Connection Nightmare!

Audio Production
#1

I am not an audio engineer. And, for years, I put off starting my podcast…until now. Only I am struggling w/ the connections. I’ve read the manuals and tried (unsuccessfully) to find videos but can’t. Here’s the equipment I’m using:

Mic: Shure Super Deluxe 55
Mixer: Soundcraft Notpad 12FX
Pre-Amp: DBX286s
EQ: DBX 215s
Compressor: DBX 266xs
Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

Part of the reason for the equipment is because I will not only be recording a podcast, but will live stream the podcast on occasion. I just can’t figure out the connections. Here’s what I’m thinking:

Mic > 286s (mic input) > 286s (1/4 output) > 215s (1/4 channel one input) > 215s (1/4 channel one output) > 266xs (1/4 input) > 266xs (xlr output) > 2i2 (xlr input). But, then, where does the mixer fit in? ARGH!

Yes, perhaps I should have bought one piece of equipment at a time and worked my way up but I’m a go big or go home type of guy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

#2

I will let @Mike get back to you on the connections front (as I think your setup is identical to what Mike used to have up until recently). I do not envy the amount of cables you have in your office!

As a side note - Mike ditched all of that recently in favour of Rodecaster Pro 2! Worth a watch: RODECaster Pro II - Can This Replace My Whole Studio? - YouTube

2 Likes
#3

Thank you! Wow, if I had only waited a few days before getting the gear then I could have saved a bunch of money. Yes, the setup is almost exactly the same as (apparently) his previous setup as I was going off a previous video plus the podcasting course. Thanks for letting him know :slight_smile:

#4

Just watched the video. Wow….am going to take a serious look at this piece of kit.

1 Like
#5

Hi @MikeLaneOnline and thanks for the question. I’ll do my best to list cables here for you based on your setup and in the correct order.

Mic: Shure Super Deluxe 55
XLR female to TRRS cable

Pre-Amp: DBX286s
XLR female to XLR male cable

Mixer: Soundcraft Notpad 12FX
XLR female to XLR male (x2 - one for left and one for right master output)

EQ: DBX 215s
XLR female to XLR male (x2 again)

Compressor: DBX 266xs
XLR female to XLR male (x2 again and into inputs 1 and 2 on the 2i2)

Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
USB cable to computer (included)

1 Like
#6

It’s just insane how much equipment can be replaced with that one piece of kit!

2 Likes
#7

Thanks @Mike for replying. I probably wasn’t clear in what I’m trying to figure out and that’s my fault. I have all of the cables, but when I connect everything, one thing or another doesn’t seem to work. It’s so frustrating. At this point, I’ve spent four days trying insert to aux, line input to channel one and everything in between. Just blew $800 on this mess…wasted on a guy like me.

#8

Agreed, totally blew me away after watching @Mike ‘s You Tube video earlier today.

#9

The funny thing is that I already had the first RodeCaster Pro.

#10

Hey @MikeLaneOnline hope you’re making some progress. The analogue setup is still tough to beat. I’m pretty happy with my current setup but a load of analogue boxes still do some kind of magic. That’s no good if you can’t get them to work. Have you tried identifying where the issue is? e.g. bad cable, microphone, interface?

Try connecting the mic direct to the audio interface. Does it work? Then, plugged into dbx, do you get lights coming on? How about if you turn gain dials all the way up? Feel free to post some pictures/videos here too :slight_smile: