Hi - My youtube is running through “DAW” in the stand-alone UR28M dspMixFx floating window (Cubase is not open).
I guess the “Mono Mix” button is not meant for anything but Output A, B, C (right? Or …), and I don’t see any controls on the floating window to listen to youtube in Mono through headphones.
Is there a way to do this without having to open another application or go around the back of the UR28M (e.g., plugging the headphone into one side of the Output A, and pushing the “Mono Mix” button on the top panel)?
Not sure why you’d want to do this, but I can see other reasons why it might be useful (e.g. phase-checking, etc.)
I happen to have a couple of headphones which sport a mono switch, so I’d probably use them. Alternatively you could get a stereo to mono converter adapter. Please note this is not the same as a stereo to mono plug adapter which is meant for mono headphones!
Can you please explain that bolded part a bit more … are you referring to a stereo in/mono out plug adapter? Would that just feed one side of the signal to both ears?
This is why I added the note. It’s not one of those cheap adapter plugs (TRS Male - TR Female) It should have a TRS out as well for stereo phones. It simply incorporates a balanced impedance bridge - basically like a fixed panner (typically resistive) which sums the left and right signals and applies this combined signal to the tip and ring of the output.
They come as active and passive. If you go for an active, you might consider getting a small headphone distribution amp such as Behringer’s MA400: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/MA400.aspx
You could probably build a passive one yourself if you’re handy: http://www.rane.com/note109.html
I’m “not handy”. And it seems like it’s a minefield to buy the right one!
I’ll go to my local Sam Ash music store and ask around.
Warning, exposed ignorance alert:
Why would I need an amp if it the adaptor is active?
I have an unused preamp/interface with two headphone outputs (M-Audio Omni I/O) - would that functionally serve as the preamp as needed? (I’m kind of wary about putting an inexpensive Behringer device in the signal path of critical listening).
Also, I was thinking … I think what I want is something with an instant toggle between mono and stereo. Do those stereo to mono converter adaptors generally have that? I wonder if I’m getting into the realm of $$ now …
If those stereo-to-mono converter adaptors don’t typically have a toggle, I suppose I might as well keep doing what I’m doing? …(plugging the phones into Output A left, with the UR28M Mono button pushed, for mono; and replugging into the UR28M headphone output for stereo, of course), and save some $$ ?
If that doesn’t work, and I want to avoid the plug/unplug thing, I guess I could just open Cubase, do a physical loop between Output A and inputs 1/2 or 3/4, make sure they are not routed to Output A to avoid feedback, and then simply listen to the UR28M’s headphone output, toggling its Mono button.
Hopefully it’ll work for me to route Outputs A to inputs 1/2 on my Omni I/0 preamp/breakout box, and listen to its headphone output, toggling the Mono button on the top of the UR28M.
Thanks BriHar … you always get me thinking where this UR28M is concerned!
Perhaps I worded that poorly. I meant getting something like a small phones distribution monitor such as the Behringer instead of a dedicated active adapter - might be more versatile overall. I mentioned the Behringer because it has that toggle switch
Don’t be swayed by 20 year old mentality regarding Behringer quality. Their modern gear is no less quality than (and often exceeds) many other brand names, and I’m informed that the Behringer factory actually manufactures subassemblies as well as finished products for other (so called higher quality) brands. Personally I’d generally choose a Behringer over an M-Audio, and from personal listening tests found their Active monitors far superior to the popular KRKs, a little better than Yamahas, and about on par with Adams and Tannoys (all in similar price classes).
Anyway, by all means talk to the people at Sam Ash but make sure they understand exactly what you want - to convert a stereo signal into mono for stereo headphones (it shouldn’t just come out of one side!)
Again you might find a second pair of headphones not to be overlooked. I believe my phones (which have the stereo/mono switch are Philips. AKG, Audio Technica, Koss etc. all have one or two models with such a switch.
Will start at this point by seeing if I can get the situation sorted out by spending $10 on a D-sub pin and a few more $ for some soldering, which hopefully will allow me to repurpose the interface I already own to listen to youtubes in mono (running a mono youtube signal from the UR28M Out A to line 1 in of my Omni I/O, and then listening to headphones on that unit). If that turns out to not be possible … thank you for the info, I will turn to that next!
While thinking about your problem it occurred to me that I have my S/PDIF outs going into my patchbay over an D/A, and normalized into my analog console. I have a Mono out on the console also going to the patchbay and normalized to a subwoofer. I can patch a cable from the mono out to one of my normally unused surround active monitors inputs which are also directed from the patchbay, and have true mono from a single speaker. I know this is too elaborate for what you’re trying to accomplish, but it made me think that you might consider using your S/PDIF outs (routed to the Mix 1/2 outs in DSPMixFX) connected to the Omni S/PDIF Ins instead of using the Analog out.
Just something to keep you thinking
Can do, my UR28M S/PDIF I/O is currently connected to a processor, but easy enough to swap them over to the Omni unit. Any special advantage of that, beyond “keeping it digital/cleaner”? I would wonder if the limiting step in the whole process wouldn’t be the analog audio, but rather the youtube source quality itself?
All is good now - listening to youtube and other music out of the computer (exclusive of Cubase) in Mono as well as stereo! (Purpose is to see how commercial mixes collapse to mono, just as general education for me, and ultimately hopefully to help with my mixes).
Modified the Omni I/O (15-pin D-sub outputs soldered to inputs, bypassing the PCI card), so now I just:
Set UR28M Mix 1 to come out of Output C (outputs 5 and 6), since youtube somehow is routed only to Mix 1 (as shown on the UR28M’s floating computer control panel, and by scrolling through the UR28M’s Mix1…3 on the Source Select while Output C is selected). I don’t know why youtube is sent out Mix 1 only, but it just is!.
Run UR28M’s outputs 5 and 6 into Line in 3,4 of the Omni I/O.
Listen to youtube with headphones on the Omni I/O
and for mono listening, just punch the Mono Mix button on the UR28M.
Nice thing is that after the modification, the Omni I/O unit now is a available for use as a standalone set of pretty decent preamps, a headphone amp (with 2 outputs), and has inserts, a Mono Out/Stereo in aux channel, 4 direct outs, stereo outs, and more … where as before it was barely more than a brick!
Thanks, BriHar for your help!
(I also need to correct something I wrote above … the S/PDIF is not available on the box, it is only available via the computer).
Man sometimes this UR28 confuses me. youtube routing is not as simple as I wrote above …
Even though UR28M Out C (5,6) lines are the only thing connected to my new headphone amp, I can still hear youtube in the cans when I select ANY UR29M Outputs, including Output A or Output B (again: 1,2 and 3,4 are not physically connected to the headphone amp).
And - for Outputs A and B only - I can hear utube when selecting ANY of the three Mixes on the UR28Ms top front panel! It’s only when Output C is chosen that sending a signal to the headphone amp requires that Mix 1 on the UR28M front/top panel be selected.
Noted (but I don’t quite know how to use the information): In no circumstance does the floating UR28M control panel show any signal in Mix 2 or Mix 3 (virtual buttons on the far right, not to be confused with Mix 2 or Mix 3 on the top of the UR28M panel).
I know this has something to do with “DAW” carrying the Utube signal per the UR28M computer control panel … but I have no idea what else is happening under the hood. For the record, the DAW Out Device Port in Cubase is assigned to S/PDIF in the Cubase VST Connection window, though of course Cubase forgets that assignment every time I turn it on (and Cubase is not on when I’m listening to youtube like this).
Of course (?) the UR29M Output Level big knob, Mono Mix, and Mute, Mono Mix, and Dim buttons only affect the signal sent to the headphone amp when Output C is chosen (the output physically connected to the headphone amp).
Well, I can make it work the way I want by marrying Mix 1 to Output C and then punching the Mono Mix at the top of the UR29M box. At least so far my ignorance of the actual routing is not getting in the way. Still, it is irksome to know only the “how to do it”, but not the “why it works that way”!
I take it you have the Delta series of Omni IO I had obviously assumed the HD.
Anway, Is it possible you have left your UR28M in independent Mode rather than Alternate (which it should be for what you’re attempting to do?
