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Connecting the Audio to an Audio Mixer/Amp

Your System or the House System

Best use: Larger Rooms / Convention & Expo Rooms

A first look at a Sound Board/Mixer/Amp is intimidating. That is the reason this author has preferred video - AND professionals will tell you audio and video are two different animals!

You can do this! Take this one step at a time!

You first look to see what type of inputs this device has.

Notice the bottom two rows of inputs. The larger round three-hole receptacles are XLR connections. The silver looking jacks directly above each of these are 1/4" plug receptacles. Each pair supports one input device: either using the XLR or the 1/4" plug.

The knobs in vertical line over each set of inputs adjust the quality of the input.

You will also see in the lower right-hand corner, composite inputs. These would be the most likely place to plug in the audio from your computer or other device. The XLR and 1/4 would be mostly used for the microphones attached to this board.

At left: Cable with XLR at one end and 1/4" plug on the other end. XLR has three wires. The third wire is to allow the sound engineer to adjust the various qualities and otherwise filter the audio signal before it is sent out to the speakers.

You may need an adapter to make sure you can make your connections. Yes, there is a composite to XLR adapter! There are also 1/4" plug at one end and XLR at the other end cables. There are even adapters that you can plug your 1/8" cable end into and oila it becomes a 1/4" cable.

If you prepare well enough ahead of time you can have great connections.

If you are using your own board and cables, make all connections and practice the projection including audio output.

If you are using the "house's" make sure you know how much you are paying for the electronic devices and/or the technician's fee.

When you will use the "house's" equipment, make sure that your devices (computer(s), projectors, speakers, etc.) will have connections that will adequately connect the devices for best output. Though a microphone laid next to the onboard speaker of a projector will work to get the sound into the "house" system, it will not be the best quality. I know, I have had to do it.

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