SO2R TX audio with mixed rigs help

USB headsets to digital audio workstation software...
Ng5u
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Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2023 8:18 pm

SO2R TX audio with mixed rigs help

Postby Ng5u » Thu Apr 27, 2023 2:15 pm

I am interested in incorporating my Anan (whenever it arrives) into a SO2R setup. This presents a bit of audio challenge considering my other radio is an Icom 7610. It basically only allows for mic input.

So…. For one headset/mic going into a Presonus 24C…. Getting Thetis to work is zero trouble, but my question is this…. Does the equalizer software on the PC change the audio on the TRS outputs on the Presonus? Meaning live changes? If so, then everything is fine. I can set levels and audio changes on one of the outputs to the 7610 and the Anan would be easy because it’s done inside the computer itself.

Joe
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w-u-2-o
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Re: SO2R TX audio with mixed rigs help

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Apr 27, 2023 2:49 pm

If you are asking "Do Thetis audio processing results appear at the output of the Presonus", the answer is "No". You could potentially hear yourself if you used the MON feature in Thetis, but that's only when you are transmitting in Thetis and it's also got the predistortion on it if you are using PureSignal (and who isn't? ;) ) So that isn't really a solution.

However, there may still be a way to partially do what you want, maybe. You wouldn't get any Thetis audio processing, but you would at least get mic audio to send to the 7610.

On my Presonus, the "Universal Control" driver app that installed to support it has a fairly complex mixer function that allows you to set up mixes and routes. You could route the mic input to one of the main outputs of the Presonus. If you are using the Presonus to listen to Thetis you'll have to also be very careful to set the mix so that Thetis audio only appears on the other main output channel, not both (no stereo). Or, alternately, you might be able to route the mic channel to just the headphone output--not sure, and I don't want to mess with my setup to try it, sorry!

And, if you do get something like this to work, be cautious, because the rear outputs are line level, and the headphone output potentially higher than that. In both cases too much too high a signal for the 7610 mic input. You'll have to pad (attenuate) it down with an external attenuator. And, wait, there's more...the rear outputs are fully balanced, so you will have to make a balanced to unbalanced cable to the 7610 and if you get hum on that you may need an isolation transformer.

You could also cause the same effects by putting Voicemeeter Potato in between the Presonus and Thetis if you didn't want to use the Presonus software. In either case, you could use the built in processing of either the Presonus software or Voicemeeter to color the feed to the 7610.

This is all a lot of complexity, though. You might be better off just placing a more traditional SO2R switchbox between the mic and PTT button and the 7610 on one hand the Presonus on the other.

If you were really serious about having great audio on the 7610 as well as via Thetis, yet another option would be to upgrade to a Studio 26C. Then you use outputs 1 and 2 for speakers for Thetis, and use output 3 (line level) as an output to the 7610. The Presonus software includes compressor, limiter and EQ for the 7610.

You are probably in information overload right now...
Ng5u
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2023 8:18 pm

Re: SO2R TX audio with mixed rigs help

Postby Ng5u » Thu Apr 27, 2023 3:00 pm

This is great info. The impetus for this thought came from which mic to select for my headset. In other words, is there a good mic type that serves the audio needs for both Thetis and the 7610? For optimum audio for ssb conversations, I would have dedicated gear for Thetis. For SO2R contesting, I’m trying to find a good enough option. The easiest is definitely the audio switching ahead of the Presonus but your 26C option is very intriguing. In any case, you covered the concepts quite well.

I use a Radiosport headset for contesting which has a huge variety of mics that can be used with it. I’m very open to ideas as to what would work best given the radio variety I have.

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