Home monitor setup. Advice please.

TheMarlin · November 2022

Looking for advice in home PC near field monitor setup.

I’ve got a decent PC setup, powerful laptop, and two large 4K monitors, plus plenty of current gen and older games consoles.

I currently have a USB-C doc, and from that, run a pair of decent but cheap PC speakers.

I’ve been offered a set of decent mid priced near field powered (not passive) monitors at a ‘too good to be true’ price. How do I run these from my current setup. PC has a spare USB-c input/output.

I suspect I would want to use the balanced XLR inputs to drive the speakers, would also be nice to have airplay support so I can stream music from my iPhone. And, if at all possible, maybe also link my games consoles for better sounds (though I mostly use headphones for gaming).

Not currently looking to record with this, just decent sounds in my home office.

Any thoughts it advice? What do you recommend?

PolarityMan · November 2022

You'll need an audio interface I suspect.

Snags · November 2022

That's going to depend on what the input options are on the monitors. If each monitor will take an unbalanced jack in then there's no particular reason that you couldn't just take a 3.5mm stereo to 2x6.25mm jack lead and shove that up them.

If they need balanced connections then the easiest solution is probably as per @PolarityMan and to run them off an audio interface, despite not looking to record. Because you know you will record once you have the facility

Whistler · November 2022

Aside from the technical aspect, try to have the monitors so that the smallest speaker or horn in each speaker cabinet is at ear level. That will give you a more accurate sound than having monitors sat either side of your PC on the desk.

TheMarlin · November 2022

The Adam Audio Tv5 I’ve been offered have balanced XLR inputs, and standard unbalanced RCA inputs.

I can’t put the speakers at ear height, I was going to mount them in the corners of my work-space, firing directly at my head.

I’m planning to gut the room, and rebuild, and make a larger workspace. So maybe I’ll have to wait until the work is done to achieve ideal placement.

Winny_Pooh · November 2022

If you have an interface you need pc running to do anything.

If you have mini analogue mixer you can take cable a mini jack out from the laptop/phone and connect it all. No solution re airplay though unless you run Spotify via laptop & control it with your phone.

thermionic · November 2022

I agree with the suggestion of a small mixer if you are certain you’re not interested in recording. Also you would have to be happy with the analogue outputs from all your devices. A mixer is a very useful thing to have in general.

TheMarlin · November 2022

Maybe I need to forget the powered monitors, and use the passive monitors I already have spare, and use something like a Quad Vena II

TheMarlin · November 2022

Actually, I already have two Hifi systems, it’s seems like I’m trying to talk myself into building a third.

Maybe I need to step back a little and wait until the room rebuild.

Thanks for all the great advice.

One last question, if I did do down the mixer route, which one would you recommend?

octatonic · November 2022

TheMarlin said:

The Adam Audio Tv5 I’ve been offered have balanced XLR inputs, and standard unbalanced RCA inputs.

I can’t put the speakers at ear height, I was going to mount them in the corners of my work-space, firing directly at my head.

I’m planning to gut the room, and rebuild, and make a larger workspace. So maybe I’ll have to wait until the work is done to achieve ideal placement.

Corners are a bad idea without acoustic treatment.
You will be multiplying the bass response.
It will be boomy and muddy.

MtB · November 2022

For my home office setup I have a laptop plus a 24" monitor and use a pair of blue-tooth Presonus E 3.5 BT speakers on angled stands that point the sounds in the direction of my ears. The speakers have 6mm jack connections at the rear - so I can even plug my Helix into the system.

fretmeister · November 2022

I have a pair of Yamaha HS7 that are above my pair of 32 inch screens.

My helix rack is my interface. the HS7s plug into the helix with XLR. As long as a patch on the helix is set for XLR output I don't need to turn the PC on to play guitar through it.

When my PC is on the Helix / HS7 do all the PC noises & youtube etc etc.

PolarityMan · November 2022

I have to compromise a little with my placement too, they are above my screens posing slightly down but the tweeter is still about top of head level rather than ear level. Ideally id like to upgrade to a bigger secondary screen but that would make the problem even worse by forcing me to put the speakers up anotrher 2 inches or so so have been putting it off so far.

andy_k · November 2022

I'm using Ilouds connected to a Focusrite Sscarlett 2i2, for my home listening / mixing.
They are great if you aren't expecting to be able to master for release, and are pretty multi purpose, they have built in BT so can be just used for streaming from my phone, or anything that is hooked up to a BT sender.
Studio monitors are aiming for the flattest response possible, so if the room isn't set up right, you will be hearing a compromised sound. Flat response speakers will highlight a lot of the minute details, and can be quite tiring to listen to for a long time, obviously if the room is treated right they can be used for the surgical decisions they are designed for.

thermionic · November 2022

These are the kinds of mixers I had in mind:

https://www.gear4music.com/Audio_Mixers/Compact.html

Many of them have a basic USB audio interface built in, so you could probably use that to connect your PC and still have a couple of spare analog channels for other stuff.

GoFish · November 2022

Using a small mixer can be very handy in connecting bits and bobs - In my limited experience, Adam speakers tend not to be so dry as to be fatiguing and powered speakers win out over passives for me everytime.

I'm also of the opinion that a small audio interface can be very handy as the DAC can be better than that in most PCs.

TheMarlin · November 2022

Are these any good?
Depusheng MX8
https://amzn.eu/d/ij1VkrX

Winny_Pooh · November 2022

You could make an offer on this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155210001303?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=tABYUhX5Suy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=tXAsncnbQFC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

TheMarlin · November 2022

Winny_Pooh said:

You could make an offer on this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155210001303?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=tABYUhX5Suy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=tXAsncnbQFC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

What do you think it’s worth? I’ve made an offer, was refused.

GoFish · November 2022

GAK have them new at £120 so I think he missed out on making a deal, not you.

TheMarlin · November 2022

Wow! Thank you.

TheMarlin · February 2023

Any more suggestions. Monitors have arrived, and I have the wall brackets ready to go.

Will need some sound deadening for the corners, as placement is not ideal, but will have to do for now.

So, currently looking for a mixer with USB in so I can play Tidal from my PC. Would also be nice to have Bluetooth, a line in or two for guitar/mic (will
never use it, but nice to have), another line in for CD (not essential) and preferably balanced XLR out.

Also, preferably not huge.

All recommendations gratefully received.

TheMarlin · February 2023

Or….thinking of going the opposite direction with a Topping E70 Pre-amp/dac

https://www.topping.audio/productinfo/907855.html

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Home monitor setup. Advice please.

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