I just bought some new monitors and I need some help.

[Alcohol]

I purchased a pair of m-audio bx8's yesterday...

I don't plan on doing any recording or mixing... I'm a total newb to this stuff. I just want some good sound coming out of my computer. I thought I'd be able to hook these up to my sound card but the guy on the live support chat on musiciansfriend.com told me I need an intermediary component between my computer and monitors. Even though that is what my sound card is, and I'm not sure he understood that. The monitors have xlr and trs inputs.

Here is my soundcard and specs from the site:

http://creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=204&product=4915

SPECIFICATIONS


High Definition Audio Quality for Playback and Recording

24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion during playback with sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz in 7.1 mode and up to 192kHz in stereo mode
24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion during recording in 8, 16 or 24-bit at sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) input at up to 24-bit/96kHz quality
SPDIF output up to 24-bit at 48 or 96kHz
ASIO drivers for low latency(≤2ms) multi-track playback and recording at 16-bit/48kHz
Sound Blaster® Audigy™ 2 ZS On-Board Connectors

Line level out (Front / Rear / Center / Subwoofer / Rear Center)
Digital Out for 5.1 support(6-channel SPDIF output to Creative digital speakers
Line in
Microphone in
FireWire® (IEEE® 1394)
Telephone Answering Device in
Analog / Digital CD Audio in
15-pin MIDI / Joystick port extension header
Internal IEEE® 1394 header to Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Internal Drive (Upgrade Option)
AD_EXT extension header to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Internal Drive (Upgrade Option)

These are my monitors:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/s=headphones/search/detail/base_pid/603702/

Here is what the guy recommended I buy as something cheap so I can get these running:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/240868/

I'd rather not spend another $200 to get these running...but if I have to, is there a reciever I can buy for around that price that will connect to my soundcard and my monitors? Because to add a sub to the system I guess I'll need a reciever?

Lol I hate setbacks...thanks in advance guys.

 

[Carter]

Im sure that sound card has its own mixer built in the software! all you need to do is get the proper cables "IE" 1/4" TS or TRS to whatever size the jack is on the sound card and that should work for you.

 

[Alcohol]

See now why couldn't that guy just tell me that? lol...anyway.. I'll have to look more closely on my sound card...but if it only has one output that I can use anyway...that means I'd only get mono sound?? Or... ?

 

[Carter]

See now why couldn't that guy just tell me that? lol...anyway.. I'll have to look more closely on my sound card...but if it only has one output that I can use anyway...that means I'd only get mono sound?? Or... ?

You should be able to get stereo sound (left and right) out of it, read up on it in the manual. you might have to get a Y cable if it is a single output. the jack on the sound card is stereo and the Y cable will split it into left and right for you.

 

[Alcohol]

You should be able to get stereo sound (left and right) out of it, read up on it in the manual. you might have to get a Y cable if it is a single output. the jack no the sound card is stereo and the Y cable will split it into left and right for you.

The manual is extremely vague. I'll probably go to radio shack or best buy and circut city if I have to today...

 

[Carter]

The manual is extremely vague. I'll probably go to radio shack or best buy and circut city if I have to today...

Hold on Ill have a solution in a sec.

 

[Alcohol]

Hold on Ill have a solution in a sec.

Thanks...

I'm not sure what you're looking for...but I just found a 1/8" sterio to dual 1/4" female adapter....if I bought that, then I'd just need a couple of cables to run to the monitors.

 

[Carter]

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=42-2377

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=42-2540


This is what you need, two of the first item and one of the last.

 

[Alcohol]

I allready have a 1/8" to dual female rca adaptor sitting on my desk... so I just need to get some long enough cables.

Thanks for the help...

 

[Carter]

I allready have a 1/8" to dual female rca adaptor sitting on my desk... so I just need to get some long enough cables.

Thanks for the help...

No problem thats what we're here for! Happy listening