tookatooka
1469 posts
Jun 24, 2010
4:31 AM
|
I have a Roland MicroCube amp and use the auxiliary input to play a backing track from an MP3 player. Trouble is the MP3 player doesn't have a great deal of volume.(The MP3 spec sht says the output is 2*5mW.
My small cassette player works fine and is nice and loud but the MP3 would be so much more convenient.
Looking up the spec, Roland says AUX IN: -10 dBu
* 0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms
Can anyone give me a heads up on what I should be looking to use as an input device with those figures? -10dBu means nothing to me and I wonder whether any MP3 player would be good enough for the job.
Many thanks for any response.
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2010 6:30 AM
|
Silvertone
21 posts
Jun 24, 2010
5:45 AM
|
Maybe a stupid ? ,but does your mp3 player have a headphone volume limiting setting?
I use an ipod shuffle and a Creative Zen and they both get loud enough (for me).
Slightly OT but I like Itunes because you can assign song/harp keys in the group heading and have your song list come up in that order (alphabetically)
Good Luck
|
tookatooka
1470 posts
Jun 24, 2010
6:29 AM
|
Does your mp3 player have a headphone volume limiting setting?
HiHo Silvertone. No, it's only a budget model (LOGIK) I have it turned up to 32 which is as high as it will go. The spec sht says the output is 2*5mW.
|
5F6H
217 posts
Jun 24, 2010
6:46 AM
|
Does the instrument volume control on the amp affect the aux input signal volume?
If not, try plugging the MP3 into the instrument input (you will lose stereo perspective, not really a problem if everything on the backing is panned to centre), if that works better, buy a 1/4" Y headphone adaptor and you might be able to plug both instrument & MP3 into the one input & adjust backing via the vol control? Long shot but worth a try?
Or, can you feed the MP3 into the casette, then monitor the cassette via the aux input?
Last Edited by on Jun 24, 2010 6:46 AM
|
tookatooka
1473 posts
Jun 24, 2010
6:57 AM
|
Bingo with the first suggestion 5F6H. MP3 plays fine through instr input and I have no problems adjusting the volume. I'll rig a test up in a short while and just ensure the mic will work in parallel with the MP3.
That would be great if it does work. Thanks so very much. If you are ever in Edmonton N London I'll buy you a beer.........assuming the mic bit works. :)
|
5F6H
218 posts
Jun 24, 2010
7:10 AM
|
You're welcome...a mic vol control might help. When will someone just invent a USB compatible beer, then we could just e-mail beer to each other? C'mon Bill Gates, I want my Microsoft Beer Keller v4.0...and I want it now! :-)
|
Greg Heumann
582 posts
Jun 24, 2010
9:18 AM
|
The other thing you can use is a little headphone amp between the MP3 player and the amp - check out "Boostaroo"
----------
/Greg
|
tookatooka
1474 posts
Jun 24, 2010
9:54 AM
|
Thanks Greg, yes that is another possible solution which I may need to try because putting the MP3 and Mic in parallel into the instrument input doesn't work for my mic. Maybe because my mic is low impedance? Don't know. Thanks for your tip though. Could be just the job.
|
mr_so&so
330 posts
Jun 24, 2010
10:02 AM
|
Tookatooka: Excellent question!
And thanks everyone for the answers. Now we are learning something, thank G*d, er... thank goodness.
----------
|
5F6H
220 posts
Jun 25, 2010
2:07 AM
|
Tooka "because putting the MP3 and Mic in parallel into the instrument input doesn't work for my mic. Maybe because my mic is low impedance"
Indeed, the very low dc resistance of the lo-Z mic could be killing the signal, whereas a crystal mic would barely affect it. Got a Boss delay pedal or similar that you could put between the mic & input? Something withan output imedance of 10K or so?
|
Oisin
581 posts
Jun 25, 2010
6:29 AM
|
Hi Tooka...I used one of these little preamps to boost the signal from an old turntable I had into a music centre. Works a treat and very cheap.You can buy similar ones at Maplin's also.
http://www.astarsolutions.co.uk/products/?pc=1112&r=froogle
Oisin
----------
Oisin
|
tookatooka
1478 posts
Jun 25, 2010
7:22 AM
|
@5F6H and @Oisin. Thanks guys. The solution I'm currently using which is OKish is to connect the MP3 player to a small casette recorder which I can use to adjust the volume, and this in turn is connected to the AUX input. It works fine but I'd like to minimise the kit if I can. I'm thinking maybe an MP3/mobile phone. That should have the power I'm looking for.
The Oisin solution would have needed a power socket but I want this set-up to be mobile. I want to mount it all on my bicycle rack.
|
bluzlvr
385 posts
Jun 25, 2010
2:00 PM
|
I also have a Roland Micro Cube and I find that when I plug in my cheap ($20) MP3 player into it I get different volume levels from different MP3's.
I have found that no matter what I plug into it (MP3, CD player etc.), I get a major drop-off all the way around as opposed to having the head phones plugged directly into the player.
I still think it's a great way to play along to jam tracks even with the drop-off.
----------
myspace
|
tookatooka
1480 posts
Jun 25, 2010
2:43 PM
|
Hi bluzlvr, yeah I've been doing some reading and it seems that MP3 tracks can be recorded at different sound levels. The tracks I got from Adams Jam Tracks seem to be a good deal louder than some that I have been using.
I have read you can fiddle with the MP3 files to push the volume up but I got better things to do.
|
