Pc-based recording: What's your Speaker setup?

A

agnor

New member
Hey everyone. I'm probably gonna end up getting an Omni studio to get started in recording, and I was wondering what kind of speaker setup you guys are using.

Do you have cabinets for your music audio, and then normal computer speakers for your computer audio? Or do you use your cabinets for both (Which is the way I think it should be, right?). How did you go about hooking this up, and what kinda setup are you using? I searched through the board, and couldn't really find anything like this. Thanks!
 
from Delta Audiophiles line out to a Hafler TA1100 amp into a pair of Tannoy ProtoJ's.....no computer speakers here.....
 
I have a Delta 66 and a SB Live. I have two outputs of the Delta and the stereo output of the SB Live piped to a mixer. The mixer's main stereo outputs (line level) then go to a pair of active monitors.
 
MOTU 2408 to a Sony 200 watt power amp into a switcher that feeds a pair of Yorkville YSM-1's, A pair of Paridigm Mini mkII's and a pair of Bose.
 
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Okay, so I guess good question is "What's a decent speaker setup to purchase?"

Like I said, I was thinking about getting the Omni Studio. But I'm still confused about the whole "Need a mixer/don't need a mixer" thing. Isn't the breakout box that comes with the omni studio supposed to eliminate the need for a mixer, as long as I don't want more outputs than the card provides?


And I'd like to say thanks to everyone on this board that has been posting replies to my questions. Without you guys, I'd never figure this stuff out, and would probably make a bunch of dumb (and expensive) purchasing mistakes.
 
The omni studio has L/R monitor outs that will be controlled by the software mixer on your computer. Just stick your monitors into that and you should be set. For monitors, you don't need to go over the top. Event, Tannoy, and some other make active montirs. These are less hassle than passive monitors but you are stuck with the amp they give you. For active pair look at $450 for beginner level that will do. Event PS5s or so. And for passive look at $200 for an amp, and $250 for a pair of speakers at the same level.
 
Well, it might be nice to have a real analog fader after your soundcard. It's typically best to run your soundcard output at full volume because the volume control is digital. The farther you turn it down, the worse it sounds...especially when you crank the degraded signal through the power amp. Of course you could leave your power amp volume down, but they are going to be most efficient at or near full power.

In other words, a mixer of some sort might not be out of the question.

I've been wrestling with this very topic myself. Right now I use an integrated amp, but would like to bump up to a Halfer P1500 or better.....

Slackmaster 2000
 
P.S. welcome to geekville. What I'm about to say is only to help you, and not to be pretentious or dorky :)

You're not looking into "speakers" anymore, you're looking into "monitors." I know I know, a monitor is that thing hooked up to your computer...but studio geeks and wannabe studio geeks all call the speakers in their studios "monitors", and the speakers on their home stereos and in their cars "speakers."

That's just the way it is, and you'll even see it this way in the industry....in other words, you're now shopping for monitors and if you go into the music store asking about speakers, they'll look at you funny. To be exact, we're talking about "reference monitors", or "studio monitors", and your specific case you'll be looking for "direct-field" or "near-field" (same thing) monitors, in that they're designed to be positioned reasonably close to the listener.

Just to add to the heap, I use Event 20/20 passive monitors and am really happy with them. They run around $300 per pair. Just add em to the list above.

It's really amazing what you can hear with even a low end $300 pair of monitors. It's a lot like...."aha! now I hear what they're talking about!"

Good luck.

Slackmaster 2000
 
JBL LSR 25P

Active
Nearfield
Biamplified
Compact
Excellent Stereo Imaging
Wide Sweet Spot
Magnetically Shielded (don't want your Monitors screwing up your Monitor :eek: )
Accept inputs at +4 or -10
Extremely good looking
Even better sounding
~$500/pr

OH, jacked straight in to my Aardvark DP 24/96, would work equally well with an Omni Studio.

After buying these babies, I'll put in a CD with music that I've heard for 20+ years, and hear stuff for the first time...

"Wow... where'd that guitar part come from?"

Queue
 
i agree with queue there, and i'm using a humble pair of yamaha msp5 powered monitors. they're the best i can afford right now, but are a LOT better than the ubiquitous ns10s.
i don't like routing the outs to a mixer so i use the monitors for audio, and a couple of crappy computer monitors for midi.
i try to listen to music through the msp5s as often as i can to get used to them. they have high and bass controls, and most cds sound kind of bassy through them, in part because they're close to the wall, and also because of my improvised control room, so i try to aply that knowledge to my mixes so they'll translate better.

adriano
 
monitor this

there are those that say that you are better off buying active monitors (power amp built-in) because the amp is matched to the monitor for better efficiency - if I was in the market - I would look into it

ET
 
Computer speakers, what are they? Oh, those were those teenie grey things that came with the computer,right? Threw those away.

Darla24> Alesis RA100> Tannoy PB8's
 
Alesis point seven monitors with a carver tfm-15 power amp.I believe both are no longer produced now.It is a shame,because I really like these little point sevens.Had a pair of monitor ones for a few days and took them back.Total crap.I guess the point seven never was a big seller because the reputation the monitor ones had before them.
 
I've got a ....

... DAW sending its outputs into an Alesis Studio32 mixer, feeding a JVC stereo receiver/amp (I know, I know, I need a real amp) which feeds some ancient Yamaha monitors (can't recall the model..)
 
Slackmaster2K said:
Well, it might be nice to have a real analog fader after your soundcard. It's typically best to run your soundcard output at full volume because the volume control is digital. The farther you turn it down, the worse it sounds...especially when you crank the degraded signal through the power amp. Of course you could leave your power amp volume down, but they are going to be most efficient at or near full power.
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Definitely it's best to set your soundcard output levels to max (0dB but no gain). Besides loosing signal to noise ratio you degrade the 16 or 24 bit dithering your recording software went to the trouble of doing, if you lower the output levels in the digital realm.

Turning the signal down at the amplifier however is fine. Amp level controls are at the input stage (line level) and have nothing to do with the power stage. Some very old designs and/or tube amps may have issues with the input impedence varying with the level control, but no modern solid state amp should do this.

soundcard (max) -> amp(level controls) -> monitors

That's all you need.:)

barefoot
 
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