Hooking up Behringer Speakers

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MikeyLee

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I bought some used Behringer Ms40 speakers. They have a digital hookup on them. I have never used digital so really don't know the advantage is. Also I really don't know the best way or route to hook up my Yamaha mx61 and my Scarlett 2i4 to my computer and speakers. right now have both hooked to the computer via USB and the output from the 2i4 going to the Ms40s. Seems to work ok, but don't know if I need to also Hook up the Yamaha to the 2i4 with a midi cable also. And do I need to hook up to the other inputs on the MS40s from the computer sound card? Also still wondering if it makes a difference to hook up the digital part of this equation. I knows this sounds confusing. I am more of a musician then a technician. All I can say after trying to figure all this out is. Thank God for sound engineers... : )
 
Don't connect your monitors to your PC soundcard - the soundcard should, for all intents and purposes, be disabled while using the 2i4 anyway.

I'm not sure about the yamaha MIDI through the 2i4, I'm curious about that as well - I'm sure there are some here who can shed more light on that. (Do MIDI signals transmitted to the 2i4, without another MIDI device on the output, get picked up by the 2i4 and make it available for ITB vst instruments?)

If it works, I wouldn't worry too much on the details unless you're having issues. Not sure if you'd gain much by going digital on the monitor inputs, I'm sure someone else will be able to add to that, too.
 
"Don't connect your monitors to your PC soundcard - the soundcard should, for all intents and purposes, be disabled while using the 2i4 anyway."

Ya. I just have the sound card plugged into my computer speakers right now, for listing to Youtube and such. There is a separate input and volume control on the speakers. Thought maybe just plug my keyboard speaker outs into. Right now. Not plugged in.

"(Do MIDI signals transmitted to the 2i4, without another MIDI device on the output, get picked up by the 2i4 and make it available for ITB vst instruments?)"

Yes! When I first did it wasn't too sure. But when I use my DAW all the ITB VSTs work and I can also record audio from the Yamahas own voices as well. All of it goes through the 2i4 and I can control the volume on the 2i4s Monitor knob.


"If it works, I wouldn't worry too much on the details unless you're having issues. Not sure if you'd gain much by going digital on the monitor inputs,"


Ya, just curious about the digital part. Speakers are set up for it, so just wondering if any benefit. Everything works. Just using the two Usbs. One from the Yamaha, the other from the 2i4. No other cables or hookups. Just didn't know if that was the right way to go about it.
 
From memory (and I know everyone will correct me if I'm wrong) the 2i4 doesn't have a digital output. However, I wouldn't worry about it--frankly the digital inputs on a set of speakers are more a gimmick (or at least for use on home theatre or whatever) rather than any real gain in quality or function.

If you ever do have an interface with a digital out, just hook up the coax or TOSLINK light pipe as appropriate and you should get sound. In a speaker though, the drivers themselves make enough difference to the sound that I doubt you'd ever hear the difference between an analogue line out and a digital one.
 
No Bobbs, the 2i4 does not have digital out. It does have MIDI (YAY!) but...

The Yamaha kbd has both MIDI in and out as well as USB and I suspect can be used as a MIDI interface. If so there is no need to connect the MIDI out port to the interface, data will be routed in and out via USB.

However, it MIGHT be operationally easier to link the MIDI I/O thru the Focusrite and have audio and MIDI data come up in the DAW software all from one device? There might also be a slight latency advantage to one connection regime V the other, can't hurt nuffin to try everything!

Yes, forget digital feeds to speakers, even if it were possible. You want a good old fashioned, analogue KNOB to control monitors.

As for not being a technician? Lost cause these day I am afraid OP! This is a very technical hobby, buckle down. In any case the BEST musicians were often technically aware, just that they had knowledge of the engineering of a cello, guitar or trombone. Shoot! Even singers should learn "techniques" and where does THAT word come from?

Dave.
 
I'm surprised (and question product quality) that $150/pair "monitors" have SPDIF inputs. To the OP's post, as already said, the 2i4 doens't have SPDIF, so it's a moot point in using this feature on the Behrs anyway. On the Yammie - hook up the MIDI to to the 2i4 AND the audio outputs of the Yammie to the 2i4 as well, if you want to record it's built-in sounds. You could use the Yamaha's USB output to your computer, but why mess with another USB device and use another USB port?
 
Thanks. Like I posted earlier I know nothing about this digital stuff anyway. So ya, the interface isn't set up for it so I tossed that out of the equation. One other question would be, any advantages of using both MIDI and USB out of the Keyboard. Or is that just redundant. Thanks for your advise...
 
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Unless I'm missing something, the USB and MIDI outputs on your keyboard are just different ways of achieving the same thing since a lot of interfaces no longer bother including the traditional MIDI connector. (And this is probably because lots of keyboards now have USB! :) )
 
Bobbsy said:
Unless I'm missing something, the USB and MIDI outputs on your keyboard are just different ways of achieving the same thing since a lot of interfaces no longer bother including the traditional MIDI connector. (And this is probably because lots of keyboards now have USB! :) )
Click to expand...

Yes, a lot of keyboard controllers are USB powered and communicate data that way as well but this does not IMHO absolve AI mnfctrs from fitting USB ports. The vast majority of MIDI kbs have no DINs at all and many just MIDI out. Thus, if the AI does not have it and you have such a controller you have no MIDI input and so cannot use any other MIDI gear.

Admittedly in this instance it would seem the OP's keyboard is a full blown 1/O MIDI interface but then it IS in a rather higher quality/price range than the rest of his kit!

Then, as I mentioned above, if the system uses the DIN ports on the AI, MIDI will show in the DAW as belonging to same, surely one less confusion to worry about?

Dave.
 
Thanks everyone. I chose to forgo the interface and MIDI. And just went the USB route. Like someone once said. Keep it simple stupid... :D
 
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