Strangest issue - can anybody help?

[Random Hero]

Basically, I'm messing with all of this in anticipation of my Axe arriving.

So, at the minute the only modeller I have is the V-Amp. I'm running it from the left (mono) out, into a 1/4" to 3.5mm converter and into the Line-In on my soundcard (Creative X-FI). This is where the strangeness begins. It only comes out of the left speaker channel. It never used to do this but now it does? *scratches head*. I also notice that if I pull the converter out a little, I end up with sound coming from both speakers although the volume is severely decreased. OK, so maybe the input is broken? So I try the Line-In on the front of my PC. This works ok, but clips like crazy. Also, I think I detect a little latency.

I then realise I have a stereo cable and consider trying that. I ran it from the headphone out of the V-Amp to the same 3.5mm converter to the same Line-In that was giving me output only on the left, and now I have full stereo. Delays pinging both sides, everything. I then pull the cable from the headphone out and put it in the mono out and now I'm only getting anything out of the RIGHT channel. WTF?! No diminished volume, no weirdness.

This is obviously a problem as I don't wanna only monitor my Axe in the left side, plus it doesn't have a stereo/headphone out so I can't pull the stereo lead trick.

Anybody have any idea what on earth is going on? FWIW, the soundcard has an optical input so I can run the Axe to that with the digital out (I know I'll need a converter for that too) but how on earth am I gonna monitor it properly? Any ideas? I'm thinking that it's something to do with my soundcard expecting a stereo signal but only getting mono, thus outputting it in the left side only but I've no idea how to change that if so?

 

[Matt_B]

The line in on your soundcard is stereo but you're only feed it a mono signal. When you pull it out a little bit, the 3.5mm plug is making contact with both of the line-in contacts and sending the mono signal to both the left and right channels of your sound card. The Line In on the front for your PC is probably not a line-in but a microphone input so there's a preamp in that circuit which boosts the input for the modeler and causes distortion.

When you're use the correct cable (stereo > stereo), you will get a stereo sound. When you plug that same cable in the mono output of your modeler, you will get a mono signal. Everything is working right so you just need to take a minute and think about how your signal path works.

The Axe-FX doesn't have a optical out. It's digital output is in SPDIF format so the only way to run a digital signal from the Axe-FX to your soundcard is with a converter. Google it and you'll find one. The data for SPDIF and optical is the same but the manner in which the data is transmitted is completely different.

However, you can just get a cable that goes from (2) 1/4" mono male to (1) 3.5mm male and connect the Axe-FX to your sound card with no issues. It will work but for recording it's not optimal. Then again, if you're serious about recording you'll want to ditch your current sound card and get one made for recording. M-Audio makes a decent quality sound card for about $100 that that does have a SPDIF input and output.

 

[Random Hero]

Hey man, thanks for the response. Yeah, I know the Axe doesn't have a digital out and I'll need a converter, but that's fine.

I understand exactly what you're saying however, my only issue with it is that it worked absolutely flawlessly before. Mono signal, on both sides. That's the weirdest part...

Also, what's the model number for the M-Audio card you mentioned?

 

[Matt_B]

Hey man, thanks for the response. Yeah, I know the Axe doesn't have a digital out and I'll need a converter, but that's fine.

The Axe-FX does have a digital out. SPDIF with an RCA connection is a lot more common than an optical connection.

I understand exactly what you're saying however, my only issue with it is that it worked absolutely flawlessly before. Mono signal, on both sides. That's the weirdest part...

I'd bet the plug wasn't pushed in all the way.

Also, what's the model number for the M-Audio card you mentioned?

Audiophile 24/96.

 

[Random Hero]

[quote="Random Hero":12kbgdmv]Hey man, thanks for the response. Yeah, I know the Axe doesn't have a digital out and I'll need a converter, but that's fine.

The Axe-FX does have a digital out. SPDIF with an RCA connection is a lot more common than an optical connection.

I understand exactly what you're saying however, my only issue with it is that it worked absolutely flawlessly before. Mono signal, on both sides. That's the weirdest part...

I'd bet the plug wasn't pushed in all the way.[/quote:12kbgdmv]

Ok, I knew it didn't have an optical out. I thought I made it clear in the first post that I was aware it had a digital out but I used the incorrect wording in the last post.

And nope, it isn't that it wasn't all the way in. It most certainly was and worked this way for about a year before suddenly deciding not to.