gainstaging a synth irl: noise or clipping, my choice

Brian M

6d • Support requests

I have an old original uno synth that i'd like to play around with but I can't get a decent signal from it.

Cabling types are my enemy here, I think, maybe.

The uno's out is 1/8 phones like it thinks its a walkman.

I want it to go through a kaoss fx module, which uses rca. sigh.

Straight into the yamaha mixer (via 1/4") and its too quiet. no problem, I think, crank the gain. Hum galore.

ok, there's a bbe 282 maximizer available, maybe use that (1/4" patch i/o), then to the mixer (same 1/4" in). nooo.. now I can turn off the gain but I get clipping. eew. no. it has no volume or gain to adjust. the clipping sounds digital too, which doesn't make sense.

I now just tried the second to last option. a behringer fx 2000; its got a compressor-maximizer preset.

this is the best i've gotten but the noise is probably only reduced by a third this way.

The very last option is an old art tube pre. I don't like this option because its... busy already.

Somebody please tell me using a headphone amp is the dumbest thing in the world before I try it;p

All this should be signal level but I'm getting noise going from phones to anything. I even have an 1/8" phones to xlr to go straight to the yamaha, eliminating any rca in the path. This isn't much better either.

Any thoughts?

Options, to review:

Uno Synth, 1/8 out

behringer fx2000 multi fx, 1/4 and xlr i/o

bbe 282iq, 1/4 i/o

korg kaoss fx, rca i/o

art dps II preamp, 1/4 and xlr

yamaha 12xu, xlr, 1/4, rca

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