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Topic: Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors (Read 4142 times) previous topic - next topic
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Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors

Dear all,

I have connected an Asus Xonar Phoebus to a pair of Mackie MR5MK3 active studio monitors and a Mackie MR10MK3 subwoofer through a 3.5 mm to Stereo XLR cable.

It works great but the volume is too low (even on the soundcard headphone preamp is selected).

What can I do to increase the volume?

Many thanks,

Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors

Reply #1 –
Quote from: clippertm on
Dear all,

I have connected an Asus Xonar Phoebus to a pair of Mackie MR5MK3 active studio monitors and a Mackie MR10MK3 subwoofer through a 3.5 mm to Stereo XLR cable.

It works great but the volume is too low (even on the soundcard headphone preamp is selected).

What can I do to increase the volume?


Either get a computer audio interface with more output voltage or add a voltage amplifier.

One common example of the latter is the ART Cleanbox:

http://www.parts-express.com/art-cleanboxp...verter--245-868

There are many alternative devices - Google is your friend.

Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors

Reply #3 –
Thanks Arnold, I will look into this solution.

AMED: Yes, I have adjusted the input levels on the back of the speakers, but the volume is still too low most of the time.

Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors

Reply #4 –
According to the specs, that monitor needs a "pro" line level signal of +4dBu, which is higher than consumer line-level.    That's a little surprising for a monitor that's probably used in lots of home studios.   

Some consumer equipment can put-out more than "consumer line level"...  It's sort of a minimum signal level for consumer equipment.

Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors

Reply #5 –
Have you connected the sub to the output on the card that's labelled "front"? Using the right cable? The appropriate cabling is:
- 3.5 mm stereo (TRS) phone jack to 2 x XLR male cable (card -> sub)
- 2 x 6.35 mm stereo (TRS) phone jack to 6.35 mm stereo (TRS) phone jack (sub -> monitors).

Have you configured the card for 2.0 operation and have you turned up the "right" sliders in the card's volume control panel? The relevant volume controls include the master volume level and the front speaker volume (L and R). As a previous poster suggested, also double-check the levels on the back of the sub as well as the monitors.

Quote from: DVDdoug on
According to the specs, that monitor needs a "pro" line level signal of +4dBu, which is higher than consumer line-level.

True. But you should still get relatively decent volume out of the Xonar. I just think a user error is much more likely here.

EDIT: according to its specs, the card's full-scale output voltage is 2 Vrms (5.65 Vp-p). Isn't that more than +4 dBu? (Disclaimer: I just plugged the number in a dB converter. But the converter is a black box to me, I don't actually understand those conversions.)
 

Soundcard + Active Studio Monitors

Reply #6 –
Quote from: audiophool on
Have you connected the sub to the output on the card that's labelled "front"? Using the right cable? The appropriate cabling is:
- 3.5 mm stereo (TRS) phone jack to 2 x XLR male cable (card -> sub)
- 2 x 6.35 mm stereo (TRS) phone jack to 6.35 mm stereo (TRS) phone jack (sub -> monitors).

Have you configured the card for 2.0 operation and have you turned up the "right" sliders in the card's volume control panel? The relevant volume controls include the master volume level and the front speaker volume (L and R). As a previous poster suggested, also double-check the levels on the back of the sub as well as the monitors.

Quote from: DVDdoug on
According to the specs, that monitor needs a "pro" line level signal of +4dBu, which is higher than consumer line-level.

True. But you should still get relatively decent volume out of the Xonar. I just think a user error is much more likely here.

EDIT: according to its specs, the card's full-scale output voltage is 2 Vrms (5.65 Vp-p). Isn't that more than +4 dBu? (Disclaimer: I just plugged the number in a dB converter. But the converter is a black box to me, I don't actually understand those conversions.)



Seemingly all true. The sound card should be able to take  a digital FS digital signal and drive the speakers to full rated output and even into a bit of clipping if desired. However consumers don't seem to like to fully crank volume controls so people generally put 10-20 dB excess gain into their systems.