Connecting an effects unit to mixing desk

[noise]

Hi -sorry for newbie question.

 

I want to connect an effects unit to my mixing desk, which has two jack inputs and two jack outputs. Please can somebody tell me the best way to do this? I have a Behringer Mixer which has got 8 aux outputs. Am I correct in saying that I use 2 jack to jack leads to come out of Aux 1 and 2 and then into the effects unit. Then come back out of the effects unit into 2 channels on the mixer into the line inputs? Then if I want to activate an effect on a mic channel, I just turn up the Aux?

 

What type of jack to jack leads should I use, and is this the best way to do it, or should I be using the "inserts" on the mixer?

 

Thanks John

[MarkPAman]

You've got it right, don't use inserts for this.

 

Type of lead depends on the equipment at each end! If both the desk & the effects unit have balanced ins/out, then there's some benefit in using balanced leads, otherwise, just "normal" unbalanced jack leads will do.

 

It is quite common to only connect one input to an effects unit - a vocal (for instance) is mono, so why bother having to send it to two inputs? Depends what you are wanting to achieve, and the way your effects unit works.

 

Also, if your desk has a (spare) stereo input channel, then that may be a better place to return the effects to the desk.

[Just Some Bloke]

Indeed, exactly as Mark says.

 

The most common use of effects units, especially reverbs and multiFX units, is as mono in stereo out, as Mark describes. The reason for having stereo in, stereo out is mainly for those who ae not using a mixer or who have run out of auxes. Thus, if your 8 aux outputs are doing 6 monitor mixes, a lead vox reverb and a delay then you wanted to put all of your backing vocals through a different reverb you could group your BVs into a stereo mix that isn't selected to the main outputs(say on groups 3&4) then connect those groups into the reverb in stereo, set the mix of dry to effect on the reverb unit itself then return back into the desk again, this time going to your L/R outs; that way you would keep the stereo mix of your vocals as well as adding stereo reverb. Mostly, though, you'd take a mono input (like lead vox or snare drum), send it to the reverb unit through a mono aux send, set the mix on the unit to 100% effect, return it as a stereo effect and mix the dry and effect channels on the mixer.

 

Hope that makes sense!

[noise]

Thanks guys - however, what's a 'normal' jack to jack lead?? Please can you also explain in what circumstance you would use the inserts on a channel??

 

Many thanks

[paulears]

guitar cable is the easiest to describe for a 'normal'. An desk insert allows the output from that channel strip, before it gets to the sends and channel fader to be sent to an external device - maybe a processor of some kind for limiting, compression, special effects - like telephone quality simulation, or some other device that needs just the signal from a single input - NOT a group output, or master output. The insert sockets use 3 circuits (looking like stereo headphones type jacks - with tip, ring and sleeve. The common cable uses has a 3 circuit jack on one end and two jacks (send and return) on the other.

 

Does that help?