Audio Computer Questions: Monitor, Sound Card

[Dennis Liu]

Hi,

I am planning on getting the M-Audio 2496 sound card. I have a question about near-field monitors - I'm considering the Tannoy Reveals (passive). I have no experience in audio, and I need to ask --> How would I connect this to my computer for audio monitoring?

Also, how is this recognised by Windows XP etc.?

Are there any other recommended stereo monitors which are cheaper than the Tannoy Reveals?

Dennis

[Bryan Beasleigh]

I use the Yorkville YSM1i. For the money they're pretty accurate and uncoloured. I actually tried them up against the Tannoy Reveals and you're paying for the Tannoy name.

Yorkville mfr site

Cheap like borcht

Review

The m-Audio 2494 works great with Win XP pro. I downloaded the latest driver.

They do have a powered pair as well.

They're made in Canada Eh!

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Look closely at the M-Audio LX4 speaker system. Very inexpensive. Very sweet for the cost. Made (I'm told via rumor) at the same factory as the Tannoys.

[Dennis Liu]

Hi,

Thanks for the info. Right now in NZ, the Tannoy Reveals are a little bit cheaper than the M-Audios and the Yorkvilles. Where can I find more comparisons/reviews of these three products?

Dennis

[Bryan Beasleigh]

The same way I did, run a search on Google. Often the manufacturers sites will offer links to favourable reviews.

Nothing wrong with the Tannoys. Where I am, the YorkVilles were half the price of the Tannoys.

[Dennis Liu]

Hi,

Just another question, I have no experience in audio - What other gear, e.g. cables, do I need to connect up studio monitors to my soundcard?

Is there basic information around where I can know which cables to buy and how to connect, etc.?

Thank you,
Dennis

[Bryan Beasleigh]

From the sound card to the preamp or integrated speaker system just use a decent quality male RCA to male RCA. The sound card, the amplifier or integrated speaker system will all have diagrams. Basically just follow the colour coding.

You don't need monster cable, blessed by the Pope, pure silver, directional and oxygen free crapola. Not the cheapo dime store variety but something in between. The same type of cable you'd use on a decent stereo.

A lot of suppliers make up their own using quality connectors.

B&H seem to have the two extremes and nothing in the middle.

[Dennis Liu]

Ok, thanks. So say if I get two passive monitors, all I need now are two RCA male to male connectors? I mean, they don't need a preamp right?

Dennis

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

If you have PASSIVE monitors, that means they don't have amplifiers in them. Where is your power to the speakers coming from? They'll need to be amplified.
Most monitors today are active, and that's a great benefit to the users.
You don't need a preamp, your sound card will act as a preamp. A mixer is essentially a multi-input preamp.

[Dennis Liu]

Um... well suppose I get the Tannoy Reveal passives, do I just plug them into my sound card? Or would that just not work?

Dennis

[Dennis Liu]

Hi,

I've just found the M-Audio BX5 powered studio monitors for about the same price as the Tannoy Reveals. Are they better for what I'm doing? Since they are powered, I won't have to worry about amplification...

One other thing: I am getting the Audiophile 2496 - it only has one left and right RCA inputs - how do I connect this with the M-Audio BX5 which uses XLR, 1/4 inch inputs?

Dennis

[Bryan Beasleigh]

Edit
I had assumed that the amp was in one speaker enclosure. Reading the manual (yes there is an online manual) it shows a separate amp in each enclosure.

So, according to the manual you need one Male RCA to 1/4 male TS phono jack (unbalanced) as indicated in page 7 of the manual.

The M-Audio BX-5 manual

[Dennis Liu]

Hi Bryan,

Thanks for that information, but what I don't understand is that the sound card has one-red female plug and one-white female plug - but if I use the Y cable to split both speakers, doesn't that mean I have to connect 2 white + 2 red RCAs into the sound card? How does this work?

Dennis

[Bryan Beasleigh]

I just read the online manual, please disregard my previous suggestion and read my edited comments. Also be sure to read the manual.

Manual PDF

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Now you're getting into some MUCH better gear.
The BX will accept just about anything you want to throw into it, we tour the VASST training with it's little brother.
At any cable store, you'll find Male RCA to Male 1/4 inch. You can also find MALE RCA to Male XLR, but they are more rare, and you'll get zero additional quality of sound for the XLR...
These cables should be reasonably cheap, around 20.00 for the pair.
When you first powerup the BX, be sure volume is all the way down on the back of it. Then adjust from there.
Leave the Acoustic Space set to default, and then after you've had a few days to adjust to the monitors themselves, plan on adjusting that.