headphone level on the mini-me till you get a good signal, make a note of that setting and use the gain and fader on the mackie to bring it up more if needed.

ohhey Thank You. I appreciate it!

nprime had a good point about.... isn't it better to use the USB on the APOGEE Mini Me directly into the computer into Sonar?

ORIGINAL: nprime

If you don't have the USB option then at the very least you need a sound card that has SPDIF in to get the benefit of the mini-me.

ohhey.

Vincent said:"I'm using an APOGEE Mini Me converter box, USB version

Is it not better for him to use the USB as his DAW input?

r

Yeah.. if you have the USB that's the most direct way to go. However, if you run ASIO drivers you can't have both it and the Gina going at the same time. If there are WDM drivers for both no problem. Since the mini me doesn't have line outputs it would be nice to have the Gina available. Going SPDIF it still all digital and using the clock in the mini-me lets you improve the sound of the Gina for free. The Gina drivers may also be better then the USB ones for the mini-me and offer lower latency. Connecting the way I described you don't even need the USB connection so you can run just one driver on your computer.

Bear with me here guy's...let me get this straight.

Okay, what your're saying is Apogee USB straight into the computer is the best way to go, right.

But that leaves me to use the 1/8 inch headphone jack as my output to my mixer, right?

So I'm back to where I started, right?

Or.....trying to sum this up, as per your last post, correct me if I'm wrong....take the SPIDF out of the Apogee and into the SPDIF of the Gina and then use the outputs of the Gina to my mixer, of course using the WDM drivers and not the ASIO, as this will give me the use of two cards, and give me over all the best sound quality utilizing the converters of the Apogee and not the Gina, as well as giving me better output quality of the Gina, instead of the 1/8 inch headphone output of the Apogee?......and not use the Apogee USB.

But...you said the Apogee USB was the best way to go....so here I am right bact to where I started.

I'm getting confused.