Proper setup of monitors with audio unit

[brotman]

Hey guys. I have a couple of seriously noob, slightly ocd questions about properly setting up monitors and connecting them to an audio interface.

I am going from a firepod into two yamaha hs50s using a TRS to XLR Male cable.

I am going from the Main CR Output jacks, which gives me a control for the signal level right on the firepod.

The questions are:

1. How loud to set the yamahas in correlation to the input signal from the main CR output. If I set the yamahas too low,
will I risk overpowering them with the signal form the firepod and distorting them? If I set them too high, will it also distort? (I currently have the yamahas set at just shy of halfway, and I only need to turn the firepod output up to about halfway also). Is this an acceptable way to control volume while mixing?



2. Can i leave the yamahas permanently "on" and plug them into a power strip, and then use that power strip to turn them on and off, so I don't have to get up and walk around my desk twice each time I want to mix? Would turning them on/off in this way hurt them at all??



I'd appreciate any advice. Sorry if these questions are insane.

[Dags]

G'day
The way you have the volume sends to the monitors and the monitor levels set sounds fine. If they're both halfway up and the volume you're getting in your room is loud enough for general mixing with a little bit more beef supplied by turning up the send to the monitors when you really need to crank up the volume for a minute or so then all is good.

The problem with having the monitors permanently on and powering them with a main switch is that the repeated sudden surge of electricity into the speaker may shorten the life of something inside the unit if it is designed with a soft power-up using the speaker's own switch. (someone with more knowledge of circuitry and power supply design may be able to step in here to help out)


Dags

[diggy_dude]

Sorry if these questions are insane.

If you think the questions are insane, wait till you hear the answers!

[brotman]

Thanks! That is what I figured. Ill just have to make the trip around to turn them off. not a big deal.

thanks again!

[Armistice]

Most modern monitors I've come across have a "turn themselves off when not in use for X mins" function/cicuitry.

Since I arrived on this board in 2000 I've never turned a monitor on or off using the device's power switch. It's either that they turn themselves off via the circuitry mentioned above, or off at the wall when I've finished.

[gecko zzed]

1. How loud to set the yamahas in correlation to the input signal from the main CR output. If I set the yamahas too low,
will I risk overpowering them with the signal form the firepod and distorting them? If I set them too high, will it also distort? (I currently have the yamahas set at just shy of halfway, and I only need to turn the firepod output up to about halfway also). Is this an acceptable way to control volume while mixing?

I have my active monitors turned up full, and I control the level from my Firepod.

2. Can i leave the yamahas permanently "on" and plug them into a power strip, and then use that power strip to turn them on and off, so I don't have to get up and walk around my desk twice each time I want to mix? Would turning them on/off in this way hurt them at all??

My monitors are permanently on.