Warning:Xtreme Newb Alert...Which cables do i need?

[SonVolt]

Hi all,
My recording interface is the Echo Gina G3.The outs are 1/4" balanced or unbalanced.
I'm considering purchasing KRK RP-8 monitos. (The XLR and TRS are balanced inputs).
Exactly which kinda cable do I need for my best connection?
1/4" to XLR?XLR TO XLR?Balanced?Unbalanced?Where do babies come from?? Arrrggghhhh!

Please help a brother out.
Any help would be muchly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[mixsit]

For short runs unbalanced are fine. For the more permanent or main connections (assuming they are balanced), maybe spring for the extra there, save on unbalanced for some of the general patching.
Look for decent durable quality. You're 99.999999999% there.

 

[SonVolt]

Thanks alot mixsit for your reply
a couple of followup questions if ya don`t mind:k so looks like unbalanced is fine because i`m workin in a small bedroom environment here.
Umm do I want to go 1/4" to xlr or 1/4 to 1/4?
And what kinda cables exactly should I get, do they make cables specifically for monitors or are guitar cables ok?Little confused about that.

Thanks!!

 

[mixsit]

Keeping it simple, you might as well stay balanced (XLR or TRS) if sending and receiving are both balanced. XLR/TS will work (typically without problems) but will unbalance the path. No point in that really. You might as well go TS/unbalanced in that case.

Shielded cables (TS or XLR) don't care what it's carrying. Exceptions are, stay away from really long guitar cables, and speaker cables (from amps to speakers- not line level to powered speakers) like to be heavy gauge and don't need shield.

 

[SonVolt]

mixsit thanks once again!!
I have one more dumbassed question then i`ll leave ya alone
Ok, the site where I'm buying the monitors (www.axemusic.com) all I see are instrument cables.Are instrument cables ok to run from my audio interface to my monitors? Or are there a specific kind of cables for hooking up monitors?

Thank you in advance

 

[mixsit]

They should be be fine. Their standard'(?) shielded 6' $9.50 looks similar to this;Sweetwater cable
There are cheaper and more costly around. Maybe avoid the molded plastic end ones.

 

[Freddy]

Something like this will do it.. http://www.axemusic.com/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=61&PT_ID=311&P_ID=6676 .. these are balanced.

 

[mixsit]

Something like this will do it.. http://www.axemusic.com/product.asp?numPageStartPosition=61&PT_ID=311&P_ID=6676 .. these are balanced.

Oops. I missed the balanced-for-monitor app.

Still leery of the molded' stuff though.

 

[SonVolt]

Thanks for all the advice and input, much appreciated!!
mixsit, I got the monitors today but didn`t catch your last message in time, and just got the first cable you recommended, the 1/4" - 1/4" dealie.
I'm pretty much in the dark about balanced/unbalanced etc., so what will happen if I just use these cables for now? Do I definately need a cable like the second one you recommended, the 1/4" to xlr ?
I live in a small town so takes a few days for new cables to arrive, and I really want to try these monitors out.But I can wait if it'd be best.

Thanks again!

 

[brendandwyer]

Thanks for all the advice and input, much appreciated!!
mixsit, I got the monitors today but didn`t catch your last message in time, and just got the first cable you recommended, the 1/4" - 1/4" dealie.
I'm pretty much in the dark about balanced/unbalanced etc., so what will happen if I just use these cables for now? Do I definately need a cable like the second one you recommended, the 1/4" to xlr ?
I live in a small town so takes a few days for new cables to arrive, and I really want to try these monitors out.But I can wait if it'd be best.

Thanks again!

i know this seems decidedly un-newb advice, but i wish that when i started out, somebody showed me how to solder a variety of audio cable configurations, so i could have saved thousands over the years.

My advice is learn how 1/4 jacks are wired, how XLR jacks are wired, balanced vs unbalanced, and start making your own.

You can buy 200 ' of Redco heavy jacketed mic cable (3 conductor) for like $40-70, the connectors are $1.30 each. meaning instead of spending what, $9 on a 9 ' hosa, you can spend:

200' / $40 = .2 per ft = 9' x .2 = $1.8 + (2) 1/4 trs connectors @ 1.30 = Grand Total $4.40 for a 9' balanced TRS cable.

Not to mention the feeling of knowing your wiring inside and out, PLUS, it really pays off if you ever start needing say 24 insert channels 15' long!

Soldering iron / solder, panavise or other vice, cable connectors GO

 

[cusebassman]

Looks like the outputs on the 3G are balanced, so go balanced to the 1/4" inputs of the KRK's. Plain and simple