Apple Soundtrack Pro - Manual (Page 19)

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System 19
Amplifiers
If you are recording audio from microphones, and are not running the microphone’s
signal through a mixer with a microphone pre-amplifier, you need to connect an
amplifier to boost the microphone’s signal before sending it to the computer. If you are
connecting monitors or speakers that are not self-powered, you also need to connect
them through an amplifier.
Mixers
Connecting a mixer to your system allows you to record audio from multiple
microphones or instruments simultaneously, to play back the output from your
computer through connected monitors or speakers, and to control the volume levels of
both the audio input and output. Professional-quality mixers have a number of
additional features, including equalization (EQ) controls, auxiliary sends and returns for
adding external effects, and separate monitor and mix level controls. Mixers may also
include inboard pre-amplification for microphones, making the use of a separate
amplifier unnecessary.
Control Surfaces
Soundtrack Pro supports control surfaces that use the Mackie Control and Logic
Control protocols. For information on connecting and using control surfaces, see
Chapter 12, “
Using Control Surfaces With Soundtrack Pro ,” on page 243.
Example Hardware Setups
The following sections provide several examples of different hardware setups.
Setting Up a System Using Powered Speakers
With this setup, you can monitor the audio output through a set of connected
powered speakers.
This setup uses the following equipment:
 Your computer and display
 A set of powered speakers, including speaker wire and a power adaptor
Computer
Speakers
Speaker cables
Power cables