How do you play your sound effects?

[Shez]

USB direct to the desk if available; otherwise Focusrite Scarlett interface.

 

Circumstances do sometimes dictate that laptop headphone output is the only option; it works and nobody has ever noticed yet alone complained.

Why do you think anyone should notice?

I don't. That was rather the point.

Whilst laptop headphone outputs are often expected to be pretty poor quality, in the larger scheme of things, they usually get the job done just fine.

[Brian]

Whilst laptop headphone outputs are often expected to be pretty poor quality, in the larger scheme of things, they usually get the job done just fine.

 

There's one caveat to that...laptop headphone outputs will sometimes, and I've never able to track down under exactly what circumstances, blend a bit of L into R and R into L to reduce the width of the stereo image. Does it matter usually? No, of course not. Does it matter when you've got a mono mix on one side and timecode on the other? You bet it does.

 

The same laptop seems to behave differently at different times. I *think* it's a combination of what's plugged in when the machine boots and maybe even the load seen across the output jack.

[d_korman]

USB to X32 if I'm using my X32 - otherwise Tascam US122 or even a Behringer U-Control which works perfectly well. If I need additional channels I use the headphone output on the laptop - just be sure to turn system sounds off :blink:

 

In fact with SCS I can use all three together to get 6 channels out.

Edited April 17, 2020 by d_korman

[Jupton24]

I use a Novation Launchpad for song cueing run through Ableton Live Lite on my laptop going out on the headphone jack.

[sleah]

USB direct to the desk if available; otherwise Focusrite Scarlett interface.

 

Circumstances do sometimes dictate that laptop headphone output is the only option; it works and nobody has ever noticed yet alone complained.

Why do you think anyone should notice?

If you're unlucky it's hello funny squeaky, clicky, hissy electrical type noises or the dreaded earth loop in particular when the laptop PSU has an earth connection.

No, I have never removed the earth from a laptop PSU in desperation minutes before a performance... ;)

 

Suffice to say, another vote for a USB sound card :)

[abbotsmike]

I don't. That was rather the point.

Whilst laptop headphone outputs are often expected to be pretty poor quality, in the larger scheme of things, they usually get the job done just fine.

 

I totally agree, unless it was my previous laptop that wouldn't play nicely with anything one the PSU was connected. It wasn't just a ground loop either, the audio output became almost intolerably noisy.

[sunray]

Brian. Yes I've been caught with that one where a Fireworks display provided a usb stick with their music and 'data' to go to a radio link to their display. Fortunatly there were several PC's around and it was resolved. A lesson learned and until today forgotten.

 

Other than that I've only once connected a PC to a desk by USB and it was totally unuseable, unplugging the PSU was better but still not useable. I vowed I'd never try again, so it seems my first experience was not typical. However I don't own any digital desks so it's not an issue for me.

 

 

I always use isolating transformers when connecting PC audio to a desk, this sort of thing I've found to be fine: https://cpc.farnell....%20transformer. I've rebuilt a number over the years to provide more appropriate cable/connectors. The very early versions had terible frequency response but not for the last 20 years or so and now I don't have to buy expensive Sowters. I have found that adding a proper transformer (physical wire wound device) stops dead all of the problems of noise and distortion that others are plagued with.

 

 

Leading on from there: I have often found myself linking a number of systems together (3 sound stages, 2 'event PA', hospitality suite [posh name for a tent where interviews occurred], 3 OB's) with links [using selections of cat5/drop wire] back and forth between them and all running on different mains supplies and generators. I automatically add transformers in the links and don't experience any issues.

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by sunray

[kitlane]

Just a reminder that currently Stage Research are offering SFX (and their other software) for free.

[TomHoward]

We do pretty much the same, QLab for proper playback but we pretty much always use a USB interface even if it's a Powerpoint presentation.

The earth loops often get worse if the same laptop is attached to a projector as well via VGA or HDMI.

 

We use these Peavey boxes, I hadn't seen the Balbox linked above which is good to know there's a UK product available.

The Peavey boxes work well on mac and PC but you have to order them from America - I think they haven't had CE testing is why they don't sell them here.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/759075-REG/Peavey_USB_P_USB_P_USB_Direct.html

[Stuart91]

There's one caveat to that...laptop headphone outputs will sometimes, and I've never able to track down under exactly what circumstances, blend a bit of L into R and R into L to reduce the width of the stereo image.

 

One thing I found (on an iPad rather than a laptop, but still on the headphone output) was that the limiter is linked over both channels. The musician was playing backing tracks out of one channel, and a rather loud click out of the other. The track was ducking in time to the click. Took quite a bit of head-scratching until we got to the bottom of it.

[sandall]

Just a reminder that currently Stage Research are offering SFX (and their other software) for free.

Show Builder looks useful for PMs, but RFGuru has no TV transmitter info for the UK, so is possibly of limited use, as there is no indication that it know the different IM properties of different manufacturers' offerings.

[mackerr]

Just a reminder that currently Stage Research are offering SFX (and their other software) for free.

Show Builder looks useful for PMs, but RFGuru has no TV transmitter info for the UK, so is possibly of limited use, as there is no indication that it know the different IM properties of different manufacturers' offerings.

 

If you're interested in RF coordination check out some of the offerings at PracticalShowTech.com. There have been a couple of sessions on PWS's IAS software as well as a couple of Shure sessions on Wireless Workbenc, and coming up this week on Tue 4/22 is a session on Sennheiser's Wireless System Manager led by Al Craig a broadcast A2 from Sydney. This session will be at 8pm EST or midnight GMT(?) so you may want to watch it the next day streaming from the archive at PracticalShowTech.com. On Mon at 12 noon EST (NY time) there is a session on the physics of microphones, and at 4pm EST a session on RF best practices with Karl Winkler of Lectrosonics. Check the website for more scheduling information. All session are free, and all session are recorded and available about 24hrs after first broadcast from streaming from the archive.

 

Mac

PSW admin

PST founding member

[jamesperrett]

 

There's one caveat to that...laptop headphone outputs will sometimes, and I've never able to track down under exactly what circumstances, blend a bit of L into R and R into L to reduce the width of the stereo image. Does it matter usually? No, of course not. Does it matter when you've got a mono mix on one side and timecode on the other? You bet it does.

 

The same laptop seems to behave differently at different times. I *think* it's a combination of what's plugged in when the machine boots and maybe even the load seen across the output jack.

 

Sounds a bit like an issue with the sleeve connection to the jack - maybe dirt or maybe a design fault caused by a long thin track inside the laptop. Feeding a low impedance will probably make the problem worse.

 

Alternatively, could there be some kind of enhancement software running? Some devices have some fancy Dolby processing which can be difficult to disable.

[David Duffy]

A USB audio interface and a pair of isolating transformers will give you a better and more repeatable result I've found. The 3.5mm jacks on laptops and PCs alike can be somewhat finicky.

[Brian]

Alternatively, could there be some kind of enhancement software running? Some devices have some fancy Dolby processing which can be difficult to disable.

 

I'm convinced it's a software and hardware problem. But only on some machines. It's something I've never got to the bottom of.

 

I have seen some PC audio outputs which seem to try to detect whether it's a line input or speakers connected, presumably by looking at the current being output. And the weird left-right thing is definitely software driven in an attempt to narrow the stereo image to make headphone listening more pleasant.

 

In the end though, getting a pile of USB DI boxes was just so much more reliable.