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Recording Problems With My Trusty Lombard

Sludgedragon

Well-known member
I posted this question on the Apple forums and have been soundly ignored. Obviously I should have tried here first.

I wanted to use Coaster or something like that to record into my Lombard on 9.2. I got a cable that goes from one source (headphone jack) to another (microphone jack). I tried plugging in my iPod and also my iMac G5 to test the setup and it sort of worked. But it only came in on the left side and played on the left side. I checked, and the stereo sound playback of music on the Lombard works fine in iTunes so I know the stereo on the Lombard is working, but I tried four different freeware and shareware programs and got left-sided sound. The programs with an indicator show only the left side inputting, and playback is also only the left speaker. I did in the past record off a "real" stereo with Coaster by hooking a y-cable to the speaker ports and the other end into the mike port of an iMac 600, but the stereo is dead and I no longer have that iMac.

When I get it going right I will be recording off tapes by connecting to a boom box with a tape player, to preserve what's on them. Does anybody have a suggestion? Is it the cable's fault? Is it a funky mike port? Would it maybe be useful to try something in Jaguar?

 

MacJunky

Well-known member
You should probably try a different cable first. Also might want to try wiggling a cable's connectors a bit to see if the jack is just intermittent due to cracked or broken solder joints.

You are sure you have a stereo cable right?

 

Sludgedragon

Well-known member
I asked somebody at work who knows more about sound equipment than I do, and it turns out that (a) the cable jacks have only one little stripe on them rather than two and that means it is a mono cable and ( B) apparently mono input on a stereo device will usually stick with the left side.

I can't find anything to indicate whether the port takes stereo but it would appear so. Need a better cable, I guess.

 

tomlee59

Well-known member
AFAIK, the mike input is not a normal stereo input. It is a mutant thing designed for use with the "Plaintalk" pre-amped mike. And it's mono. I'm sure someone will correct me, but I believe that you will need a separate card to get stereo audio in.

For some possibly relevant info, see http://www.troi.com/tips/plain.html. The wiring data there also seems to support my recollection.

 

Sludgedragon

Well-known member
I knew the Lombard had a built-in microphone, so I checked my repair manual and it says it has "built-in microphone and speakers as well as a line-level stereo input jack and a stereo headphone jack". So that answers that question. [:)] ]'>

I guess that leaves a new cable.

 

phreakout

Well-known member
Sludgedragon, I looked on Mac Tracker and they say the Lombard has a stereo 1/8" Line-in jack. But it could also be used as a Microphone in. If you aren't getting sound on one channel, check the connection. It could be the cable or the jack itself. If the jack feels loose or has a lot of play, you could have a bad solder joint between that jack and the logic board.

Try a different cable. Sometimes you may run into a cable that is built wrong and has a short in the wire. Once wiring and hardware are ruled out, then move to the software and settings.

First off, remember that Sound settings in the Control Panel of Mac OS can't be changed when Coaster is up and running. You will need to quit the program before going back into the Control Panel. Once you have the Sound control panel open, go to the input section and select either "Line In" or "Sound Input". Check mark both 'Play sound through output device' and 'Check sound level'.* Set the gain to about half way or until sound peaks at almost into the red on the meter. Once everything is set, exit the Control Panel.

Run Coaster, and make sure you're monitoring the recording and the gain is set so that it doesn't overload.

73s 8)

*This only applies to Mac OS versions prior to OSX. Also, be aware that even though OS9 can recognize and use a Griffin iMic, it won't work all the time. That is why it must be used strictly in OSX.

 

phreakout

Well-known member
Sorry, I was a late poster. :p ::)

But, at the same time, I felt it was good to at least point out the obvious in case you are running into a similar situation. And yes, I did read the entire thread before I posted.

73s 8)

 
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