• Registered: 2012-01-11
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Newbie connection question

I'm a lead guitarist who does backing vocals.  I ordered the Voicelive Rack and it will be here in a couple of days.  I've gone through the manual, and I'm sure I can figure out at least one way to hook everything up, but I'd like to get advice on the best way (or if there's something I'm overlooking).

We use a Presonus Studiolive 16.4.2 mixer.  I use a Line 6 Relay G90 wireless system for my guitar and a Fractal Audio Axe FX II for guitar effects, etc.

I'm planning on running my mic into the mixer channel's mic in, then using an insert cable from the mixer's insert with a TS send to the Voicelive's 1/4" Line input and a TS return to the Voicelive's Left 1/4" output. 

Then I plan to send the guitar's wireless first through the guitar in on the VL and then the VL's guitar thru to my Axe FX II.

I'm expecting that levels will be controlled by the the fader on that channel of my mixer and that there will be no latency or change of tone caused by the VL on  my guitar (and that if I mute the Axe FX II, I can still play volumeless chords that will effect harmonies on the VL).

Do I have all of this straight?  Is this the best way to hook things up?  I apologize in advance for what is probably pretty simple stuff. There's one extra channel on the mixer and one extra bus if I need them. 

Thanks!

  • From: Victoria, BC
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
  • Posts: 2,086

Re: Newbie connection question

Hiya WSheehey,

Yep that sounds like a good plan to me. The pre-amp in the VL-Rack is quite good, so you may find that you don't have to run it as an insert and can use it as a dedicated vocal channel, Mic in to the Rack and then Stereo Out to your mixer.

You can use the MP-75 to control stuff right from the stage.

For the guitar setup, I do something similar in my office. I have a wireless system going in to the Guitar In and then send it out via the Thru to an amp if I want to. When I don't have an amp hooked up, I get my guitar via the Rack, but when I go out to an amp, the Thru mutes guitar in the Rack signal path.

Let me know how things work out!

Craig

Craig @ TC-Helicon's Website

  • Registered: 2012-01-11
  • Posts: 4

Re: Newbie connection question

Thanks for the response.  I set it up as you mentioned, using one of the mixer's Aux Ins for my stereo channel (bypassing the pre on the mixer). 

I also set up the guitar as you mentioned.  I don't use an amp (straight to the mixer after the Axe FX II), but noticed that when the Axe tuner mode was on (which I have set as a bypass for the guitar), I was still hearing a guitar signal.  As mentioned, I have the guitar wireless into the VL Rack and the thru to my guitar FX processor.  I thought that no signal would be transmitted?  When I turned the guitar level down to -30db on the VL Rack (and reverb and mod level to off), the signal went away.  Curious. 

I'm having a seperate issue now with the computer not recognizing the VL Rack as an audio device (it does recognize it, but as MIDI).  I'll contact support.

Thanks, again!

  • From: Victoria, BC
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
  • Posts: 2,086

Re: Newbie connection question

Heya WSheehey,

Are you on a Mac or Windows 7? There are a couple of fidgety things with each of the OS's that you'd need to tweak to see the Rack as an audio device.

The guitar thing, totally my bad! We re-did the way Thru works, specifically because of the "Rack" in Rack. We envisioned people mounting the unit in their studio and not wanting to reach around to plug/unplug the Thru when they wanted to mute the guitar. So, we made a Guitar Mute ON/OFF in the I/O menu. It mutes all guitar, including guitar FX from the main output, but still processes the chords for NaturalPlay.

With things set up that way, you can run the Thru out permanently, either to a Guitar FX unit or perhaps through the wall to your live room, and then record it separately any way you want to.

Thanks for the catch! I hope that clarifies it a bit and gets you rocking the way you're wanting to use the Rack.

Hit me back about the operating system question.

Cheers,
Craig

Craig @ TC-Helicon's Website