5.1 Home studio mixing help! 20 Questions! Mac protools user

[Clint Hernandez]

Hows it going. I own Pro Tools Le 6.9.2, a USB MBox, a Midi keyboard,

and a desire to compose sound for my films along with add sound fx in 5.1, suitible for theatrical release or any home 5.1 system.

Please can someone guide me in the right direction to build my own system for a fairly cheap price on my existing mac tower.

First question, the cheapest way to go about this, no buying expensive hardware, can I use a home theatre 5.1 speaker system and plug it in via a sound card on my mac or do the speakers need to be for computer only?

Currently I compose songs into my protools through my midi keyboard via the mbox, can go up to as many channels as I wish playing each track at a time.


I have 2 choices for 5.1 speakers.
http://www.divincisound.com/surr2.htm - $150 for the DV-7010 model.

or

http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogu...dcode=00012_51 - $100

Whereas the first option has higher watts and a bigger sub, though is suitable for home theatre, but will still work for what I want to do correct? Im sure they can perform slightly the same correct? I am really on a budget so will it really make a difference?

Also I dont know what type of sound card I would need, just a typical 5.1 card I install into the computer and plug in the speakers?

Will a home theatre 5.1 system work on a computer or do I need a specific computer 5.1 speaker system?

Thanks for the help.

[KK Proffitt]

The BlueSky system you indicated is a bit over $1,000 not $100.

I suggest you read this concerning the Divinci system: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/...Off0253366.htm

Yes, you need professional speaker systems to mix 5.1. They are manufactured to work together and to be calibrated. They can handle higher sound pressure levels more cleanly than the average commercial home theater system you can pick up at places like Best Buy.

I'm not saying don't try it, but be aware that your mixes may not translate to other systems and that you may easily damage the cheaper speaker system with spikes in volume from synthesizers and unmixed drums.

[Kuba Pietrzak]

If you use MBox, you cannot mix in 5.1, because there are not enough outputs in this interface.
You need 6 independent outputs, but there are only 2.
Only MBox Pro would allow you to mix in 5.1, but remember: it is PT LE, so you need to buy Neyrick's Mix51 plugin, or use a specific routing to mix in this environment.
You cannot send AC3 stream via SPDiF from ProTools session and decode it outside...

All best in new year
Kuba

[Clint Hernandez]

Thanks for the responses all. It was very helpful.

But just to clarify, it is POSSIBLE to plug in a 5.1 home theater speaker system into a 5.1 sound card for the mac? All the connections fit fine, etc. I know it is a problem trying to play car speakers on a home system, due to different specific ohms, etc, so within computers and home theaters its fine to share between correct?

I will indeed be using the sky speakers as opposed to the consumer 5.1 system if necessary.

As for the MBoxes, why would I want to output to hardware for 5.1 mixing?

I want to do all my mixing digitally within protools, import sound fx, compose music via a midi keyboard or using the stereo inputs, build it there, then output as 6 channels digital files, then use Apack to create the .ac3 to ensure it will work on all 5.1 surround sound systems, including a full sized theater or a home 5.1 theater system.

I am using an Mbox solely for input purposes via the midi and stereo connections. Why would I want to output the 6 channels with an Mbox pro? Where would it go? Thanks.

[Kuba Pietrzak]

Clint,
if you want to do your surround mixing within ProTools using MBox, the answer is: it is impossibile.
The main reason you may want to have 6 separate outputs from ProTools is, that you need to have ability to monitor your mix; you may want to do your balances, eq, pannings etc.
Perhaps I do not understand, but I really wonder, how you are going to do this with one stereo output only...

"I want to do all my mixing digitally within protools, import sound fx, compose music via a midi keyboard or using the stereo inputs, build it there, then output as 6 channels digital files, then use Apack to create the .ac3 to ensure it will work on all 5.1 surround sound systems, including a full sized theater or a home 5.1 theater system"

If you want to be sure, that your mix will work in a full sized theater, you need to mix it in a proper dubbing stage...

... but before you do this, read the sticky thread on the top of this forum - it should explain most of questions you may have.

Kuba

[Clint Hernandez]

Okay I see what everyone is saying. So, this is much clearer now.

I would not use a sound card to playback my audio.

The mbox2 pro would be my sound card essentially, that I plug my 5.1 speakers straight to it to the 6 outputs on the mbox 2?

Now would I need the mbox 2 pro, or just the mbox 2?

Thanks.

[jimlongo]

Even if you have 6 outputs from your interface you are still working with software that essentially only works in 2 channels. There are some kludgy workarounds but you might consider finding a used MIX system which although it may be weak in regards to DSP will be able to effectively mix surround formats.

[SGP]

Okay I see what everyone is saying. So, this is much clearer now.

I would not use a sound card to playback my audio.

The mbox2 pro would be my sound card essentially, that I plug my 5.1 speakers straight to it to the 6 outputs on the mbox 2?

Now would I need the mbox 2 pro, or just the mbox 2?

Thanks.

you need hardware with at least 6 outputs becuase each speaker of your 5.1 system needs it's own output: 1-L, 2-C, 3-R, 4-Ls, 5-LFE, 6-Rs...not sure if the mbox 2 pro has 6 outs but i do know that the Digi 003 does...the other problem though is that Pro Tools LE only handles mono and stereo mixes not multi-channle surround...there are workarounds/plug-ins you can buy but it's not "ideal" as others have posted...check this...

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr0.../surround9.asp (you should really read all 9 parts but this secton specifically addresses pro tools LE)

also check this

http://neyrinck.com/Pages/mix51.html (this will help you mix in surround on the LE platform...not sure if it does encoding/decoding though)

[Frank Kruse]

and a desire to compose sound for my films along with add sound fx in 5.1, suitible for theatrical release or any home 5.1 system.

Are you seriously considering a 5.1 speaker-setup for 100$ (about 17$ per speaker) that will serve as an eviroment suitable for theatrical release mixes?

That´s less money for your speakers than the cables will cost to connect the speakers to your interface.

Seriously: Find someone experienced who has a working surround-setup and take a look at his setup.