HDS-6 Monitoring woes

[shedboyxx]

Having a problem with our (recording) monitoring system and looking for help.

Here's the facts ma'am:

Digital Performer 5.12
G5 (Dual 2ghz), 6GB RAM, 300 and 500GB drives
MOTU 2408mk3
MOTU MIDIXT (I think?)
Furman HDS-6 Headphone amp w/ (2) HR-6 Satellites
LONG Cat5 cables (50 ft and possibly 100ft)


Here's what WAS working. We have two rooms in our converted garage studio, a guitar and drum room respectively. When we moved in to the house the garage was converted into a sort of unfinished home theater. The previous owner had installed nice finished 'channels' running along the edges of the ceiling and wall (where you would have molding). These were obviously going to be used to run cabling for the home theater system so we used these channels to run separate mic snakes and Cat 5 cabling for the HDS-6 headphone monitor system.

The path for the audio is as follows. We take audio out of the MOTU 2408's Analog 1 and 2 outputs and use a TRS to dual phone plug ('Y' adapter) into channel 1 of the HDS-6. Although there are other channels on the headphone amp and other analog outs from the 2408, this is all we've been using so far. The way we got audio to the two rooms is by running two pairs of cat 5 cabling to the first HR-6 Satellite. The first pair routes sound from the headphone amp to the satellite, the second routes sound from the first HR-6 Satellite to the 2nd HR-6 Satellite. The cable hookup is simple. getting the cable down the wood channeling is quite the hassle. We are trying hard to rule out all other possible problems before deciding to replace the cabling.

For those unfamiliar with this product, this is the normal way you route cabling unless you buy a 'Star' node that is more or less a networking hub. The original setup has worked for a few years now. I've never really enjoyed the general sound of the headphone monitor (noisy, thin sound) but it did work. I've used it for playing along with iTunes as well. Very functional.


Recently my partner decided to do the dreaded 'rearrange the studio' thing. After he moved the main rack, we were getting no sound at the satellites. We had good sound coming from the Main Out 1-2 headphone jack in the front of the MOTU 2408 unit, good sound from our powered monitors (Main Outs from the back of the 2408 but not at the satellites. We then started trying to hunt down the problems. I replugged the 'Y' adapter and the Cat 5 cables to no avail. After that we started to try testing the 2 pairs of Cat 5 going to the first HR-6 Satellite in the drum room. FWIW, these cables were never unplugged from the HR-6 Satellite. Everything was as it was. We first had tried switching the pairs of Cat 5 cable that didn't seem to work. Then we took one Blue and one Gray cable (AFAIK, Furman separates them into two colors to make sure you keep the respective cable going to the correct corresponding inputs of the HR-6 Satellite and the HDS-6) from what appeared to be different pairs. This is Cat 5 wiring obscured from view or examination along its length because it is routed down the wood channeling near the ceiling I mentioned.

When we finally did get sound it was bizarre. We tested with some iTunes selections. One song would come through the HR-6 garbled, almost sounding like a special reverse or envelope modifier effect, while playing fine through the Main Outs. As it is now it almost sounds like one channel of stereo coming through. I tested with a Shania Twain song and her vocals were way in the background along with other elements although we got some (not good) sound out of both sides of the headphones.

We're kind of scratching our head with this one. I had seen on another post that some problems could come up with the HDS-6 Amp but I don't want to go that route unless it really looks like it's the issue.

I'd like to hear if anyone has any comments or tips about this.

TIA

Jim

[channelcat]

Try pulling the Y cable, and replacing it with two TRS cables.

Stu