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Topic: How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard (Read 4097 times) previous topic - next topic
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How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

I need to feed two amps from a computer, one with a mono signal and one with stereo, presumably using two different outputs on the soundcard. (eg headphone/line out)

So I'm thinking there are two possible solutions -
1) a software solution / a sound card that can be configured to do this
2) putting a little stereo-to-mono adapter on one of the outputs. this can only work if shorting out the two channels on one output doesn't make the other one mono as well.

I've yet to buy a soundcard, so any advice is appreciated.

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #1 –
I have never heard of a soundcard, which has such a feature built into the hardware.

I can think of 3 reasonable solutions, not counting the adapter-approach:

- A soundcard with a software-driver which has this feature (never heard of one)
- Do it at the application/OS-level: On windows, this would depent on which application do you plan to use? What do you want to output anyways? Music? Then foobar can do this with a plugin. If you're on linux, then the sound-architecture allows it easily to pipe the output jack and from there to a DSP which can do this.
- Did you buy an amp already? If no, then you may want to consider buying an amp which has this feature already built-in(convert stereo to mono).

I asume what you want to do is feed a mono-signal to the amp in bridged mode, and from there to a sub, right? If yes, then remember that you need a frequency-splitter for the satellites.
I am arrogant and I can afford it because I deliver.

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #2 –
I simply want to feed music to two different areas, one of which is powered off a mono concert amp. The computer will be running XP, but I'd like the solution to work with all possible players, not just foobar. Anyway, what does the foobar plugin do - can it just have mono on one sound card output and stereo on the other?

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #3 –
Quote
can it just have mono on one sound card output and stereo on the other?

Are there any soundcards with two line outputs at all ? Moreover, they need to be electrically separated.
The easiest solution seems to be the adapter, try finding one at the big electronic stores. I doubt that you'll succeed.

Does your stereo amp have a line output available ? Then you can solder an adapter by yourself: Connect the two inner wires and the two earths/shields, thus you're adding the two channels and feed them to the mono amp. The stereo amp probably prevents his direct stereo input from the soundcard from becoming mono.
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #4 –
If you can solder wires to make cables, you can probably get the least complicated arraignment by making it yourself, but there is no basic problem in connecting a few different cables together.

The output from your soundcard is two channels. You can run the two amplifiers in parallel from these two channels with some common adapters. Since the soundcard output is very low impedance and the amplifier inputs should be (relatively) very high impedance, there will be no problems with the soundcard, the amplifiers, or the signal.

There exist adapters that are like an RCA plug extension that also have an additional plug-in on the side. The adapter goes into the stereo amp input and the cable from the soundcard goes into the adapter -- more or less normal connection. EXCEPT, now there are two attachment points, one in each adapter, for each channel, that can feed the other amplifier.

If the other amplifier were stereo, you would just run a cable from the adapter to each of thea second amplifer's  inputs. Since your amplifier has only one input, you need a Y cable, two in to one out.

You can also do this "only" with cables. Start with two Y cables off the soundcard. These each are one out branching to two. One branch of each goes into the stereo amp. As with the adapter solution above, the other branch of each must go into another Y that is a two into one for the mono amp.

These Y cables are not uncommon but they are generally short. This could mean you need still additional cables in longer lengths e.g. longer interconnects from the soundcard to reach the first amp, short Y cables between the first cable and the amp, etc.

Obviously these Y cables must have the correct plugs/jacks for your needs. They are made with every combination. Just be sure you have a setup clearly in mind so you don't buy the wrong ones.

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #5 –
Quote
If the other amplifier were stereo, you would just run a cable from the adapter to each of thea second amplifer's  inputs. Since your amplifier has only one input, you need a Y cable, two in to one out.
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This will short the left and right channel together and thus also the stereo amplifier will "see" two mono signals (one on each channel). Beside that this can be potentially unsafe for the output circuitry of the soundcard

What is needed is a mixer (basicaly an op-amp) to mix the left and right stereo signals into a single output.

From the top of my head I think that the "effect out" found on many mixers can be used to feed the mono amp.

Sergio
Sergio
M-Audio Delta AP + Revox B150 + (JBL 4301B | Sennheiser Amperior | Sennheiser HD598)

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #6 –
there is another solution:

use two sound cards, one for the stereo amp and second sound card for the mono amp (with Y cable at its output)  *AND* use a "software soundcard" such as NTONYX Virtual Audio Cable 3 to feed the two sound cards. This virtual sound card will be the one configured at the application level (foobar, WinAmp or whatever) and will be itself configured to route its output to the two phisical sound cards.  Have I've been good at making a simple matter complicated?? 

Sergio
Sergio
M-Audio Delta AP + Revox B150 + (JBL 4301B | Sennheiser Amperior | Sennheiser HD598)

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #7 –
What do you want the tree outputs to be? What sort of budget are you on? I'd be surprised if there is a professional card with three analog outputs which can't do what you want.
 

How to get mono AND stereo out of a soundcard

Reply #8 –
IMO the most simple way would be something like this:
Code: [Select]
  gnd
o------------------+
Right  10 kOhm     |
o-----|===|----+   |
                |   |
                +-------o  Signal
                |   |
o-----|===|----+   |
Left   10 kOhm     |
o------------------+---o  Ground
  gnd


where the resistance depends on the output impedance of line out.
Major drawback is: as many soundcards don't have buffered output stages (i.e. the impedance is high!) the stereo separation will be reduced.