Mixer Amplifier Help

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I have a Clever Accoustics MA4040 which I have connected to multiple devices (laptop/phone/etc) via a TISINO XLR to jack cable. I have the input set to line input.
For some reason, most of the time the sound appears to be "missing" channels. Usually it sounds like I can hear the background of a song, but the vocals or main sounds aren't working properly, and sound like they are really in the distance. I'm not an expert on this type of thing, but it really isn't right. Weirdly, sometimes it appears to be fine, although I cannot workout the correlation with when it works and when it doesn't.
Any suggestions would be massively appreciated.
 
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A balanced XLR input used with a stereo mini-jack source is just plain wrong.

Use a jack to RCA in the unit's inputs 5 & 6 which are unbalanced inputs.
Chs 1-3 are balanced mono inputs.
 
Thanks for that. I've got a jack to RCA and have tried that, but it's so, so quiet. Is there any way I can use the XLR as when it works it is much louder.
I've been reading a bit about balanced/unbalanced cables. I'm guessing choosing an unbalanced cable won't help.
 
It sounds like the XLR is wired incorrectly, with the left channel wired to the hot and the right to the cold pins. This gives the out of phase effect you mention. What you need is this https://www.amazon.co.uk/rhinocables®-Metre-3-5mm-Stereo-Cable/dp/B00ESDV8QU/ref=pd_sim_267_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00ESDV8QU&pd_rd_r=a6c85377-2d2f-11e9-b8be-5192fc4c5dd4&pd_rd_w=iyE72&pd_rd_wg=bxBSK&pf_rd_p=1b8636ae-4f21-4403-a813-e8849dd46de4&pf_rd_r=DX0D8PJYN3KYXVRAAGZM&psc=1&refRID=DX0D8PJYN3KYXVRAAGZM and plug it into a pair of inputs if you have enough spare. The amp will then sum the channels to give you a mono output of the stereo source.

The XLR input has more gain available, so ensure you set the switch on the back to Line, or you will get distortion. That amplifier will also accept Jack inputs on the same sockets and these are treated the same as XLR, so if you plug in a jack cable, make sure it's unbalanced - just 2 conductors, not stereo with 3.

EDIT: You could also just open up the XLR plug and remove the connection to pin 3. This will just send the left channel into the amp and will remove the weird phase effect. The back just unscrews and gently pull the pin assembly out.
 
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So basically using 2 XLR inputs will split the source, and as long as I chose say channel 1 and 2, each channel will play part of the source, resulting in the full sound being played.
 
That's correct. The amplifier will combine them into a mono source - much the same as most single bluetooth speakers do.
 

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