Hooking a power amp directly to my audio card

Can I do it?

I recently purchased an ART SLA-2 power amp which I was going to use for another application but my question is: can I use this power amp to drive my passive Roland speakers w/o a pre-amp, i.e., can I connect it directly to my Layla 3G audio card? I don’t think that the ART SLA-2 has unity gain on it’s line level inputs, so I’ll have to set volume levels appropriatley.

Quote:

can I connect it directly to my Layla 3G audio card?


Of course you can. Balanced line-out(s) from the 3G to balanced line-in(s) on the ART. The bugger as you mentioned, is volume control. While the ART has the Ch1(L) and Ch2
® attenuation controls on the front plate, they would be a PITA to use for volume control. Do you have a small mixer you can drop between the 3G and the ART? The control panel app for the 3G may have a control that will do the job via software. I have powered monitors with each side set to the middle detent on their built-in amps volume control. Fortunately, I can use the PatchMix application for my EMU card to control the monitor level without having any hardware in between the EMU outs and the monitor(s) ins. Yours is the same situation. The only difference being you amp(s) is not built into the speaker cabinet(s).

Check out your 3G control panel app. I betcha there's a way...

D

PS One difference I forgot to mention, my EMU does have a separate, built-in headphone amp for using the cans. I dunno about the 3G?

Thanks D.
Well I knew I could do it but you’ve answered my question about whether it’s practical & feasible.

Yes - the 3G has an audio Console app, which is little a digital mixing board, and I can set the levels on the analog outputs.
I do have a small Mackie mixer but I don’t really want to use it if I don’t really have to.

Cool… I think you’re all set Mike.

Just be careful with that software control! I’ve accidentally err… “surprised” myself by powering up the monitors, hitting the playback button and being blown out of my chair unexpectedly! I learned to keep the attenuators about mid-level on the speakers so I don’t accidentally smoke them. I still get startled every once in a while…

D