Setting up 5.1 edit bay using powered speakers

Sidecar wrote on 2/2/2013, 12:57 PM
Can someone point me to a block diagram that shows signal path for building a Vegas Pro 5.1 surround edit bay using a set of powered speakers -- in this case an inherited Genelec 7060 sub feeding Genelec satellites via balanced XLR?

Should I connect line out directly from the audio card (Echo Layla 24) and control room volume using Echo software? I also have a Mackie 1402VLZ mixer that has 14 channels available, but it only has two channels for control room volume. Is there a preferred 5.1 mixer people like?

I understand audio editing in 5.1, but how does one wire the room itself? Not a lot of info out there.

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 2/2/2013, 1:25 PM
5.1 from the timeline?

First, your sound output device must have six discrete I/O channels to route from the Vegas bus assignments. Just a 5.1 or 7.1 capable card won't work.

Then the line outs go to the powered speaker inputs. Everything else is controlled from the onboard and Vegas mixers.
Sidecar wrote on 2/2/2013, 1:43 PM
My Echo Layla 24 has plenty of discrete outs.
Sidecar wrote on 2/2/2013, 1:51 PM
The sub has a "sub in" port. I suppose I plug the LFE out from the sound card into that.
David Settlemoir wrote on 2/2/2013, 2:18 PM
I use an Echo Audio Layla 3G and bought 1/4" TRS to XLR cables at Guitar Center to run my 5 M-Audio BX5 speakers (which are powered.) I also bought a 1/4" TRS to male RCA for my JBL subwoofer which isn't nearly as fancy as your Genelec.

All that being said, I have basically scrapped the 5.1 setup since no one was asking for the service (that wanted to pay for it) and just gone back to the Layla out stereo to my Mackie Big Knob and then out to two BX5s and the sub.

When I had the 5.1 hooked up, I missed being able to turn down the monitoring volume quickly with Big Knob. If I had the money to spend I'd grab this and replace the Mackie:

SPL Surround Monitor Controller

David
ChristoC wrote on 2/2/2013, 4:44 PM
I have a working 5.1 setup with powered speakers, balanced inputs; almost exclusively mixing 5.1 music scores for film.

As David suggests above, it is essential to have at least a physical volume control between the soundcard outputs and the powered monitors - David's suggestion is excellent.
Alternatively I prefer to use SPL Volume8 as I can achieve all the other switching available in the SPL Surround Monitor Controller in my soundcard = SSL MX4+ SSL AlphaLink.
The Volume8 has just 8channel Volume+Mute and is less expensive with a smaller footprint.

The advantages are: first, you have a physical Volume+Mute (in case the phone rings etc. or something goes wrong... and the software controls are hidden....) for controlling output of all applications, not just Vegas, and second, the soundcard's digital-to-analog converters can be run at 'full steam' thereby giving you optimum signal-to-noise and distortion figures.

Sidecar2 wrote on 8/5/2013, 10:06 AM
One way to do this is to use a home surround receiver that has both line in RCA and Line Out RCAs.

I could send the output of the Layla sound card's discreet outs to the receiver's line inputs, then use the receiver's preamp outs to send controlled line level to the powered speakers.

Will have to convert to unbalanced to do this, but at least I'd have volume and mute control.

The Volume 8 device looks interesting, but is as expensive as a home receiver and still needs some kind of breakout cables in and out to mate up with its multipin connectors.