Need advice please - MP3 to PA, but split to headphones?

[lou24d53]

Firstly, apologies if this isn't the right forum for this post, I wasnt sure where was best suited to post it.

So, as per the title, I'm looking for a wee bit of advice please, as to how we can send an MP3 backing track signal to the PA, but split the same signal, so that only a mono track is diverted to our drummers headphones?

A bit of background as to what we are trying to do, I play in a The Who covers band and we use MP3 backing tracks for playing along to "Who Are You?", "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again"...it's the latter that's posing the main problem.

We want to send the whole signal to the PA, so not take away from the song, but when we also send the full 'stereo' signal to the headphones, one side of the signal is very reverby and when it's being sent to the drummers headphones, it's making it hard for him to follow and throwing him off, so he's really wanting to only hear the 'clean' side of the signal. He's literally playing along to the MP3 backing track, without hearing anything of what the rest of the band are doing, sounds bizarre to me, but it works for him! 😂

Anyway, we are also looking at a solution that we can basically plug in and play, whether that be in the rehearsal  room or a gig situation, so we're not at the mercy of the sound guys all the time.

At present, the MP3 signal is basically being sent via a smartphone, I actually play it using the Deezer app, but we are happy to look at ANY alternative that makes life easier and more reliable to use.

So, would the best solution be to introduce a DI box or, perhaps a secondary small mixer just for this solution? Any other options?

Budget-wise, we were looking at say £100-ish, but we would be happy to look at that for the right piece of equipment. 

I had been researching DI boxes previously, but to be honest, I've no idea what we should be looking for? Passive or Active? Are there any benefits to a £100 that you wont get with a £20 one?

However, I've also been warned that by using that solution, depending on the DI box type, there is a slight risk that you can fry your phone...which obviously we could be doing without!

So any advive, or equipment suggestions, would be massively appreciated, as I'm really at a loss with these things and we don't want to fork out for something that's the wrong thing! 👍

Thanks in advance,

Dougie.

 

[lou24d53]

Btw, I should have added, the drummer also uses a PJB Bighead headphones amp to boost the signal at present. 👍

[bertbass]

I'd use a small mixer for that.  Feed the signal to inputs then stereo out to the P.A. and use a monitor output to the drummer.

[lou24d53]

5 minutes ago, bertbass said:

I'd use a small mixer for that.  Feed the signal to inputs then stereo out to the P.A. and use a monitor output to the drummer.

Im really no good with the PA's and mixers at the best of times, but that's such a brief and simple solution, even I get it... 😂

Thank you 👍

[NancyJohnson]

I gigged with a band in Basingstoke one time, they were running additional audio from a little iPod.

Drummer was running things; just had a splitter, one cable going to FoH, the other to headphones that he was wearing.  Bit of a shambles to be honest.  Drummer was hitting the play button and there clearly wasn't enough time for him to drop the iPod, do a four count etc. before the song started.  Backing vocals and keyboards coming in at the wrong time.

To compound things, the lead guitarist was a bit of a nob, changing guitars every song; different tunings.  He picked the wrong one up on the last song, which was tuned down a full step and he was too in-the-zone to realise/bother, so it was two guitarists playing in different tunings with the BVs and keys coming in at the wrong time. Awful.

I'm not saying that using backing tracks us impossible on a budget, but you really have to be on your game.  These blokes weren't.

Edited June 10, 2021 by NancyJohnson

[lou24d53]

Haha, that sounds like a disaster...and the drummer a total control freak...!!

The songs we are planning on using the MP3 for are "Baba O'Riley", "Who Are You?" and "Won't Get Fooled Again"...all of them lend themselves for a wee but of time to get ready to come in...so far the extremely important pressing of play has fallen on to the singer and to date, 15 gigs or so down, we haven't had a single problem with it from that point of view.

The only reason for posting was more our lack of technical know-how...we are looking for a solution which the band can set up and take care of ourselves, without relying on the house sound guy.

Cheers, Dougie.