belfast_harper
183 posts
Nov 06, 2010
4:50 AM
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This probably sounds like a silly amp question to anyone who knows about this sort of thing, but can anyone tell me what type of cable I need to buy to use the line out on my HG2 with a PA.
Is it better to have a cable with a quarter inch jack on it or a xlr connector? Is the signal comming out of the amp high or low impedance?
Ona side note, is it possible for me to plug my loanwolf delay and 440sl straight into a PA to fatten up the sound a bit?
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5F6H
355 posts
Nov 06, 2010
5:14 AM
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Normally you would use a 1/4" jack to jack instrument/guitar cable (screened, unlike typical speaker cable). Plug into the PA "hi impedance/instrument jack", anything that is described as being designed for an instrument to go "direct" in. In recent years hi impedance inputs on PA are getting rarer, as they are replaced by low impedance, TRS jacks. Buy a passive DI box that allows you to connect your unbalanced instrument lead on one side & converts to lo impedance XLR out on the other. You can use this with the HG 2 and with your 440/Lone Wolf delay to connect to any PA.
Line outs are typically always lo impedance, there's no real benefit to having a hi impedance out due to loading issues, even if the line out is supposed to terminate in a hi impedance input (like yours is).
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2010 9:08 AM
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Oxharp
377 posts
Nov 06, 2010
5:46 AM
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Hi Belfast Harper.
I bought the Stage line DIB 100 and it only cost I think about £15.00.
It does all that 5F6H has said but this has two 1/4 jacks and a XLR balanced out put for the pa.
The great thing about this is that you can plug you mic into the 1/4 DI box and run the XLR to the pa but you can also run the extra 1/4 jack to your Amp so you can have a stage monitor and sound coming out of the pa speakers aswell so you can get the best of both worlds so to speak.
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Oxharp
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2010 5:47 AM
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belfast_harper
184 posts
Nov 06, 2010
6:02 AM
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Oxharp - is there any advantage to rigging the mic/amp/pa that way?
I assumed that the line out would be sending out a tube driven sound that would be better going tothe PA rather than the clean sound from mic.
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2010 6:02 AM
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Oxharp
378 posts
Nov 06, 2010
7:08 AM
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I dont think so.
It depends where on the Amp the line out signal is coming from. 5F6H is better placed than me to answer that.
I got mine really to see what the Lonewolf Harp Attack sounded like straight into a PA with a decent mic.
This lead me to think that you could have your sound through a PA and your Amp with better results than micking up an Amp in the usual way as there is back ground noise with the micked Amp method. I suppose its what you are after in terms of stage volume.
It was also a quick method of getting a decent sound if I went to diferent jams without having to take a big amp along.
I also thought about experimenting with the mic and effects pedals into the pa via the DI box to see what that would give me. But I have nor tried that yet.
Just my thoughts anyway the DI box is a great addition to your gear but most good sound guys will have a DI box with their gear anyway.
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Oxharp
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robdee
31 posts
Nov 06, 2010
9:05 AM
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I have a harpgear 2 also.
From Brian's HG FAQ:
Q. Should I use a 1/4" to 1/4" guitar cable for the line out or a 1/4" to XLR?
A. Just use a 1/4" to 1/4" cable and go to the HiZ input on the board. Remember to leave the speaker connected.
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Oxharp
379 posts
Nov 06, 2010
9:19 AM
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robdee.
What happens if the pa does not have a HiZ 1/4 input?
Most of the newer ones don't have this but they will always have a balanced XLR input so a DI box will sort you out either way
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Oxharp
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2010 11:19 AM
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robdee
32 posts
Nov 06, 2010
9:33 AM
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The original question is:
Is it better to have a cable with a quarter inch jack on it or a xlr connector? Is the signal comming out of the amp high or low impedance?
My answer is from the manufacturer's web site: The specific amp he has is HG2 with a HI Z output.
A DI would be needed if there is no HI Z input so you're right there. I have yet to see a PA without one yet. Guess I just play in places that can't afford a new one as you describe.
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Greg Heumann
855 posts
Nov 06, 2010
9:38 AM
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5F6H's answer is exactly correct.
Robdee: There are three issues:
- Physical connectabilty
- end-to-end wiring, and
- Impedance
A cable with XLR at one end and 1/4" may solve #1 but doesn't address #2 and #3. The way the pins of an XLR connector are connected to the "tip" and "sleeve" of a 1/4" jack is such that half of a low impedance signal isn't even connected. While a custom cable can solve this problem, there is still an impedance mismatch.
The line out of most amps is high impedance, 1/4". As 5F6H said, use a 1/4" to 1/4" cable, and either plug that straight into the PA (if the PA supports it) or use a DI Box to convert all 3 of the above.
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/Greg
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2010 9:39 AM
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belfast_harper
185 posts
Nov 06, 2010
11:09 AM
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Thanks for all the advice.
I don't know if the PA at the local jam has an instrument jack or not, but I think I will buy a DI box anyway because it is bound to come in useful some day.
Oxharp, I will have a look at the Stage line DIB 100.
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