audiophile cable to monitors

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osion

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I posted this on another forum but didnt get responses so I'll try it here.
ok, i have the audiophile which has RCA outputs and i have yorkville YSM1p monitors with XLR or 1/4" TRS inputs. I don't have a mixer. I've read how unbalanced to balanced interconnections could cause unwanted humming and don't know how big a problem this can be but wanted to know what I could do to minimize it.

I know the connection could go soundcard -> mixer -> monitor. Does it ever go soundcard -> preamp -> monitor?

Do I just get XLR-RCA cables or is there a better way to do an unbalanced/balanced connection?
Also, I can't tell if I need a male XLR-male RCA cable or a female XLR-male RCA cable. I've seen pictures online but that isnt helping. I assume I need a male XLR.

One last question: I saw this cable being sold online:
"Groove Plugs XFM10 XLR Male / RCA 10 feet"
It doesn't say RCA male... is it automatically assumed to be male?


A reply would be greatly appreciated.
 
osion said:

I know the connection could go soundcard -> mixer -> monitor. Does it ever go soundcard -> preamp -> monitor?
Click to expand...
No. The output of the soundcard is already at line level so there is absolutely no need to put another gain stage in the chain.
Soundcard -> active monitor will work just fine.

Do I just get XLR-RCA cables or is there a better way to do an unbalanced/balanced connection?
Also, I can't tell if I need a male XLR-male RCA cable or a female XLR-male RCA cable. I've seen pictures online but that isnt helping. I assume I need a male XLR.

One last question: I saw this cable being sold online:
"Groove Plugs XFM10 XLR Male / RCA 10 feet"
It doesn't say RCA male... is it automatically assumed to be male?
Click to expand...

You'll need male connectors on each end of the cables.
If the yorkvilles have 1/4'' inputs, you'd better use those, simply because 1/4'' <-> RCA cables are in general cheaper.
 
I think you can safely assume that the RCA end is male. I think the only things I've ever seen with female RCAs (aside from a piec of audio equipment) was a cable coupler thingie.
 
thanks for the replies. Do you know where can I buy 1/4" TRS- RCA cables? The sam ash and radio shack next to my house didnt have them.
 
osion said:
thanks for the replies. Do you know where can I buy 1/4" TRS- RCA cables? The sam ash and radio shack next to my house didnt have them.
Click to expand...

this cable is a little hard to find, I had mine made in my local music store.
 
It says the adapter "Fits 1/4" mono phone jack"
Doesn't 1/4" mono mean TS instead of TRS?
I thought 1/4" stereo is TRS and 1/4" mono is TS. Is that wrong? How do I know which 1/4" jacks are TRS and which are TS if it doesn't say on the product?
Thanks for the help guys.
 
osion said:
It says the adapter "Fits 1/4" mono phone jack"
Doesn't 1/4" mono mean TS instead of TRS?
I thought 1/4" stereo is TRS and 1/4" mono is TS. Is that wrong? How do I know which 1/4" jacks are TRS and which are TS if it doesn't say on the product?
Thanks for the help guys.
Click to expand...

Do you know what TS and TRS stand for?
Tip/Sleeve (2 contacts) and Tip/Ring/Sleeve (3 contacts). Your eyes will tell the difference.
 
RCA jacks are unbalanced mono so you don't have too many options here. Any RCA to 1/4 adapter will be mono/unbalanced/TS.

The only problem with using unbalanced lines is that they are more prone to noise and interference when the cable is more than 10-15'. Since this is your monitor chain and not a recording chain it's not that big of a deal.
 
osion said:
thanks for the replies. Do you know where can I buy 1/4" TRS- RCA cables? The sam ash and radio shack next to my house didnt have them.
Click to expand...

I bought mine at Guitar Center. Most music stores have them.
 
I just have one more question. THe YOrkville manual says "input cable can be either XLR or 1/4 inch T.R.S." Would a regular 1/4 (unbalanced)-RCA cable work?
Since the RCA is unbalanced does it matter if the other 1/4" end is balanced or not?
Basically I just want to know if a regular 1/4" unbalanced-RCA cable would work since the manual only mentions XLR and 1/4" balanced.
If I can use a regular RCA-1/4" cable, would there be any advantage to getting an RCA-XLR cable instead or is an unbalanced-unbalanced connection the same as a balanced-unbalanced connection.
sorry about all the questions, this cable stuff is confusing to me.
 
It can get confusing. If one single connection in a chain of cabling isunbalanced (or one of the equipment i/o), the whole chain is unbalanced. So if you use an unbalanced cable (rca-rca coax) with an unbalanced adaptor (rca-ts) is the same as getting a cable with an unbalanced plug (rca) on one side and the balanced plug wired for unbalanced wiring (trs soldered on a coax has the ring connected to sleeve).
 
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