SP-FORUMS

I recently acquired a mixer to plug all of my electronics into. So, I have all my cables for plugging my electronics into the mixer, but I am using a mono 1/4 cable plugged into the left channel output. Now, obviously, I want to get some stereo-sound going before I start playing shows with my new mixer. So, I've been eyeballing a dual mono to single stereo y-cable, much like this one: http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=330898

My question is this: if I were to plug this sort of cable from my mixer directly to the venue's house system, would this guarantee live-stereo sound, or would their system have to have some sort of special stereo input?

Also, when I play house-parties or find myself in situations in which I don't have a stereo-system to play out of, I just plug into a bass guitar stack... I realize that I wouldn't have true stereo sound if I plugged into it, but if I did plug a stereo 1/4 cable into a bass guitar amp, would it amplify both the left and right channel?

Lastly, should I invest in a cable like the one I've described, or is there a better way to go?

My question is this: if I were to plug this sort of cable from my mixer directly to the venue's house system, would this guarantee live-stereo sound, or would their system have to have some sort of special stereo input?

depends if there system has a stereo input, you might want to get a couple mono cables in case, so you can just go left right, or split to a single stereo if you need to. cables dont cost much, and if you get good ones , they last quite a while . more cables = better chance youll be rockin in sterey airy oh.

what sort of place are you gonna be playing at?

RCA, XLR, or mono 1/4" plugs are the most likely going to be available.

Stereo 1/4" plugs are really only used for inserts, headphones, or gear that is very very very lacking in space

Also alot of small shitty clubs still run the whole system in mono, because theyre cheap... so make sure your music still rocks on a mono system.

What kind of mixer do you have?
It should have stereo outs. Are they balanced? (it should say right on the outputs or in the manual).

It's a little Behringer 4-track mixer. The main output consists of two mono outputs, one for each channel, which together makes a stereo output.

If most venues run their systems in mono, I'm probably just going to get a two mono to one mono Y-cable.

dude just get 2 mono 1/4" cables..
then if the club is stereo, you get stereo,
if its mono, you get mono.

dont need anything fancy.

Never do the 2 mono Y cable into one thing (there's actually no such thing as a 2 Y stereo into one mono cable unless it's custom made) - then you are just jamming 2 signals through one channel possibly mucking up you sound.

The purpose of those Y cables is usually to be an insert cable- meaning you have the send and return from an FX unit or compressor going into the INSERT jack on a mixer- your Berhinger may even have an 'insert' jack.

What is commonly called a "stereo jack" 1/4 jack is actually a balanced jack (Tip RIng Sleave) = two black lines on the jack.

Most clubs outfitted for live performance have XLRs all onstage running back to their mixer. Most will even hook you up with a direct box for your line-level needs. Always show up early or find out before what the sound situation is.

Do you have the manual for your Mixer? It should say in there if your outputs are balanced or unbalanced- it may even say right on the mixer.

I roll to clubs with my own direct box (for my 606), but I find most have a direct box for me to plug into.

Any place that wouldn't offer you stereo has got to be hurting & not an official performance venue.

Any place that wouldn't offer you stereo has got to be hurting & not an official performance venue.

lots of 'official' venues are mono.

If a venue has a stereo system- a left set and a right set of speakers, then it should be no problem to give a cat a stereo hookup. It's one thing if they only have an 8 channel mixer and 1-7 are filled with your other members stuff (even then they could still plug you into tape input), or if they are a little coffee shop or something and only have a karaoke boombox.

I had to rock mono once at a crazy "unofficial" loft party- wasn't the worst thing in the world but the SP like stereo- especially with the FX.

You gotta talk to the sound person make demands!

if your music sucks in mono, it will probably suck in stereo as well

at a venue, a stereo effect will only impress people who stand equally far away from the left and right speakers, thats approximatley 5% of the crowd, most of them is to drunk to appreciate stereo anyways

No diggity- hopefully if yer music sucks you have honest friends and you're not trying to get shows There are a few FX on the 606 that absolutely slay in stereo- even imperfect stereo- like AutoPan and Rotary, they sound metaphysically dope on a loud stereo system.

To wrap up the original point of the post- I usually bring a selection of different cables and my trusty DI Box to live shows.
And Y cables are meant to insert effects into an 'insert' jack, and not to combine two mono signals.
And mono is fine as long as it's not Mononucleosis