Need Cables for Individual Headphone Monitoring in CueMix

[Shooshie]

I don't use multiple headphones very often, as most of my sessions involve a couple players at most for tracking, sometimes dubbing other things in later individually. But I've had a few such sessions, and when I provided individual monitoring, it required an XLR output per headphone channel. That means getting the two XLR outputs of a stereo track converted to a quarter inch or mini TRS. This sometimes required an embarrassingly complicated string of audio cables and adapters. I always tell myself surely there is another way.

What do you guys do? I spent part of today looking for an XLR female pair connected to a ¼" TRS female or ⅛" TRS female. I never found it. The closest I found were these:

• ⅛" stereo mini male to XLR female pair, 6 foot cable.
• ⅛" stereo mini female to XLR male pair, 6 foot cable

Neither is exactly what I want, but the first requires only one extra adapter to get it where I want, so I got a couple of those.

Does anyone have a special supplier who makes just what you need to monitor 4 headphone mixes off MOTU 896mk3 Firewire?

This is what I compromised with:


I'd rather have it output to a ¼" TRS plug. Or maybe there's some special breakout bundle trick, with the AES-EBU or optical port. Anyone?

Shooshie

[cleamon]

I don't use multiple headphones very often, as most of my sessions involve a couple players at most for tracking, sometimes dubbing other things in later individually. But I've had a few such sessions, and when I provided individual monitoring, it required an XLR output per headphone channel. That means getting the two XLR outputs of a stereo track converted to a quarter inch or mini TRS. This sometimes required an embarrassingly complicated string of audio cables and adapters. I always tell myself surely there is another way.

What do you guys do? I spent part of today looking for an XLR female pair connected to a ¼" TRS female or ⅛" TRS female. I never found it. The closest I found were these:

• ⅛" stereo mini male to XLR female pair, 6 foot cable.
• ⅛" stereo mini female to XLR male pair, 6 foot cable

Neither is exactly what I want, but the first requires only one extra adapter to get it where I want, so I got a couple of those.

Does anyone have a special supplier who makes just what you need to monitor 4 headphone mixes off MOTU 896mk3 Firewire?

This is what I got:


I just need polarity inverter "barrels" to turn them around for plugging headphones into. But I'd rather have it output to a ¼" female stereo socket. Or maybe there's some special breakout bundle trick, with the AES-EBU or optical port. Anyone?

Shooshie

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... o_1_4.html

[HCMarkus]

Line Level outputs provide enough signal to drive headphones directly? I think a multi-channel headphone amp is what you need Shooshie.

[rickorick]

Whirlwind SAT-1 on Ebay $86

[BKK-OZ]

http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/ ... -amps/hp6e

[Shooshie]

Line Level outputs provide enough signal to drive headphones directly? I think a multi-channel headphone amp is what you need Shooshie.

Well, I have multiple headphone amps. (not enough for every channel, but more than I usually need) I also have efficient headphones that don't take much juice. But what I'm trying to figure out is what is the best way to connect 4 or 6 sets of phones to some MOTU boxes for individual monitor mixes. Any ideas about that?

Shooshie

[Shooshie]

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... o_1_4.html

Not exactly. I'm looking for a stereo-breakout cable that takes two channels of audio out and combines them into left/right ¼" TRS or MINI Stereo. Each channel remains discreet; not Y.

Or if there is an easier way, such as an optical breakout box, or something, I'm just looking for "THE" way. I know that what I've been doing is just not the way it's supposed to be done. I need individual headphone mixes from CueMix, each coming from an output pair, then amplified, and available for small ensemble recording, each with their own mix.

We've known that CueMix can do this simultaneously; but is there an ideal way to go about it?

Shooshie

[Shooshie]

Line Level outputs provide enough signal to drive headphones directly? I think a multi-channel headphone amp is what you need Shooshie.

I just checked out an 8 headphone amplifier, which would be ideal for what I'm talking about, except that the problem still remains. The individual amp inputs require the signal to come from a left and right output for each of the 8 amps. The amp inputs are TRS, so once again I'm having to go from XLR female outputs to some kind of cable that combines them into a single TRS plug. Male, in this case. To utilize the whole headphone amp, I'd need 8 of those stereo breakout cables, for 16 channels of output. (Two 896mk3's)

Geez, I'd pay extra for a MOTU 896 with individual headphone jacks for each pair of outputs.

[cleamon]

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... o_1_4.html

Not exactly. I'm looking for a stereo-breakout cable that takes two channels of audio out and combines them into left/right ¼" TRS or MINI Stereo. Each channel remains discreet; not Y.

Or if there is an easier way, such as an optical breakout box, or something, I'm just looking for "THE" way. I know that what I've been doing is just not the way it's supposed to be done. I need individual headphone mixes from CueMix, each coming from an output pair, then amplified, and available for small ensemble recording, each with their own mix.

We've known that CueMix can do this simultaneously; but is there an ideal way to go about it?

Shooshie

Oh, ok. Don't know if this will help, I haven't looked at it in some time, but I have a Rolls RA62 headphone amp (not the 62c) that I haven't used in years and could let go real cheap. It has two stereo ins and 6 stereo outs with separate volumes. Each output channel has an insert as well. PM me if interested.
http://www.rolls.com/pdf/M_RA62.pdf

[Shooshie]

I'm just looking for several cables of an elusive type which seems non-existent: a stereo cable that combines two mono cables. It begins as a TRS stereo plug (M or F). This splits off into two discreet cables — Left & Right — which terminate in XLR3F connectors.

The fact that it appears not to exist tells me that other people connecting headphones (headphone amps, that is) to their digital audio interfaces may use another method. Does nobody know what kind of cable or breakout box people use to connect their output channels to individual headphone amps? I'm trying to run 8 channels of audio (4 L&R pairs) to a multi-channel stereo headphone mixer. Mixers of this type generally accept up to 8 TRS connections for 8 stereo headphone amplifiers.

The 896 has eight XLR outputs plus digital and optical ports. I'm trying to go from 8 mono XLR outs to 4 stereo TRS inputs. If it's a cable, it would reduce two XLR audio outputs down to a single TRS plug. If it's a breakout box, it would turn a digital output (like an ADAT or TOSLINK connection) into 4 or 8 stereo TRS jacks.

If there is another way of doing it, which most people use when providing individual headphone mixes to artists in the studio, I'd sure like to know what it is. Is it possible that I'm trying to do something that nobody does? Maybe I'm just going about this wrong and need to know how everyone else does it.

Shooshie

[rickorick]

Go the the Whirlwind site. They have insert cables that they will put any kinds of connecters
on.

[mikehalloran]

Do what the broadcasters do: call Markertek

http://www.markertek.com/?gclid=CIzfqpC ... fgodY0UAjg

I'd give them a call rather than spend hours online. Their big print catalog is always within arms reach.

[HCMarkus]

Do what the broadcasters do: call Markertek

http://www.markertek.com/?gclid=CIzfqpC ... fgodY0UAjg

I'd give them a call rather than spend hours online. Their big print catalog is always within arms reach.

Yes, they'll make whatever you need.

I'd also consider pulling out the soldering iron and doing it yourself!

[Shooshie]

I'd also consider pulling out the soldering iron and doing it yourself!

Did I mention that I prefer that they actually work?


Shoosh

[Shooshie]

Ok, so I call Markertek and get some made. Still, something doesn't feel right. Does NOBODY do a large number of headphone mixes for individual artists? It just seems like this would be more standard-fare with off-the-shelf solutions.

At least I can let go of that nagging sensation that everyone else knows something to which I remain clueless. I was kind of expecting more along the lines of "geez, Shoosh! You've been doing this all these years, and you don't know THAT???"

Well, thanks, guys. Markertek it is.

Shoosh