MBox 2 Line (TRS) input only coming in one channel

[Zedarius]

Hey all. Finally got Pro Tools LE 8 up and running on my machine (required a reformat. Ugh...) I have a Kaossilator, with RCA line-out. I am running the line out to a red/white RCA female to 1/4" TRS male Y-adapter into the line-in on the back of the MBox 2. When I try to listen back/record in Pro Tools, only the left side of the stereo mix is getting signal if I have this in input 1, and only the right side is getting signal when in input 2. Anybody have any suggestions? I'm hoping to god this isn't a newbie mistake.

[TOM@METRO]

Look real hard at your adapters ”tip is high” “ring is low” “sleeve is ground”. Your RCA outputs are not balanced so the ring and sleeve will be common to one another unless you are lifting a ground.

[Zedarius]

Originally Posted by TOM@METRO

Look real hard at your adapters ”tip is high” “ring is low” “sleeve is ground”. Your RCA outputs are not balanced so the ring and sleeve will be common to one another unless you are lifting a ground.

I'm sorry - can you dumb this down any more? Is there a way I can get this connection to work (even with a different adapter), or did I mess up by not knowing my electronics?

[TOM@METRO]

Wait a minute lets back up here, while what I told you is correct I may have overlooked something. I think maybe you are expecting something that isn't going to be.

The total number of inputs for your Mbox is 2. That means one stereo input. 1 mono + 1mono = 1 stereo.

Input#1 is mono... Input#2 is mono... together they are a single stereo input.

[albee1952]

Assuming the Kaossilator has 2 RCA outputs for stereo(1 red and 1 white) you need a dual cable that has RCA plugs at one end and mono quarter inch plugs at the other end. This is a common cable found at any banjo center. Use both inputs of the Mbox and assign to a stereo track(or 2 mono tracks if you prefer).

[Zedarius]

Okay, yeah. Ended up being rather newbieish. I appreciate the patience and the replies. Hopefully RadioShack will be able to take this Y-adapter back.

[77pro]

Originally Posted by Zedarius

Okay, yeah. Ended up being rather newbieish. I appreciate the patience and the replies. Hopefully RadioShack will be able to take this Y-adapter back.

Might as well keep it...ya never know. I've got a collection of adaptors I've aquired over the years that will cover me for just about any situation.
Probably used all of them at one time or another....even though some were the 'wrong one' when I bought it.

[albee1952]

I would keep the adapter. I have a bag full and sooner or later, it will get used. Its a common goof for newbies so here's the skinny. The TRS jack gets used in 3 different scenario's. As a balanced connection, the Tip is +, the Ring is - (usually*) and the Sleeve is shield. As a stereo connection(like a headphone jack), tip and ring are L&R(can't remember which) and sleeve is common(this is unbalanced). The 3rd use is for inserts on cheaper mixing consoles where the tip is send+, the ring is return+ (sometimes swapped)and the sleeve is a common shield(this is also unbalanced).

* refers to the QSC MX power amps(like the MX1500) which had the tip
wired - and the ring wired + and the story was that it made a more stable connection if you used unbalanced cables(guitar cables) but 99% of everything else will be Tip+.

Class dismissed....and NO HOMEWORK this weekend!