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Quote:
There is no distortion from the soundcard, but because the volume(while set at max)from the laptop is not 70% of what my old Lenovo was driving. Therefore to make up for the lower volume coming from the laptop I had to crank up the PA almost to max and therein lies the problem and the less than perffect sound out of the speakers.
In fact I just returned from Office Depot where we tested every laptop in the store and not one model drove the volume my old Lenovo did. Bottomline there is nothing wrong with my new laptop, it is normal in that the volume is lower than older models.
I understand that there may be some "volume driving" software out there of which I am looking into, or maybe a pre-amp or external soundcard.
Thanks,
Danny, I've learned this lesson in the past as well. Not all internal soundcards are the same, nor is there any guarantee of equal output.
Follow Mac's advice - go buy the lowest end Behringer mixer. Use it in between your lappy and the PA mixer.
Done.
-Scott
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Mac & Scott . . . Thanks looks like thats the way to go. I thank you guys and will keep you posted on the "new and inproved" volume increases.
Later,
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Danny,
Just for my curiosity. What is the mixer or PA head that you are using?And what input are you using.
Last edited by silvertones; 08/22/11 01:19 PM.
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A Yamaha 300 Watt per channel PA driven right from the laptop 1/8 earphone jack. The very same setup I have been using with the old Lenovo for 6-8 years or so.
Later,
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OK
What inputs are you using?
What model Lenovo?
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Not sure what you mean re: inputs?
Lenovo Edge 420
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Quote:
Not sure what you mean re: inputs?
Lenovo Edge 420
What holes on the Yamaha are you plugging the laptop into? what are the settings? What are the master settings? I'm just trying to see if this is a setup issue and not an issue with the New Lenovo. I will agree that there can be a difference in the output levels however I still believe the new one has enough drive to work properly. The old one may have just had a real hot output.
If you've settled on putting another mixer in line and don't want to be bothered just let me know.To me another mixer inline is silly. That Yamaha has more gain available then a barrel of monkeys.
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I wouldn't even consider going from laptop to PA amp. I agree with inline mixer; not silly to me at all. Proper gain staging for the PA.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
I wouldn't even consider going from laptop to PA amp. I agree with inline mixer; not silly to me at all. Proper gain staging for the PA.
The idea Bob was to add ANOTHER mixer in line with the mixer in the Yamaha.That's silly. Of course I wouldn't run a laptop to a power amp.
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Quote:
Quote:
Danny,
Do you have one of the small mixers for recording?
Consider using it as a stereo preamp between the headphone out of the laptop and the input to the PA.
Of course, you should use two of the Line inputs on the mixer and not the Mic inputs.
That would give you at least two extra stages of gain to boost the sig into the PA and you likely already have a mini mixer, or can pick one up for little cash outlay.
You'll get the separate channel gain faders as well as the master fader, plus you will likely also have some physical EQ shelving as well.
--Mac
When he said he plugs it into the PA I would hope he'd know that it has to go into some sort of mixer first. Not likely enough gain to drive just a power amp.He should either be using a mixer and amp or one of the box-top units. Either way there's something wrong if he can't drive the front end of a mixer or box-top with the output from the headphone jack. My Lenovo is no different then my old Toshiba in that respect.
Danny, you never answered my question about using the RED keys to up the volume.
I said that already right here.
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Quote:
A Yamaha 300 Watt per channel PA driven right from the laptop 1/8 earphone jack
That is what stuck in my head, from Danny a few posts up.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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That's why I asked that.If we're chasing an issue with a laptop being run directly into a power amp all I can say is "wonders never cease to exist" A consumer level amp fine but not a pro amp requiring much higher levels.
Danny never really answered my question though did he. I just assumed.
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OH!!!
Bob are you saying that your a young buck that equates PA=Power Amp ?
When an old buck like me equates PA= Public Address
Thus to me a PA System is a Public Address System that would have had a mixer/amp combo & speakers.
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Actually I'm old enough to remember when the PA's weren't actually powered mixers, and there were three parts; the mixer, and the Amp/Speakers (which we refer to as the PA around here). Most gigs I would bring the mixer and Barry brought the PA (amp&speakers). Maybe it's a local thing. I guess most assume there is a mixer, since it is needed.
I remember the old cheap PA's that had an XLR connected to a single amp too, and was not meant for line level signals, just a mic. There are a few different configs I can recall and I don't remember Danny mentioning a mixer even though others here did. He kept saying 'directly to the PA', and having to crank it to point of distortion. No mention of mixer settings.
Seeing it's a Yamaha, I should have thought 'powered mixer' right away but I didn't.
Or maybe I did, and then threw that idea out, since Yamaha powered mixers are nice, and I would think even a laptop could get enough gain from one. They are not real noisy and have decent preamps in my experience.
Last edited by rharv; 08/23/11 09:07 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
Or maybe I did, and then threw that idea out, since Yamaha powered mixers are nice, and I would think even a laptop could get enough gain from one. They are not real noisy and have decent preamps in my experience.
Exactly. The Yamaha PA heads are real nice and as i said LOTS of available gain. I use to have one. Also had the Peavey head as well.
I do believe based on what's now come to light that he's not using ANY mixer and indeed is just going to the Power Amp. BUT he sings!!!!! Got to have a mixer
Dannyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy helppppppppppppppppp 
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I thought maybe he just played guitar along with old standards or something (no singing then). Using guitar amp and 'PA' only.
If using a mixer, are you *sure* you checked all the Win7 settings? Some are kind of hidden here.
Thinking on this, and skimming back thru, I don't think anybody asked him if he right-clicked the speaker icon and checked *all* the properties/levels there. I know on my Win7 machines there are quite a few hidden sliders.
In the device 'Levels' tab.
Click the little arrow bottom right 'tray' area.
Right-click the speaker icon and select 'Playback devices'
Highlite the device and click 'Properties' (may be listed as speakers or headphones)
Check the 'Levels' tab for mixer options. Check 'communications' tab too, to make sure Windows isn't reducing volume automatically.
.. at least that's the path here.
Last edited by rharv; 08/23/11 10:39 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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From his Web Site Quote:
Danny is a guitarist and singer with over 40 years of professional playing experience currently specializing in playing the private parties and corporate event circuit. He writes and uses professional backup arrangements that provide a full professional sound true to the performances that made each song popular.
So he does indeed sing.
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OK, didn't research it that much.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
The End
Not sure what this means? I just hope it is not because I did not respond to your latest questions fast enough. Either way thanks for your efforts.
Later,
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