Recommend me an audio interface/DAC for some monitors

[The Artist]

Looking to connect a computer up to some studio monitors. Last time I did this I just used a 3.5mm jack to XLR's directly but I had noise issues.

This time I want to put something in there to get rid of the noise and also add an external volume control knob.

Does anyone know what I need?

[AngelGrinder]

https://www.vdctrading.com/shop/patching/interspace-balancing-boxes/interspace-industries-pc-balancing-box/

This is the industry standard (and slightly expensive) option. Won't give you volume control through.
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[The Artist]

Thanks

[bamt]

That's fine, as long as the audio output on your computer is up to it; that could be fairly noisy itself so whatever you do for unbalanced to balanced is still going to have noise.

I use a PreSonus Inspire 1394 to get past that issue (plus high impedance input for guitars), but as it is firewire, discontinued and doesn't have an output gain knob on it it's probably not a good recommendation.

[Howling Terror]

You're probably aware that studio monitors are not designed to flatter the sound like consumer speakers. I'm guessing you went for powered monitors and not passives?

XLR are usually balanced and 3.5mm mini jacks are generally unbalanced. Unbalanced is fine for most uses and balanced for longer cable lengths. Your noise issues could possibly have been grounding issues. Try and make the speakers and interface(amp) share the same power outlet.

£35 Behringer U-Phoria UMC22. If you require cables... 2 XLR to 1/4" TRS jack.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[The Artist]

[Howling Terror]

I used the B2031A (Genelec copy alert! ) and yeah great monitors but by eck you need a big well treated room and a detached property...they were just too loud to be useful for me.

I use some yamaha MSP5a and IIRC the msp7a share the same titanium tweeter...you may find them a little tiring to listen to for long periods.

The B1031A (KRK copy alert) well like I mentioned if you think your environment can handle 8" woofers then I'm sure they'll be great...just keep those suckers away from corners.


FWIW.
I prefer some wharfedales for pleasure listening bi-wired to a Behringer A500 amp. That amp is going on 15yrs old and used daily and if it's bridged can run upto 500 watts.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[The Artist]

[Howling Terror]

Wharfedale diamond 9.1. If your room is say 20 long and 12' wide you may want the bigger ones. A smaller room and those 9.1s are superb.

I also like the Dali zensor speakers. Spent many many hours listening to those at an old friends house and they are a beautiful rich sounding speaker. He was using a Cambridge amp to run them.

The above are not bank busters so you could get a full setup at a reasonable price. I use QED Silver Anniversary speaker cable but that's because it was given to me. Any good cable so long as it isn't thin weedy bell-wire stuff will do.

BTW Tell your brother I asked of him, tell him Pat says he rides like a tit and I miss him.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[The Artist]

[Howling Terror]

No sub for a couple of reasons. I listen to music upstairs (window rattle etc etc) and the 9.1 put out enough bottom end for the seating position which is 1.2m away.

So if I understand correctly you've got a computer and you want to run the sound from it into an interface via usb and then either to an amp and passive speakers or directly from the interface to studio monitors and you want volume control.

well going for PC>>>Interface>>>Monitors you'll have vol control either from the interface itself or the software that often comes with these things. (I'm leaving out the part that powered monitors also have vol controls)

Or

PC>>>Interface>>>Amp>>Speakers.
Again vol control using software...on the interface itself and the amp will have vol controls.

Pedantically speaking all music listened from a computer or phone is DAC.

The benefit of using an amp is that it will have inputs for other peripherals and outputs for a 2.1 or 5.1 or indeed 7.1....Very little media is produced correctly for true surround and even fewer users set them up as intended.

A good speaker will negate any reason for a sub woofer and a good sub woofer costs a lot of money...and unless it is a 12" woofer it ain't really a sub....and even if it is 12" woofer if it can't make 30Hrtz it ain't a sub...And even if so n so manufacturer say it's down to 20Hrtz I bet they're fibbing.

My mistake about thinking you had a bro....Hmmm must think ...Brother of Blackwolf..hmmm
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[The Artist]

[Howling Terror]

Your guess is correct.

Go for that Behringer interface with the knowledge that it only has 2 speaker outputs (plus a headphone out) so you won't be able to add a sub woofer.
Once installed you then setup your computer to use the interface as the default sound device.

Your job is jobbed.

[edit] If you get the right type of powered sub it will be possible to run the outputs from the interface into it and then the speakers connected to the sub. The sub will be doing the crossover duties.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Howling Terror]

If I'd known you were not the brother I thought you were I still would've offered advice.

































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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[The Artist]

Seems like a good option. Hard to understand if it would work or not looking myself because they are all advertised as recording devices without much mention of playback.

Cheers.

[Howling Terror]

Should you have the need to record anything that little interface will do it at twice the samplerate of a CD and it will do it with almost no latency..but that discussion is for another night.

Aye all these interfaces will give good playback and the number crunching of digital to analog will be done by them too, so also good for gaming ...I'm talking marginal gains and most onboard soundcard (chips) are well upto the job of good playback minus the important volume knob.

No need to reply...you're only encouraging me.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[bamt]

Most onboard soundcards are OK in terms of actual audio processing nowadays, where they can get noisy in my experience is on the power supply side; they don't always filter it very well so get affected by what else is going on on the motherboard. A decent outboard one will either filter the incoming USB power very well or have an external power supply.

My personal setup is computer -> outboard DAC (PreSonus - also has ADC and used as HiZ and line level input with low latency for recording) -> small mixing desk (Soundcraft - used to feed in inputs from various other bits of kit like CD player and act as external gain control) -> old Carlsboro amp and studio monitors.