Rift
44 posts
Mar 16, 2011
4:36 AM
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I have a Roland Micro Cube and love the sound. As everyone knows they are not that loud (2 Watts) but they sound great. I wanted to keep the same sound and add a little volume without spending too much. I was thinking of getting a 15-20 watt solid state amp without effects and using my Roland as a preamp to keep the same sound. I tried looking it up online to see if this would be safe for the second amp and it looks like it would. The roland has a headphone/out jack and I could run it to the second amp input. Anyone have any experience with this? Will it work? Will it smoke the second amp? I could buy a bigger amp with effects, but why spend the extra money if I already have the sound I want. Any ideas, thoughts, comments, will be much appreciated!
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tookatooka
2218 posts
Mar 16, 2011
6:40 AM
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I use the rec out/phones on my MicroCube to feed straight into the line-in on my computer with absolutely no problems at all. I can't vouch for connecting to any other amp though but I would be most surprised if it were to cause a problem.
If it was me I'd try it at a very low volume on the MicroCube first and then ramp it up if all was well.
I would think these systems have some sort of in-built protection to protect against erroneous connections because a musician and an electrical lead wandering around a stage is a very dangerous combination :)
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Rift
45 posts
Mar 16, 2011
6:49 AM
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Thanks Tooka. How do you connect to your computer? The out jack is a standard 1/4" guitar type. My computer doesn't have a 1/4" input, it just has the smaller 3.5mm ipod type and USB.
My plan was to try it at about 1/4 volume on the roland. I just want it for the tone/effects and will crank the second amp up where I need it.
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tookatooka
2219 posts
Mar 16, 2011
7:07 AM
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I have a 1/4" jack that takes a 3.5mm plug which you simply plug into it. It's a sort of converter, widely available.
I plug the 1/4" jack into the microcube and then I have a lead with a 3mm jack at either end which I plug into the line-in of my computer and then into the end of the 1/4" jack on the Cube.
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Last Edited by on Mar 16, 2011 7:10 AM
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Rift
46 posts
Mar 16, 2011
7:12 AM
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sweet... I will gave that a try. Never thought about doing it before. What recording software do you use?
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tookatooka
2220 posts
Mar 16, 2011
7:32 AM
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I should have mentioned, the 1/4" plug and the lead with the 2 3mm plugs are all stereo, I don't know if mono would make a difference but it may on the line-in on the computer. I use the Creative Recorder that came with SoundBlaster Audigy. Pretty basic but does the job fine.
The MicroCube works fine with it and all the effects come through nicely.
Let me know how you get on.
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Rift
47 posts
Mar 16, 2011
7:48 AM
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If it works I will post some music, If it doesn't I will post some pictures of my computer and a fire extinguisher. Thanks for the info!
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Rift
48 posts
Mar 16, 2011
3:08 PM
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Bump....
Not that I don't trust tooka, I just want to see if anyone has actually done this and if it worked ok.
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tookatooka
2223 posts
Mar 16, 2011
3:38 PM
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I posted a sample that I did for you using my rig as I explained. Look for the Oompah Mr Rift post. Trust me I'm a proctologist. Help me out guys, tell him it's OK.
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Last Edited by on Mar 16, 2011 3:41 PM
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LittleJoeSamson
519 posts
Mar 16, 2011
4:41 PM
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I do this with the Blackheart Handsome Devil and it works great. I've had no problems, either. When set at JC Clean or Black Panel, it boosts the volume, and obviously so many FX are possible. I like slight delay and chorus on some songs. I avoid the Brit Combo and the Stack settings.
Like you proposed...use the headphone/out jack as a lineout and go direct into the second amp.
Before you bridge them, first set the volume on the second amp. Then zero the volume and gain on the MC, hook up and dial up gradually for what sounds good.
If the driver amp has more than one input, stay in the lo or clean channel.
Good luck !
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Silvertone
100 posts
Mar 16, 2011
6:45 PM
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You want a mono signal out of the cube You can do it w a 1/4 to 1/4 cable, just dont push it all the way into the cube,or use a 1/4 stereo to dbl 1/4 mono splitter. You dont want to combine the stereo signal to a single mono it will damage the cube.
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Rift
50 posts
Mar 17, 2011
6:35 AM
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a standrad guitar cable is mono, correct? Couldnt I just use a guitar cable from the Roland output to the second amp clean input?
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tookatooka
2226 posts
Mar 17, 2011
7:46 AM
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@Rift. Yes.
I don't quite understand what Silvertone means.
The following is quoted directly from the MicroCube Manual. You can get a PDF copy online.
11. REC OUT/PHONES Jack
When Using REC OUT Use mono 1/4” phone plugs when
connecting to this jack. Use the VOLUME knob to adjust the volume of the signal output from REC OUT to the appropriate level. When Using PHONES Connect headphones to this jack. The sound is output in mono.
********************************
Then it goes on to say;
********************************
? Connectors
INPUT Jack: 1/4” phone type
REC OUT/PHONES Jack: Stereo 1/4” phone type
AUX IN Jacks: Stereo 1/4” phone type,
Stereo miniature phone type
***********************************
There appears to be some confusion about stereo and mono. FWIW, I've told you what I do, I've had no problems. I'm afraid you are on your own with this one unless someone else jumps in and clears it up.
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Blackbird
154 posts
Mar 19, 2011
11:24 AM
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This is something I hadn't though of before - I have one of the Micro Cube equivalents - the Vox DA5 amp, and to plug it into a computer as Tooka has done, for recording and such, would be a huge advantage in using any of the amp's features that weren't available as inexpensively, or with any recording software. I bought a new computer in January but my concern, too, is not frying the hardware during experimentation. If I had to cook something, the amp at 100 bucks would be the choice of the two. Time for me to read up on the manual and see if it'll be safe. I could make some progress if I'm able to make some good sound bites or recording as a measure of improvement or criticism.
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tookatooka
2228 posts
Mar 19, 2011
11:58 AM
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@Blackbird. If your amp has a Rec Out/phones or Aux output and you have a Line In on your computer, you should be fine. Just for safety's sake have the amp output volume down low to start with and increase it gradually and you should be fine. That's exactly what the Line In socket on the computer is for. The computer manufacturers don't know what type of device you are going to connect to the Line In e.g Radio, Cassette output, MP3, HiFi Aux output etc. etc. so I'm sure they would build in some overload preotection in the circuitry.
I wish one of the Amplifier specialists on the forum would comment further on this subject.
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Blackbird
155 posts
Mar 19, 2011
12:17 PM
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Here's some advice from one of my friends who records via computer, and I asked him about the safety or risks of doing this - take it at your own risk. Here's his quoted reply to me:
"You SHOULD be fine. While line-in expects no serious amplification, if you start at the lowest power and work your way up, you should be okay. Listen for distortion and watch the meter on your line in on the computer. Back off from max and remember that peaks are what will kill you. Make sure you test your peaks and that they don't peg the system and distort."
And with that, I may test some recording soon.
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Blackbird
156 posts
Mar 19, 2011
12:18 PM
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Thanks, Tooka - you were replying just as I was, and we agree upon the same thing. Glad to hear it's looking like it's ok, as long as nobody twists the volume up.
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walterharp
567 posts
Mar 19, 2011
12:46 PM
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instead of a solid state amp, you might want to considered a powered stage monitor/ pa speaker. then as you grow into performing it still would have a good function for you, and would be easier to re-sell than a cheap clean solid state amp... however a good keyboard amp would be fine too.
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