Laptop to speakers?

[NoviceMixer]

Hi, I'm very new to this.

I have a Peavey 118 speaker and a Behringer mixer. I would like to hook up my laptop to the speakers. I thought it would be simple, but as my username states - I'm a novice.

I used a line from the headphones jack on my laptop, connected it to Line 1 input on the mixer, then output to the speaker. I'm not getting any sound from the speaker.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[mrmagoo]

We will need some more info. Also I believe that all of the 118s are subs, what are you using for the tops? What crossover? Are the 118s powered? Your basic hook up sounds right.

[NoviceMixer]

We will need some more info. Also I believe that all of the 118s are subs, what are you using for the tops? What crossover? Are the 118s powered? Your basic hook up sounds right.

Uhm, you've got me lost. What are tops? crossover? 118 is not powered. As I said, I'm a novice. I only have 118 and the mixer. I have nothing else.

[mrmagoo]

What model of mixer are you using? Is it powered? What is the exact model of the 118? If the 118 is a sub it will only handle the low frequencies, most use them for 120 Hertz (sub bass) or less. Tops are speakers that can handle the frequencies above 120 hertz (bass to treble). Up to somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 to 18K hertz. Hopefully Semperfi Steve will post up his links to sound basics for you to read. It is good reading to help out on understanding sound systems.

[SemperFiSound]

Hopefully Semperfi Steve will post up his links to sound basics for you to read. It is good reading to help out on understanding sound systems.

Ask & ye shall receive!

Okay, start with this pamphlet:
Peavey Sound System Answer Book
http://forums.peavey.com/download/file.php?id=6054

This will give you the basic basics and will help you understand the responses and then ask better questions.

Then I suggest this:
Signal Flow
http://www.peavey.com/support/technotes ... alflow.pdf

Answer Magoo's questions about specific model numbers for mixer & speaker and we'll get this sorted!
Cheers,
Steve

[Wooferhound]

I bought a Laptop recently that has a simular problem. If I use a cable that ties the left and right channels together into mono, then I don't get any sound. But if I use a stereo cable into seperate channels on the mixer, then it works just fine.

I wonder what's up with that ?

[ctclark1]

I bought a Laptop recently that has a simular problem. If I use a cable that ties the left and right channels together into mono, then I don't get any sound. But if I use a stereo cable into seperate channels on the mixer, then it works just fine.

I wonder what's up with that ?

I'll try to take this on without hijacking the thread totally. Are you summing to "mono" going into a balanced input? ie, is the end going into the mixer a "balanced" connector (1/4"TRS or XLR) - if so then you're sending roughly the same signal to each half of the balance and then the rejection that is inverting the one side is actually causing it to cancel itself out. (I guess what I really need to know is exactly what kind of cable are you using when you go to mono...)

[Marty McCann]

In order for the laptop to play through sound reinforcement loudspeakers, you must first Pre-amplify the signal with a device called a mixer, then you must raise the line level output of the mixer up to loudspeaker voltage levels using a devide called aq power ampliifier.

We did make a 118 International loudspeaker at one time thaqt is a full range system. However those models that are SP-118's are Subwoofers and not full range enclosures.

And Wooferhound, the problem you had was that you can NOT wire say the left output of the pc to Pin #2 and the Right to Pin #3, as the CMR circuit will cancel the signal.

The best way to sum a laptop signal is to use two 1 K resistors to sum both the L & R together to Pin #2, and then connect the shield to Pin #3. Don't worry about Pin #1.

[ctclark1]

And Wooferhound, the problem you had was that you can NOT wire say the left output of the pc to Pin #2 and the Right to Pin #3, as the CMR circuit will cancel the signal.

Basically what I was trying to say, but Marty says it so much better

[Wooferhound]

And Wooferhound, the problem you had was that you can NOT wire say the left output of the pc to Pin #2 and the Right to Pin #3, as the CMR circuit will cancel the signal.

Basically what I was trying to say, but Marty says it so much better

Hmmmm . . . But I was going out to a 1/4 inch connector, not an XLR ?

[ctclark1]

Was the 1/4" a TS or TRS connector?

If it was a TRS, then that is generally used by mixers as a balanced connection, not a stereo connection.

If you were using a TS connector and having that issue, then I would think something is off with your laptop's sound output.

[JoshM]

Okay, this is what you need to connect your laptop mini plug output to a mixer's 1/4" input:
http://www.peavey.com/products/index.cf ... %2F4%22TSM
Note that this will take the unbalanced, stereo connection of your laptop and connect it to TWO channels of your mixer, one is Left (Yellow) and one is Right (Red). This connection is unbalanced and should be kept as reasonably short as possible. If you need to run it a longer distance you should consider getting one of these:
http://www.peavey.com/products/index.cf ... rInterface
Then you can use proper XLR connectors, like you would with a professional audio system.

Also, if you wanted to improve the output of your PC and stop using the noisy, crappy mini plug output, you should consider getting one of these:
http://www.peavey.com/products/index.cf ... SBPlayback
This will give you a high quality, transformer isolated, and transformer balanced output from your PC. It works really well, I have one and I love it. Again, this has two XLR outputs on the back of it to allow you to use proper, professional XLR cables and not have to fruit around with stupid adaptors and specialty cables. It keeps my life simple, and that is why I love it. I just need XLR cables, not fist-fulls of adaptors.

Good luck out there!
Josh

[Wooferhound]

If you were using a TS connector and having that issue, then I would think something is off with your laptop's sound output.

I use these same cables everyday on other computers, Iphones, Ipads and other players never having much problem. I made them myself and I know how they are made. My new laptop is the first device that I've had this problem with.

I need to make some cables like this specifically for devices like my laptop that have headphone outputs

HeadphoneOutput.GIF (3.56 KiB) Viewed 8260 times

[ctclark1]

Honestly for computers I have to agree with Josh, USB outputs are the way to go when going into a PA system. Not only do they present less noise and less chance of overdriving (remember the 1/8" is "powered" to an extent to handle headphones), but the 1/8" jacks pull out wayyy to easily and the contacts can only handle so many insertions before they start warping and losing connection.

[NoviceMixer]

What model of mixer are you using? Is it powered? What is the exact model of the 118? If the 118 is a sub it will only handle the low frequencies, most use them for 120 Hertz (sub bass) or less. Tops are speakers that can handle the frequencies above 120 hertz (bass to treble). Up to somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 to 18K hertz. Hopefully Semperfi Steve will post up his links to sound basics for you to read. It is good reading to help out on understanding sound systems.

Sorry it took me a while. I use a Behringer UB802 Eurorack and it is powered. The speaker is a 118 sub. Low frequencies is what I want anyway (I like heavy bass).

I did see Semperfi Steve's post and will read the info he provided. I hope the post helps.

Any more info that you can give would be helpful. Want me to take a pic of the setup on the mixer I have? Would that help ?