Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ger tree

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 2, 2006
3
0
cork
hello,
I am wondering what is the best option for connecting studio monitors to my powerbook?
I was running the speakers (genelec 1029's) via two of my unbalanced line outputs on the M-audio firewire 410, however when callibrating my system i noticed i was missing alot of bandwith.

I then just connected the speakers to the powerbooks headphone jack( using a two to one jack adaptor into a 1/4 inch to mini jack adaptor) which has improved my range but i am noticing problems with panning and fear there is too much weight/pressure on the powerbook jack.

do i need to get a balanced cable adaptor made up or should i use coaxial out of the firewire interface?
 

Shasta

macrumors member
Mar 20, 2005
72
0
Upstate/Central NY
I think you would be best off with some sort of Pre Amp or volume control. currently I have an old tape deck patched between my iPod and a pair of 1032s while maintenance is being done on the studio. If you have some money to spend I would look at the NHT PVC.

The problem with going from unbalanced to balanced is that you will lose 6dB on every conversion between the two. You also will make your system more susceptible to induced noise.

Shasta
 

ger tree

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 2, 2006
3
0
cork
connecting studio monitiors

hello again,

im using trs to xlr cables for the monitors.

so if i go from the interface outs i should use tr jack to jacks ?

what are the cons of going firewire for audio in and out versus firewire in and headphone jack out?

(iv gained all my audio knowledge on analogue hardware and am new to firewire)

multi-thanks
 

Sesshi

macrumors G3
Jun 3, 2006
8,113
1
One Nation Under Gordon
ger tree said:
hello again,

im using trs to xlr cables for the monitors.

so if i go from the interface outs i should use tr jack to jacks ?

Yes. I think that's where you're going wrong. You should be going unbalanced from the back of the computer to the monitors.

what are the cons of going firewire for audio in and out versus firewire in and headphone jack out?

(iv gained all my audio knowledge on analogue hardware and am new to firewire)

multi-thanks

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. If you're asking whether it would be better to use the headphone jack out instead of the soundcard, that's a no.
 

ger tree

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 2, 2006
3
0
cork
i was advised to use balanced cables for the monitors but realise now that balanced cables dont make a signal from an unbalanced output balanced.

thank you for the help.keep up the spreading of knowledge
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.