Eclipse signal level

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    • July 8, 2010 at 9:23 am #107163
      Temppu
      Participant

      Hi!

      I have a Mesa MK IV combo and my Eclipse is placed in it's serial fx loop. My friend made me two cables according to the instructions on Eventides website. The cables are of good quality with Neutrik connectors (balanced end XLR, unbalanced end 1/4" TS). When the Eclipse is hooked to the combo like this the Eclipse doesn't get decent signal level to it's input. Only the first green -40 led is lit and -24 led is blinking occasionally and I have to increase Eclipse analog in gain to achieve that. I've even set the combos channel masters (which controls the fx loop send levels too) very high but it won't help. I'm getting sound out of the Eclipse and my signal is definately effected but I'm so confused about that signal level being so low.

      When I hook up the Eclipse with high quality balanced 1/4" TRS cables it works just fine and has good levels. I know it shouldn't be connected that way when using +4 dbu signals. When my friend had soldered those cables he connected them to a cable tester to check everything was working. I don't suspect that I have bad cables and I'm pretty sure that the combos fx loop is working fine too because I get good levels with 1/4" cables.

      Has someone any thoughts on this one?

      Thanks in advance!

      Temppu

    • July 8, 2010 at 3:12 pm #120567
      nickrose
      Moderator
      Eventide Staff

      You should probably keep to the 1/4" cables – there is no obvious reason to go from 1/4" to XLR when you have the 1/4" connectors. Also, the 1/4" input has much more gain, as it is designed for guitar use.

    • July 8, 2010 at 5:27 pm #120569
      Temppu
      Participant

      After reading the technote about connecting the Eclipse, I think it's clearly written there that when my combo is sending +4dB line level signal out from the fx send I should use the XLR connectors on my Eventide.

      Quote from technote: " When a +4dB line level signal is fed to an Eventide from a +4db fx Loop Send/Line Out/Preamp Out, you must use XLR connectors for inputs and outputs on any Eventide unit."

      Wouldn't that be an obvious reason to stick with 1/4" to XLR cabling? Isn't there a signal level "mismatch" if the combo's sending a +4dB signal to Eclipse -10dB input?  

    • July 8, 2010 at 7:29 pm #131748
      nickrose
      Moderator
      Eventide Staff

      Without actually having your rig in front of me it is hard to be certain.

      Either your cables are bad, or your combo is not putting out the level you think it is, regardless of what its output is called.

      All things considered, I would suggest that you use the arrangement that works, which would seem to be the 1/4" setup.

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