Best Way to Connecting my Computer To my Amp for Live Gigs?

[mkravitz]

Hey guys,

avid ableton-er here. just want some real good advice on the best way to connect my Macbook to my Roland KC-350. I've tried a few ways but none seem to produce the best quality sound. I've tried these three ways thus far:

1/8 audio cable from macbook into my amp using a 1/8 -> 1/4 headphone adapter.

RCA Stereo Y-Cable from Macbook into my amp

Radioshack 1/8 -> 1/4 adapter with a regular 1/4 guitar cable into my amp.

They all work, however, up until a certain volume, thinks start to sound real fuzzy and I have to turn it down. I know my roland kc-350 has more potential. How do I properly crank the volume and get the sound quality and sheer volume I'm looking for from ableton into my amp? I feel like its a cable issue. What do you think?

How do you connect your computer to your amp for when you play live gigs?

[Sage]

They all work, however, up until a certain volume, thinks start to sound real fuzzy and I have to turn it down. I know my roland kc-350 has more potential. How do I properly crank the volume and get the sound quality and sheer volume I'm looking for from ableton into my amp? I feel like its a cable issue. What do you think?

How do you connect your computer to your amp for when you play live gigs?

Sounds like the amp is breaking up, which isn't a cable issue, the amp isn't powerful enough to stay clean for the kind of volume you want. Maybe try turning the amp up all the way and control the volume from the laptop, but I can't promise that'll help much, but guitarists do it to get cleanish sounds when playing through a loud amp.
If it was an issue with cables, you'd be getting distortion at any volume.


I connect to the PA at gigs.

[blakbeltjonez]

you have a couple of areas where gain structure would be an issue - the output of the Macbook, the input of the KC-350. the 1/8 stereo-to-two-RCA-w/1/4" adapters is absolutely fine if it's a half decent cable, that is not where your problem lies.

i would keep the volume of the Macbook at about 60-75% or so of it's max for starters, then the input of each channel of the KC at about 4 or 5. control the overall volume with the master volume. honestly, a KC-350 might be fine for keyboard duty but you are asking it to do a lot if you are running a bunch of drums and bass through it as well and you want it to be really loud. i would also roll out the really low frequencies - below 50 Hz at least, because that's going to eat up your headroom on that amp, and if you're distorting those freq's are useless anyway.

i recall that the 350 distorts fairly easily since it's only 120 watts, the 180 watt big brother KC-550 is louder - if i was attempting to do a live gig, i would certainly use at least two 550's.

part of the problem with taking the show from the bedroom to a bigger space is that the amplification demands grow exponentially - what was completely fine with a 120 watt amplifier now requires 1000-2000 watts and more speakers and processing to keep things clean. even a couple of powered JBL Eons on stick stands with a sub is over 1000 watts, and that to me would be marginal for any space holding over 200 people.

[mkravitz]

you have a couple of areas where gain structure would be an issue - the output of the Macbook, the input of the KC-350. the 1/8 stereo-to-two-RCA-w/1/4" adapters is absolutely fine if it's a half decent cable, that is not where your problem lies.

i would keep the volume of the Macbook at about 60-75% or so of it's max for starters, then the input of each channel of the KC at about 4 or 5. control the overall volume with the master volume. honestly, a KC-350 might be fine for keyboard duty but you are asking it to do a lot if you are running a bunch of drums and bass through it as well and you want it to be really loud. i would also roll out the really low frequencies - below 50 Hz at least, because that's going to eat up your headroom on that amp, and if you're distorting those freq's are useless anyway.

i recall that the 350 distorts fairly easily since it's only 120 watts, the 180 watt big brother KC-550 is louder - if i was attempting to do a live gig, i would certainly use at least two 550's.

part of the problem with taking the show from the bedroom to a bigger space is that the amplification demands grow exponentially - what was completely fine with a 120 watt amplifier now requires 1000-2000 watts and more speakers and processing to keep things clean. even a couple of powered JBL Eons on stick stands with a sub is over 1000 watts, and that to me would be marginal for any space holding over 200 people.

First of all thanks so much for your response, blakbeltjonez. I'm on a tight budget and I just purchased this roland amp a couple of months ago because I thought It would be perfect for my situation. I actually play live acoustic drums over abelton tracks during live performances so volume is key. My KC-350, has a total of 100 W actually....however the input for the AUX IN for a basic RCA Y-Cable on the KC-350 is only -10 dBu whereas the 1/4 input for the rest of the 4 lines on the amp is -20 dBu.

I have this Y-Cable: http://www.gosiriusxm.com/assets/images ... _large.gif)

Should I really be shooting for this kind of cable? http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/qualit ... acaec2.jpg

So with the equipment I have, my best bet for maximizing live volume and quality is to use to RCA Y-cable, set my macbook @ 75% volume and my channel input at about 4 or 5? I just dont have the money to buy two 550's man. I appreciate any advice you can give. And yes, its true, I am running drums, keys, synths, bells, sub basses, etc all at the same time. rough for the amp huh?

[mkravitz]

Is sending my computer into the PA my best bet for live gigs? If so, what type of cable would be my best option?

[feyshay]

Radial X-Amp--a great device.