output speaker connections to an audio interface

ogdensnuts

New member
i have a roland duo capture audio interface that i use with ableton live 9 suite

i also have a pair of old sony ssd270 speakers (rated impedance is 6 ohms ,mentioned at the back of the speakers)
i'd really appreciate it if someone could tell me how to get these speakers working by directly connecting them to my interface

so i connected these speakers wich have +,- sockets at the back (im not sure if these are what you would call RCA) with a cable tht has a 1/4 inch on one end plugged into the output socket on the interface and the other end of the cable splits into two inorder to connect to the +,- sockets on the speaker.

i did this for both the left and the right speakers.

the speakers actually work . because in ableton under 'preferences' , when i switch on the 'test tone' and bring the 'tone volume' to 0 decibles i can hear the tone when i press my ear against the speakers .

is there any way i can make them louder ? and make them funtion as loud as they would normally .??
 
is there any way i can make them louder ? and make them funtion as loud as they would normally .??

You would need to put an amplifier between the Roland and the Sony's. Being Passive speakers, they need that addition to amplify the signal from the Roland's output.
 
For the benefit of others. DO NOT connect very low impedance devices like passive speakers to line outputs of things like interfaces or mixers.
It is very unlikely with modern gear but there is still a possibility that you could damage the output stages of some devices.

To the OP. Have a look around charity shops and Cash Converter type stores for a hi fi amp or receiver. The well known names, Sony, Yamaha, Denon et al, all made excellent gear and hi fi amps are very stable, long lived products that perform to original specc' for decades.

Dave.
 
+1 for what Dave said. I was having my monthly trawl through cash converters last week and the had a 2 x 40 watt Sony amp (in nice clean condition) for $35. before I even tried negotiating. I didn't need it but was tempted!
 
I wanted to replace a stereo receiver in my studio area that took up a bunch of shelf space and was overkill for the listening I was doing, so I bought a car radio sized FM receiver/amp on Amazon for about $30. It does have audio inputs (haven't tried them as of yet) and it does give good volume to a pair of small monitors I have. It might work well as an amp for the interface outputs.
Amazon.com: Lepai LP-S60 4 x 25W Desktop Amplifier with Remote/USB/MP3/SD/FM: Electronics

Glad you find the amp useful Mark but 12volt car gear is generally quoted into 4 Ohm speakers (and they say UP to 25watts!) and of course most "hi fi" passives are 8R so at best you will only get around 13-14 watts. This will be quite loud but leaves very little headroom for peaks. Not for nothing do even pretty bottom feeder, $200 active monitors have 50+20 watt internal amps! (and bi-amping gives even more headroom than a straight 70W with passive X over would).

Of course, ICE CAN be very powerful! Many porkies are told of kW car systems but certainly several 100s of watts can be had. Problem is powering these from a mains supply. I would use sealed lead acids and a trickle charger!

Then of course there are some very compact, pretty high powered amps, might be lucky and drop on a Quad Current Dumper! (I don't have that sort of luck).

Bobbsy! Now see, I would have bought it! I have an 8i6, USB mic, 2 phantom PSUs, A Behringer DI box and all sorts of other junk I don't need or use any longer! Can't seem to get rid.

Dave.
 
Get powered speakers

Well yes but! There may be a lot of people with redundant speakers and for the sake of a $50ish S/H amp will give them decent monitoring (but don't whack serious bass git thru them or screaming, distorted lead!).

Then there were some truly outstanding speakers...Spendor, Castle, Harbeth and a pair of Kef R105s would put a smile on any recordist's mush!

Dave.
 
I picked up an old Sony receiver for $25 to power the extra bookshelf speakers I have. People are divesting of old component stereo equipment all the time on craigslist.
 
Get powered speakers

There's nothing magic about powered speakers--they're just the current fashion statement for cheap so-called monitor speakers. I'd rather mix on a lot of the better passive hi fi speakers than most of the less expensive powered "monitors". Dave listed some of the good ones--I'd add a lot of Rogers, some Celestions and a bunch of others to the list. Indeed, with Rogers, all that differentiated their professional monitors from their domestic speakers was the input connections.

I honestly don't know how good the SS D270 speakers are--never heard them--but I suspect you'd have to lay down reasonable bucks to better them with modern powered monitors.
 
Separate amp(s) for me. Ive had powered, and they are space savers and convienient if nothing else. :cool: Separate amp lets me try about anything I care to drag in.

Currently Im really enjoying vintage mac.

MC2105.jpg

Stock photo, mine are buried in racks.
 
Nice. I remember the old McIntosh amps.

I'm just using a cheapie Sony amp on my Rogers Studio 1 monitors now...I foolishly sold my Quad 405 before moving down under. I miss that amp...
 
Glad you find the amp useful Mark but 12volt car gear is generally quoted into 4 Ohm speakers (and they say UP to 25watts!)

More importantly, car amplifier power specs are often made at ridiculously high distortion values, e.g. 10%. When you test them at reasonable distortion levels, more like 0.1%, the power output is often much, much lower than the published spec.
 
How about a nice pair of Canadian built Canton Reference 3.2s. Anyone got a pair they could ship me?
1244_0.jpg


Always wanted a pair in the living room.
Got my 5.1 Yamaha receiver from a pawn for $100. 575W total. It's amazing what's available. Really pumps my old Pioneers, but those Canton's would be sweet :)
 
Dave, I only offered the suggestion as a cheap alternative to finding an old stereo in a thrift shop which that OP may or may not have access to. He's got a pair of inexpensive old 2 way 50w rated speakers that aren't going to perform well as studio monitors, but just for listening at not necessarily loud volumes, the little receiver/amp might be adequate for the OP's use.
Do you have any suggestions other than thrift store finds or something else cheap? It's just not worth spending much money for a good amp for those speakers.

I won't be using the Lepai as an amp for my Yorkville YSM1i passive monitors.

I do have a couple decent stereo receivers (Sony and a Denon) that were acquired at a thrift store years ago for cheap and I'm still using, but usually good ones lately are scarce or are sold quickly.

Meant absolutely no criticism of you Mark. Just wanted to point out that car audio kit is sold under enormously inflated claims for power output and even if the figures COULD be realized, normal speaker impedances and deriving the very high current, low voltage supplies makes them virtually unobtainable in a non-vehicular situation!

And yes, I am sure that little amp you showed would be fine feeding those speakers.

Dave.
 
An alternative would be one of these cheap Pyle stereo amps. They're even cheaper on fleabay.

I'm trying to figure out an easy way to get my computer sound over to my old Fisher stereo set up in the living room. Nice waist-high speakers with 15" woofers still sounds good after 30 years, but CD-Rs no longer play in the first-gen CD player.
 
Nice. I remember the old McIntosh amps.

I'm just using a cheapie Sony amp on my Rogers Studio 1 monitors now...I foolishly sold my Quad 405 before moving down under. I miss that amp...











Another option is Ebay. Since passive monitors are kind of a dying breed, you can pick up a studio reference amp cheap. I own a Samson Servo 550 I picked up for less than 100. Samson is inexpensive gear, but this thing is very clean and uncolored sounding. Most Hi Fi amps color the sound somewhat IMHO.
 
An alternative would be one of these cheap Pyle stereo amps. They're even cheaper on fleabay.

I'm trying to figure out an easy way to get my computer sound over to my old Fisher stereo set up in the living room. Nice waist-high speakers with 15" woofers still sounds good after 30 years, but CD-Rs no longer play in the first-gen CD player.

You could do as I have done and run balanced audio over CAT5 cable, does not even need to be shielded for line level* signals.
I am guessing you have a pretty decent interface Mike? This can therefore drive a pair of "600" Ohm transformers (OEP make a good one, I can give you the pt# if you like) . The trick is the other end where you need either a really top quality 10k bridging traff or a unbalancing chip circuit, the latter is a pretty easy build with an NEE5532 (WTF, does nobody make such a gizmo AFAIK?) But! You could try just connecting to the AUX input of the amp, could well be as clean as a whistle.

*Best to run at +4dBu then attenuate to neg tenish at the amplifier end.

There are of course all sorts of wireless streaming doodydads I like my old fashioned copper!

Dave.
 
Most Hi Fi amps color the sound somewhat IMHO.

What is that opinion based on, actual frequency response measurements done by you? Done by someone reputable?

I'd be willing to bet that even average home audio amps are flatter than the best studio monitors. Designing an amp with linear response is relatively easy. Designing a speaker with linear response is probably physically impossible with conventional drivers.
 
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