Problems Connecting Electronic Drums

[Fennaric]

Hello All, 

Can anyone advise, or point me towards advice on connecting e-drums with Jamkazam. It's an Alesis DM8 kit that I have been trying to connect from the 1/8th headphones out on the drum brain to 1/4 inch jack in on a UMC 202HD interface. USB from 202HD to pc. Also a microphone for speaking into the 2nd 202HD input. On the rare occasions it does work the sound is very low and even minor volume increases cause distortion. Other occasions when I don't hear anything at all myself through the headphones but drums can be heard by other players. Other times everything packs up altogether. Am wondering if the connection between brain and 202HD needs to be from one or both, "main out", L+R, of the brain rather than the headphones out. 

All advice appreciated.

[Dimitri Muskens]

Hello All, 

Can anyone advise, or point me towards advice on connecting e-drums with Jamkazam. It's an Alesis DM8 kit that I have been trying to connect from the 1/8th headphones out on the drum brain to 1/4 inch jack in on a UMC 202HD interface. USB from 202HD to pc. Also a microphone for speaking into the 2nd 202HD input. On the rare occasions it does work the sound is very low and even minor volume increases cause distortion. Other occasions when I don't hear anything at all myself through the headphones but drums can be heard by other players. Other times everything packs up altogether. Am wondering if the connection between brain and 202HD needs to be from one or both, "main out", L+R, of the brain rather than the headphones out. 

All advice appreciated.

>>>
If you can do without the mic/talkback just go main out L/R to inputs 1/2 on your 202.
Otherwise go left main out (which is pretty standard used for mono out) into one of your 202's inputs.

[digitalDrummer]

No-one really needs stereo for drums. I just use the mono out into my interface, regardless of the module. I have used a Roland TD-27, a Pearl mimicPro, Alesis Strike and trapKAT. All worked fine and sounded good in the mix.

[Fennaric]

Hello All, 

Can anyone advise, or point me towards advice on connecting e-drums with Jamkazam. It's an Alesis DM8 kit that I have been trying to connect from the 1/8th headphones out on the drum brain to 1/4 inch jack in on a UMC 202HD interface. USB from 202HD to pc. Also a microphone for speaking into the 2nd 202HD input. On the rare occasions it does work the sound is very low and even minor volume increases cause distortion. Other occasions when I don't hear anything at all myself through the headphones but drums can be heard by other players. Other times everything packs up altogether. Am wondering if the connection between brain and 202HD needs to be from one or both, "main out", L+R, of the brain rather than the headphones out. 

All advice appreciated.



Many thanks Dimitri, I'll give that a go. 

>>>
If you can do without the mic/talkback just go main out L/R to inputs 1/2 on your 202.
Otherwise go left main out (which is pretty standard used for mono out) into one of your 202's inputs.

---

No-one really needs stereo for drums. I just use the mono out into my interface, regardless of the module. I have used a Roland TD-27, a Pearl mimicPro, Alesis Strike and trapKAT. All worked fine and sounded good in the mix.

Cheers digitalDrummer, that's good to hear.

[StuartR]

Hello All, 

Can anyone advise, or point me towards advice on connecting e-drums with Jamkazam. It's an Alesis DM8 kit that I have been trying to connect from the 1/8th headphones out on the drum brain to 1/4 inch jack in on a UMC 202HD interface. USB from 202HD to pc. Also a microphone for speaking into the 2nd 202HD input. On the rare occasions it does work the sound is very low and even minor volume increases cause distortion. Other occasions when I don't hear anything at all myself through the headphones but drums can be heard by other players. Other times everything packs up altogether. Am wondering if the connection between brain and 202HD needs to be from one or both, "main out", L+R, of the brain rather than the headphones out. 

All advice appreciated.

---
Don't use the headphone output to input to your audio interface! It's the wrong impedance which explains your loss of volume and distortion. Just use a good guitar cable from the DM8 left main output into one of the inputs of your audio interface.

[Fennaric]

Hello All, 

Can anyone advise, or point me towards advice on connecting e-drums with Jamkazam. It's an Alesis DM8 kit that I have been trying to connect from the 1/8th headphones out on the drum brain to 1/4 inch jack in on a UMC 202HD interface. USB from 202HD to pc. Also a microphone for speaking into the 2nd 202HD input. On the rare occasions it does work the sound is very low and even minor volume increases cause distortion. Other occasions when I don't hear anything at all myself through the headphones but drums can be heard by other players. Other times everything packs up altogether. Am wondering if the connection between brain and 202HD needs to be from one or both, "main out", L+R, of the brain rather than the headphones out. 

All advice appreciated.

---
Don't use the headphone output to input to your audio interface! It's the wrong impedance which explains your loss of volume and distortion. Just use a good guitar cable from the DM8 left main output into one of the inputs of your audio interface.

Many thanks StuartR