CTAG Beast connectors

Arnau

Hi there,

I am just planning on buying the CTAG Beast for my university master's degree research on the use of sensors in sound installations (where the spatial component is quite important).

I would like to use the 16 audio outputs that CTAG Beast offers in order to create an ambisonic decoder but i've seen that the outputs come as stereo mini jacks so I don't know which would be the best way to connect those stereo mini jacks connections with the mixage table which uses xlr without running into some unwanted noises if the cables are too long, and keeping the 16 independent outputs.

Secondly i don't know if someone could also tell me how I could connect a microphone (also with xlr connection) that requires phantom power. Should I send the microphone to an audio interface (and if so how is it then connected to the CTAG Beast) or the microphone can be directly connected to one of the 8 CTAG Beast audio inputs?

Thank you in advance

giuliomoro

Arnau I would like to use the 16 audio outputs that CTAG Beast offers in order to create an ambisonic decoder but i've seen that the outputs come as stereo mini jacks so I don't know which would be the best way to connect those stereo mini jacks connections with the mixage table which uses xlr without running into some unwanted noises if the cables are too long, and keeping the 16 independent outputs.

the output impedance is pretty low so you are probably fine running these cables for long distances. If you notice a degradation in the signal, or that the cable picks up interferences, you could wire the hot and cold signals of the balanced cable going into the mixer in the "impedance balanced" mode, as detailed in section 3 here, with the "hot" connected (via the Rs resistors) to one output pin of the CTAG.

Arnau econdly i don't know if someone could also tell me how I could connect a microphone (also with xlr connection) that requires phantom power. Should I send the microphone to an audio interface (and if so how is it then connected to the CTAG Beast) or the microphone can be directly connected to one of the 8 CTAG Beast audio inputs?

You'd need a microphone preamp of sort. Some audio interfaces include microphone preamps and allow analog (or "almost") feed-through of the microphones, but you can also find stand-alone microphone preamps. What to choose will depend on how many preamp channels you need. You could even use one channel of the mixer you mention above: input the microphone use the on-board phantom power and gain, take the output either from a direct out or insert out and send it to one of the audio inputs of the CTAG cape.

giuliomoro

Arnau I would like to use the 16 audio outputs that CTAG Beast offers in order to create an ambisonic decoder but i've seen that the outputs come as stereo mini jacks so I don't know which would be the best way to connect those stereo mini jacks connections with the mixage table which uses xlr without running into some unwanted noises if the cables are too long, and keeping the 16 independent outputs.

the output impedance is pretty low so you are probably fine running these cables for long distances. If you notice a degradation in the signal, or that the cable picks up interferences, you could wire the hot and cold signals of the balanced cable going into the mixer in the "impedance balanced" mode, as detailed in section 3 at this page, with the "hot" connected (via the Rs resistors) to one output pin of the CTAG.

Arnau econdly i don't know if someone could also tell me how I could connect a microphone (also with xlr connection) that requires phantom power. Should I send the microphone to an audio interface (and if so how is it then connected to the CTAG Beast) or the microphone can be directly connected to one of the 8 CTAG Beast audio inputs?

giuliomoro

giuliomoro as detailed in section 3 at this page,

you essentially need two low-valued resistors per channel.

Arnau

Ok,

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. Just to be sure, when you say that i would be fine running these cables for long distances, you mean taking the mini jack output and with an adapter change it to xlr and then connect this to the mixer? If so, like the outputs are stereo mini jacks there would be 8 stereo mini jacks cables (8*2= 16 audio outputs of the bela Beast) so i would need to use an adapter that splits the stereo mini jack into two xlr, am I right? If so, could you recommend me one that you think would work well?

About what you were telling me in case of sound degradation, I have not understood it at all but tomorrow i will be talking with my tutor so I am sure he will be able to explain it to me. In case I still have any other questions about this i will come again at this thread.

Again, thank you very much for your help.

giuliomoro

Arnau you mean taking the mini jack output and with an adapter change it to xlr and then connect this to the mixer?

yes.

Arnau If so, could you recommend me one that you think would work well?

this sort of cable should work fine: https://www.thomann.de/intl/cae_adapterkabel_xlr_miniklinke.htm?ref=cg_cg_6_7_n_0

Arnau

Ok!
Thank you very much.