Help! Main Outs are being mirrored to Inputs

[WildHoney]

this is kind of bizarre, but. . .
New system. I've got a 192 i/o and I'm using only 8 analog ins and 8 analog outs. Main Outs are going to A 1-2. When I patch anything into any of the inputs on the 192 i/o, I get a mirror of the the signal coming out of A 1-2 going into those inputs. For instance, I've got a synth plugged into two channels of preamp, going into a compressor, going into A 1-2 on the 192 i/o. The Synth is OFF. I record arm a stereo track in PT set to input A 1-2, and get a low level copy of what's coming out of my mains.
Same thing happens if I hook the synth up to input A 3-4, A 5-6, . . . . Also, same thing happens using PT software or Digital Performer. Can anyone explain this and/or help me fix it???
[email protected]

[Andre Knecht]

Provided nothing in your mixer configuration (funky double routings, etc) is the source of your problems, a few things come to mind - by no means a comprehensive list:

Corrupted DigiSetup file
Corrupted DAE preferences file
Corrupted ProTools preferences file
Also...
Corrupted Session file

I'd recommend you start by trashing and deleting those first three items (one at a time, or all at once - your call).

If that doesn't help...
• Create a brand new session with the same settings as your problematic one (i.e. sample rate, bit depth, file format, etc).
• Import all the tracks/channels from the original into this new one.

I hope this helps - good luck!

[DigiTechSupt]

Hi,

Are you monitoring through a mixer? This could be a hardware configuration issue. If you are using a mixer to monitor the output of the 192 make sure you are not inadvertently feeding the mix back into the inputs of your interface. Give us some more details about how you have your hardware configured.
Thanks,
Digidesign Tech Support

[WildHoney]

I have two dsub to trs snakes going to 8 channels on my patch bay. All 8 channels are non-normalled (parallel) by virtue of using both inputs on the back of the bay. The outs from A 1-2 then get patched into two more channels on front of the patch bay (also non-normalled) which go directly to two channels on a mackie mixer. The mackie is only using the main outs (no sends, direct outs, etc) which go to a BigKnob and then to my monitor system.
Strangely, if I disconnect everything from the input path to the 192 (i.e. disonnect the feed from the silent (off) synth or disconnect the feed to the 192 ins, etc), I don't get the "bleed" to the record armed track.
Even stranger, if I disconnect the feed from the patch bay to the mackie mixer or disconnect the feed from the 192 outs to the patch bay channels that then go to the mackie mixer, I don't get the "bleed".
Any help would surely restore my sanity

[TVPostSound]

Youve just answered your own question!!!
Sounds like crosstalk (no pun intended) in your wiring or patch bay. Break out the Fluke and test,

[WildHoney]

So you're saying it's in the patch bay or the mackie mixer? And how do I got about fixing? I just wonder why it wasn't a problem with the system I had in just a week ago! If I get another patchbay and put just the 192 ins/out on there will that help you think?

[danickstr]

it is one or the other. start with the patch bay since normals can get bent or jammed with crap and could be touching just enough to make a ghost signal. check resistance from tip to ring and sleeve with a plug that is not attached to a wire to see if there is bleed. set resistance reading to megaohms to start just to make sure.

[spinsong]

from what you're saying in the first post, if you were getting a copy of your mains going into a record enabled track, and you're sending audio from protools out from your mains, you'd get a very nasty feedback loop if you were to pump up the volume on your mains. if the leak is bad enough.

from your subsequent post. you said that (if I get this correctly) if you disconnected the path going into the 192 (which I presume is disconnecting it from the patchbay) theres no leaking, and if you disconnect the mackie from the patchbay there is no leak. then the only logical explanation is that the patchbay is flaky.

before you go out pulling your hair over this, why don't you try patching directly from the 192 into the mackie, bypassing the patchbay completely, then I'm sure you'll be able to verify that the patch bay is the culprit.

good luck

[WildHoney]

As recommended, I put the outs from the 192 directly into the Mackie, skipping the patchbay, and sure enough, no bleed. Good enough for me! It'll stay that way.
As a newbie to this forum (and to TDM), I just want to say thanks for all the responses and help. You guys rock.

[spinsong]

no prob.. glad to be of help