Setup

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Lomas

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Hi!

I just bought studio monitors today. They're cheap but I figured "better cheap monitors than trying to mix in cheap headphones".
So...when trying to figure out how to connect these I started thinking about my setup and how maybe I haven't really set it up the best way I can.
I just set things up until I got sound out of it and since then I haven't really payed much attention. So I thought I'd ask you nice people here if there's some huge mistake I'm doing.
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I have a M-audio audiophile firewire soundcard/interface connected to a laptop (planning on buying a better "real" computer later), a behringer eurorack UB802, and now these behringer monitors. Two microphones, one sm57 and one ADK A-51.

So the wat I have it set up now is microphones into the mixer, tape out from the mixer to the soundcard and then headphones from the soundcard.

First of all I'm guessing I should go from main out to the soundcard instead of tape out.

Another thing I can't figure out is how to get to the monitors from the soundcard. Line outputs?
Since the monitors have these "holes" that you need to stick a "cut off" cable into I don't know exactly how to get them into the "mix" so to speak.

Any thoughts? I'm still very much a newbie.
 
Lomas said:
Hi!

I just bought studio monitors today. They're cheap but I figured "better cheap monitors than trying to mix in cheap headphones".
So...when trying to figure out how to connect these I started thinking about my setup and how maybe I haven't really set it up the best way I can.
I just set things up until I got sound out of it and since then I haven't really payed much attention. So I thought I'd ask you nice people here if there's some huge mistake I'm doing.
_____________________________________
I have a M-audio audiophile firewire soundcard/interface connected to a laptop (planning on buying a better "real" computer later), a behringer eurorack UB802, and now these behringer monitors. Two microphones, one sm57 and one ADK A-51.

So the wat I have it set up now is microphones into the mixer, tape out from the mixer to the soundcard and then headphones from the soundcard.

First of all I'm guessing I should go from main out to the soundcard instead of tape out.

Another thing I can't figure out is how to get to the monitors from the soundcard. Line outputs?
Since the monitors have these "holes" that you need to stick a "cut off" cable into I don't know exactly how to get them into the "mix" so to speak.

Any thoughts? I'm still very much a newbie.
Click to expand...

If you want to be able to record each microphone on it's own track, then you you need to hook each channel of the mixer into the Audiofile via the mixers Direct Outs/Inserts. If you don't have that option, you could (maybe you're already doing this) Pan one microphone to the L, the other to the Right, and hook it up like you have been doing.

Since the Audiofile's inputs are on RCA connectors, I don't really see what you'd gain by moving to the main outs, versus the tape outs. I don't think it makes much of a difference.

As for the monitors, you are correct, you hook the line outs of the audiofile to the inputs of your monitors (I'm assuming these are active monitors you have) Another option is to feed the line out of hte Audiofile back into two different channels on your mixer, and then feed the monitors from there, and then you can control the output volume via faders, but I don't know what kind of bussing capability the mixer has.

I didn't really follow your last sentance, sorry. "holes" "cut off cable"
Can you clarify?
 
Yeah I realize it's not very clear :)

I don't think I can explain it so that it makes sense anyway. I just meant that the connection isn't like with crappy computer speakers, but it's like on normal speakers. Just two small holes that you put the cable into and snap it into place.
Nevermind. I just need to look for the right cable.

But thanks for the reply. I guess I won't be hunting cables to switch to main out right now then.

Oh and about model. I have to get back about that. All I know right now is that it's an external M-audio firewire audiophile.
 
Lomas said:
Yeah I realize it's not very clear :)

I don't think I can explain it so that it makes sense anyway. I just meant that the connection isn't like with crappy computer speakers, but it's like on normal speakers. Just two small holes that you put the cable into and snap it into place.
Nevermind. I just need to look for the right cable.

But thanks for the reply. I guess I won't be hunting cables to switch to main out right now then.

Oh and about model. I have to get back about that. All I know right now is that it's an external M-audio firewire audiophile.
Click to expand...

The Audiophile is the name of the model. What model are the Behringer monitors? It's got to have either RCA, XLR, 1/4", 1/8" or Banana plugs, or Speaker wire inputs on it. Maybe you have the kind of speakers that you plug the speaker wire into directly, in which case they're probably passive, so you need a power amp. I'm seeing Behringer has a category called "Business Speakers" Maybe you have these?
 
Oh...yeah they're the ones that you plug the cable directly into. So a power amp?

What is that?
 
Lomas said:
Oh...yeah they're the ones that you plug the cable directly into. So a power amp?

What is that?
Click to expand...


So I'm guessing you have either the "BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT SPEAKERS CE1000P " or the "MONITOR SPEAKERS 1C "

These would be "Passive" speakers, which just means they don't have their own power supply (that would be Active). So you need power to drive the speakers. This is where the Power Amp comes in.
It's just like hooking up these speakers to a home audio reciever, there's a power amp in ther reciever that drives the speakers.

So basically what you need is a 2 channel power amp. You connect the Line Outs of the Audiophile (or mixer) to the inputs of the power amp, then hook use the speaker wire to connect the output of the power amp to the inputs of the speakers.
Honestly any old home audio reciever you can find will probably work, if you don't want to buy a nice new power amp. Just make sure the wattages match up. For example, those CE1000P are 300 watt speakers so you probably don't want to hook those up to a 600 watt/channel amp.
Since you have the Behringer mixer and speakers, here's an example of a 500 (2x230) W power amp from Behringer. But keep in mind there are a lot of options at a lot of quality/price points.

http://www.behringer.com/A500/index.cfm?lang=ENG
 
Oh, it's the "MONITOR SPEAKERS 1C" yeah.

Thanks for the information!

Just one question, maybe I'm misunderstanding something.

Wouldn't hooking them up to a "normal" reciever take away the neutrality of the sound of the monitors?
 
Well, the speakers probably aren't that neutral to begin with and since I don't have "real" monitors yet, I've got a similar system. Pioneer amp into a couple of Yamaha speakers. I found the trick is to learn the monitors. I'd burn a CD, listen to it in a few different systems, then go back and tweak my Pioneer. Like, if my CD was bass heavy, I'd turn UP the bass control on the Pioneer, forcing me to take it down on my board. Know what I mean?
Pretty good results so far....

my 2c......... :cool:
 
Lomas said:
Oh, it's the "MONITOR SPEAKERS 1C" yeah.

Thanks for the information!

Just one question, maybe I'm misunderstanding something.

Wouldn't hooking them up to a "normal" reciever take away the neutrality of the sound of the monitors?
Click to expand...


Well, you're correct that the quality of the power amp could affect the sound of the monitors, but like dogbreath said, they're probably not the most neutral speakers to begin with. Remember your signal chain is only as good as your weakest link. As an extreme example, there would be nothing to gain by hooking up a $2000 Power amp into a $30 pair of passive computer speakers. You could probably do just fine to use a home stereo reciever, but a higher quality amp may help. For the most part I think the quality of all of your gear should more or less match up.
So the list price for the monitors you have, and that Behringer 500 watt amp combined is roughly $330. You could probably find a decent pair of active monitors for around that price that might sound better than the behringer monitors you have.
 
To add on to what I said above, the specs on the behringer speakers you have say the frequency response is 60 Hz to 23 kHz. Now the range of human hearing is roughly 20 Hz - 20 kHz, so it's not great on the low end.

Here's an example of another pair of active monitors. The KRK RP5. I have hte KRK RP8s and have been happy with them. The RP5 (5" woofer) is roughly the same size the behringer speakers you got. The freq. response is listed as 53 Hz-20 kHz, so slightly more extended than the behringer listing. They list at $149/monitor, so a pair will run you $300. They also have 1/4", XLR, and RCA connectors, so it will be easy to hook up from your mixer, or your Audiophile. KRK also makes an RP6 (6" woofer), and RP8 (8" woofer).
But again, there are lots of options out there. The key is to take some music you like and listen on a lot of different systems.

Unless you have a stereo power amp lying around you can use, I might recommend looking into a decent pair of active monitors, since you haven't spent all that much on those Behringer speakers. That way it's an all in one solution, and you don't have to spend money on a not-so-decent power amp.
 
RAK said:
Unless you have a stereo power amp lying around you can use, I might recommend looking into a decent pair of active monitors, since you haven't spent all that much on those Behringer speakers. That way it's an all in one solution, and you don't have to spend money on a not-so-decent power amp.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's my vote. I just picked up a pair of Event 20/20 bas monitors on ebay for under $400 with shipping, and they definitely kick. Quite useful for the home recording side of things, and incredibly accurate imaging for the price. You might check them out if you get the chance; there's always a pair floating around on ebay, it seems. They're a world of difference from the behringers, and for a reasonable price.

eBay Rule #1 - ask tons of questions.
eBay Rule #2 - see rule #1.
 
Ok, thanks again! This has been very useful.

I think I do have an old reciever lying around, and that would be the solution that would fit the level of my equipment so far I think :)

Time to start saving up for active monitors too, but (surprise!) money is a problem!
 
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