# Hooking up a Mac to a sound board using the USB Port



## Bernie (May 20, 2008)

What equipment do I need to hook up a Mac Desktop running Qlab
to a Midas Sound Board. I do not want to use the mini speaker jack at 
the back of the computer.

Bernie


----------



## soundlight (May 20, 2008)

If you have a Mac, then you have a FireWire port, right? Look at one of the [url="http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire/index.php"]Echo Audiofire[/URL] units. Pick the right one for the number of outputs that you need.

If you're on a shoestring budget (which you shouldn't be if you have a Midas!), you could look at the Griffin iMic. We used this for a few productions as a Qlab out before we got our Audiofire 12, and it works pretty well. The quality won't be as good but it's cheap and easy. But if you will be using Qlab quite a bit in the future, get an Audiofire. Great units, and they're guaranteed to work with Qlab. The audio output is great, you don't have to use direct boxes, you can just go straight to line inputs (we had issues with a home-recording-quality interface and ground loops and other various hum issues, so I'd recommend staying away from those).


----------



## DaveySimps (May 20, 2008)

Get some sort of good quality sound card (either external or internal). Something with XLR outs would be ideal. There are countless items that fit the bill, depending on what else you use it for. I have used MOTU, Pro Sonus, and Echo cards all with great success.

~Dave


----------



## Eboy87 (May 20, 2008)

Side note that's slightly obvious, make sure you don't have phantom power on if you're using an external and XLR. They don't like seeing +48V on the outputs.


----------



## avkid (May 21, 2008)

Bernie said:


> I do not want to use the mini speaker jack at
> the back of the computer.


Why exactly is that?
I'm perfectly happy with a 1/8" to RCA cable and my pcDI.


----------



## FMEng (May 21, 2008)

avkid said:


> Why exactly is that?
> I'm perfectly happy with a 1/8" to RCA cable and my pcDI.



Some on-board audio input/outputs are pretty clean, and some are atrociously noisy. No telling until you try it. 

A decent quality pro sound card, with balanced ins/outs is the Echo MiaMidi, which should cost around $129. That's the bottom end of the range. I've used many of them with XP, but not Macs.

BSW Professional Audio Gear


----------



## SoFLy (May 21, 2008)

I've always used the same, a 1/8" to RCA and it's worked perfectly fine for me.

Is there a reason you're looking to run USB or FireWire to the board?


----------



## howlingwolf487 (May 23, 2008)

FMEng said:


> Some on-board audio input/outputs are pretty clean, and some are atrociously noisy. No telling until you try it.



I have a Macbook Pro and have worked in labs where the 1/8" out of the computer is used for audio out...any reading/writing of the hard drive and/or heavy duty processing can be heard plain and clear (not something you want for a critical function). I have noticed this with the Mac G5 desktops in our Digital Media Arts lab.

My Macbook Pro is fine and suffers from none of those problems. The only thing I have noticed with critical listening is that the "mute" button seems to be a digital control, not analog, so the output is never truly muted. I have used my Mbox 2 successfully for an audio out (at increased resolution, nonetheless) and was pleased. 24-bit/48kHz is plenty for playback.

Best of luck and a BIG +1 for the Whirlwind PCDI or a ProCo iFace


----------



## airkarol (May 27, 2008)

howlingwolf487 said:


> I have a Macbook Pro and have worked in labs where the 1/8" out of the computer is used for audio out...any reading/writing of the hard drive and/or heavy duty processing can be heard plain and clear (not something you want for a critical function). I have noticed this with the Mac G5 desktops in our Digital Media Arts lab.
> 
> My Macbook Pro is fine and suffers from none of those problems. The only thing I have noticed with critical listening is that the "mute" button seems to be a digital control, not analog, so the output is never truly muted. I have used my Mbox 2 successfully for an audio out (at increased resolution, nonetheless) and was pleased. 24-bit/48kHz is plenty for playback.
> 
> Best of luck and a BIG +1 for the Whirlwind PCDI or a ProCo iFace



I have that same problem with my M-Audio Firewire 1814. I hear it only through the headphones though, it doesn't show in the recordings.


----------

