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The Mother Of All Studio Monitor Threads
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Dec 5, 2008 23:19
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^+1, and I would even say that with the right headphones, DAC, amp, and experience with the setup, the only reason monitors would be necessary is to check imaging.
allillusory, to connect your laptop to the BM6A's you can just use an 1/8" stereo TRS to 2xXLR (male). This would be an unbalanced stereo connection. If you got the Fast Track Pro, you could connect its balanced TRS outputs to the BM6A's XLR inputs with a stereo 1/4" TRS to male XLR cable. There would be no difference in sound quality compared to connecting the interface to the monitors XLR to XLR, as both connections are balanced (just different types). If you used a phono (RCA) to XLR cable to connect them, it would be an unbalanced connection, and there would be a slight loss in quality.
Always remember, expensive gear requires more expensive gear to get the best out of what you have. You're better off working your way up than spending a ton of money when you don't really know what you're doing. (Not you specifically, just saying that anyone would make serious mistakes if they only had a day to buy an entire studio setup.)
  You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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allillusory
Started Topics :
1
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35
Posted : Dec 5, 2008 23:52
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Quote:
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allillusory, to connect your laptop to the BM6A's you can just use an 1/8" stereo TRS to 2xXLR (male). This would be an unbalanced stereo connection. If you got the Fast Track Pro, you could connect its balanced TRS outputs to the BM6A's XLR inputs with a stereo 1/4" TRS to male XLR cable. There would be no difference in sound quality compared to connecting the interface to the monitors XLR to XLR, as both connections are balanced (just different types). If you used a phono (RCA) to XLR cable to connect them, it would be an unbalanced connection, and there would be a slight loss in quality.
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exactly.
so i got these ...
http://www.zzounds.com/item--CBIAN423
since i already ordered the female xlr-> male xlr cables.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--WHRMC20
that shouldn't slaughter the sound too much, right?
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Dec 6, 2008 12:53
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^ There won't be any difference in sound quality as long as all of the connectors are high quality and the cables are properly shielded.
I know the BM6A's are active, but I'll throw this in just so you know: You should NEVER use XLR cables like that to connect a power amp to a passive speaker..you could start a fire if you don't use proper speaker cables (the link you posted is a microphone cable, and there is a significant difference in shielding).
You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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Trip-
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
101
Posts :
3239
Posted : Dec 6, 2008 13:12
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Kane mate,
balanced connections solve the issue of picking up noise when long distance cables are used. For 2m cable, there certainly won't be any noticable difference between a balanced or unbalanced connection.
About connecting a power amp to a speaker, you can't use an XLR cable of any kind, because the connectors sold with these cables are either a "banana" or a pin.
Crackling universes dive into their own neverending crackle...
AgalactiA |
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Dec 6, 2008 20:14
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I was just suggesting that he use unbalanced cables since it's possible with the interface and monitors he's getting. There wouldn't be that much of a price difference and it can't hurt anything..just one of those "more professional, but for practical purposes not really better" things. 
I know what you're saying about the power amp thing, but I was referring to amps that would be more appropriate for live use where XLR is an option...it isn't very relevant to the conversation, but I threw it in just because most people don't realize there's an important difference in that situation.
You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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allillusory
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
35
Posted : Dec 6, 2008 21:03
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Quote:
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On 2008-12-06 12:53, Kane wrote:
I know the BM6A's are active, but I'll throw this in just so you know: You should NEVER use XLR cables like that to connect a power amp to a passive speaker..you could start a fire if you don't use proper speaker cables (the link you posted is a microphone cable, and there is a significant difference in shielding).
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geez, a fire?
Don't want that.
Could you please show which cables I should get? |
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Dec 6, 2008 22:16
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The Whirlwind's that you posted would be great..I would recommend them over most brands. You're just carrying a line level signal to an active monitor, so there's no chance at all of starting a fire doing that (unless you connect them and pour gasoline on the monitors). You would only have a problem if you used those cables to do something like connect PA cabs to an amp or powered mixer. This is the mistake every garage band makes at some point, using a guitar cable to connect a PA speaker and starting the enclosure on fire (then blaming the speaker manufacturer, of course ).
You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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smehoparanoya
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
280
Posted : Dec 6, 2008 23:44
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Sounds awesome, thanks for the tip - free fireworks tonight
Monitoring devices, know where you go
Mass media, total control
Digital delight, desire in megabite
Data overflow, virtual suicide
This information, is disinformation
Truth is hidden, knowledge forbidden |
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allillusory
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
35
Posted : Dec 7, 2008 00:07
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Quote:
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On 2008-12-06 22:16, Kane wrote:
The Whirlwind's that you posted would be great..I would recommend them over most brands. You're just carrying a line level signal to an active monitor, so there's no chance at all of starting a fire doing that (unless you connect them and pour gasoline on the monitors).
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okay... so now you are saying that the whirlwind xlr microphone cables are okay to use. well that's good because i already ordered two 20 footers. Cool, thanks for all the help!
but for future reference...what is the standard? what do most people use to hook up monitors to their laptop or mixer at actual gigs instead of "microphone" xlr cables?
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Dec 7, 2008 13:46
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Quote:
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On 2008-12-07 00:07, allillusory wrote:
okay... so now you are saying that the whirlwind xlr microphone cables are okay to use. well that's good because i already ordered two 20 footers. Cool, thanks for all the help!
but for future reference...what is the standard? what do most people use to hook up monitors to their laptop or mixer at actual gigs instead of "microphone" xlr cables?
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Unless you're managing the party, they'll already have a PA system and mixer ready to go for you, so a usual setup would be to plug your interface's phono outs into the DJ mixer. Then you can use the first channel as your master out and the second channel to cue, with your headphones connected to the mixer. There are an infinite number of setups you could have between you and the power amp, but this is probably the easiest and most common method in psytrance.
For the studio, I use standard XLR cables between the D/A and power amp, and DiMarzio "binding post" style speaker cables between the power amp and passive monitors.
You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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allillusory
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
35
Posted : Dec 8, 2008 06:03
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thanks for the wealth of info, Kane dude
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frambonas
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
14
Posts :
166
Posted : Dec 8, 2008 10:44
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With "connecting the phono out to the dj mixer".
Is that the headphone output of a laptop to a dj mixer?
I have seen this a few times on a live act, and really think it's a very bad thing to do.
That means a big loss of dB & quality since you are using a headphone amplifier in your connection.
I always you my firewire soundcard for the live act, with different outputs...this way I can play 24bit audio, and have +44dB extra then 16 bit audio! |
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Trip-
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
101
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3239
Posted : Dec 8, 2008 11:03
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phono output is/are L/R unbalanced RCA outputs. It is not the headphone stereo minijack output.
Crackling universes dive into their own neverending crackle...
AgalactiA |
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PsyTiax
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
26
Posts :
190
Posted : Dec 10, 2008 17:41
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I'm about to replace my low-end-man-they-such Prodipe Pro 8 with a pair of Yamaha HS80m , any (recent) comment on those ? |
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Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
170
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3642
Posted : Dec 10, 2008 20:08
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Quote:
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On 2008-12-10 17:41, PsyTiax wrote:
I'm about to replace my low-end-man-they-such Prodipe Pro 8 with a pair of Yamaha HS80m , any (recent) comment on those ?
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I've had a pair of them for a little over a month now. I really like them. There is some hiss, but you'll eventually get used to it.
http://soundcloud.com/ascensionsound
www.chilluminati.org - Midwest based psytrance group |
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