Bottom Line Up Front
Is there a way to prevent my amp from playing sounds out loud when I’m connecting to an audio interface using an XLR cable?
Additional Context
I have a Fender Rumble 40 (thanks for the recommendation, Josh!), and I’m using an XLR cable to connect it to a Focusrite audio interface.
The signal is getting through to my computer, but my amp is also playing the sound out loud. I’d assumed that plugging in the XLR would prevent the amp from playing out loud, similar to the way plugging in headphones works. I’d really prefer to just hear the signal through my computer so that I can hear backing tracks and other audio cues at the same time. What would you all recommend?
Turn the Master knob all the way down.
The Master knob is your volume knob, and only affects your amp speaker output, gain effects your bass input.
Use gain to adjust your signal to your computer.
The first is that looking at the schematic block diagram for it, the Rumble 40 puts the master volume before the XLR out, not after it. So it will affect the XLR volume too. Assuming this is correct:
The second is less serious but still may be a factor depending on tone preferences; basically Gain is different from Volume. The gain will be before the preamp, and increasing it will allow peaks to overdrive the preamp if loud enough. It can affect tone.
I have a Focusrite interface and also a Rumble amp. If I am understanding the original poster’s question-
I just plug my bass directly into the Focusrite and then monitor via headphones for recording or practicing with existing tracks.
And then other times when I want environment just using external sound, (and no one is home so I can crank it up), I will play back my tracks from the computer, using audio monitors for external sound, while also playing bass through the Rumble.
So I guess what I’m saying is that I bypass the need to utilize the XLR output from the amp.
Or I might just be confused as to what was being asked.
I use both method with a Fender Rumble 100. I’m guessing @chloe.margarita is using XLR from the amp just because it sounds (tone, effects) quite great. Still, pluging into the audio interface is often just more convenient while recording
Thanks @John_E for the master volume tip, I didn’t even think about that ^^´
Not to worry - it works as advertised on your Bergantino (Or, you could disconnect the cab(s); the Berg works OK without load, but I really don’t like to do that for long).
True, unless you use effects in the effects loop… and want to use the exact same setup that you otherwise use - then, the XLR out is the better option.
I guess the “easiest” solution is indeed what @CoolCat suggests - just put some headphones into the headphone jack and put them to the side. Annoying it should be that way, but that works!
You’re right, I hadn’t considered that… But in that case, couldn’t you use a jack cable to connect the amp headphone output to the Focusrite input? Does using an XLR cable provide any kind of advantage over that?
It probably does - otherwise, why have one? But, I don’t know enough about that stuff to be able to give you a good answer. Probably something to do with signal levels and how balanced the signal is!?!?
(Or, you could disconnect the cab(s); the Berg works OK without load, but I really don’t like to do that for long).