Moogerfooger connection question

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ImNotDedYet
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:14 pm

Moogerfooger connection question

Post by ImNotDedYet » Sun Nov 02, 2014 3:17 pm

Last night I was playing around with using my MF-104M SD as an external effect to a software VST. I have no issues connection the outs of my hardware synths to the foogers I have, simple, line out from synth to audio input on the foogers and then audio out from foogers to inputs on the Babyface.

But for using one of my foogers as an external effect to something ITB, I need to go audio out from my interface (RME Babyface) to the audio input of the foogers. (104M SD and 108M) The problem is, (or perhaps only that I think I have?) is that the audio outs of my interface are either XLR or TRS, balanced outputs. The XLRs are going to my monitors and there's a balanced, stereo TRS output via some headphone (analog outs 3/4) jack on the dongle thingie I connect to the Babyface. I've tried going with a TS cable from that into the 104's audio input, then TRS out from the 104 into the analog in for the Babyface. It sounded like crap and was crazy quiet.

The way I understand it is, I can go TRS from a TS output, but don't want to go TRS into a TS input, correct? The last thing I want to do is blow my fooger using the wrong cable, and I'll be honest...I don't fully understand impedence and all that jazz when it comes to this stuff.

Anyone have any clues/ideas on this using the Babyface's headphone out/3 and 4 channels?

Thanks in advance.

Alien8
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Re: Moogerfooger connection question

Post by Alien8 » Sun Nov 02, 2014 4:15 pm

Hi, you are in the right ball park when you say you need to better understand impedance. You should do some googling regarding the subject as there is lots of info about it out there and it's pretty critical to understand for any beginning studio user.

That said, you don't need to worry about frying your foogers, the only thing that will is the wrong power supply. Your sound card is outputting high impedance, which your moogerfoogers will accept, you will need to balance the drive and output accordingly. I have found success using TRS cables from and to my interface.
Vibration emanates from all things, even nothing. Using awareness to translate vibration into "music" is something that I am whole heartedly grateful for.

ImNotDedYet
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:14 pm

Re: Moogerfooger connection question

Post by ImNotDedYet » Mon Nov 03, 2014 9:01 am

Thx for the info. I'll give it a try w/ TRS tonight perhaps.

I actually started reading an article about impedance on Sound on Sound. I've read plenty about it in the past, but it just kinda made me go "huh?" and shrug it off. And this, coming from a Computer Science guy w/ plenty of Chem/Physics/Math, albeit a long time ago. ;)

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Vsyevolod
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Re: Moogerfooger connection question

Post by Vsyevolod » Thu Nov 06, 2014 12:40 pm

Let's start by using correct lingo here.

TRS is sometimes called 'Stereo' though it is only sometimes used that way. Let's just continue to call it TRS unless it's being used specifically for sending two separate channels.

You are coming out of a headphone jack which is by definition, a stereo feed using two unbalanced lines. They are only balanced when each channel has its own TRS cable. Plugging a TS cable will short the two channels together and it will sound like ca-ca-doo-doo (a technical term).

Instead, just get an adapter that splits the two outputs into two mono TS female jacks. http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSYPP117 Use only one of these to send your signal to the MF-104/108. If you desire, you can send the L channel to your 104 and the R channel to your 108. This is of course assuming that your L and R channel have similar information on them. Yes you lose the 'stereo field', though your MF's are mono input only anyway.

Stephen




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