Shaun asked:
The keyboard audio out uses one left 1/4″ phone jack and one right 1/4″ phone jack.
Tags: Balanced Xlr, Cables, Korg Keyboard, Rca, Studio MonitorsThe keyboard audio out uses one left 1/4″ phone jack and one right 1/4″ phone jack.
The two monitors each have 3 possible inputs labeled: Balanced 1/4″ phone jack, balanced XLR, and unbalanced RCA.
I want the highest audio quality. Should I get two balanced 1/4″ to 1/4″ cables (they look stereo) even though they will function each as mono?
monitors are powered
Mr. Know-it-all says:
First, are the monitors powered (meaning do they have their own power supply)? This is easy to verify.. do they have an AC plug that goes into the wall? If not – answer is moot because you’re coming out of the keyboard at line level, not with a powered signal. For the sake of argument we’ll assume they are powered since you said they have a XLR jack.
XLR is the best of the 3 connections, but is used primarily with microphones. If you adapt from the XLR to 1/4″ you’ll lose the benefits. If the output isn’t balanced, using balanced cables would be of no benefit.
Your 1/4″ cables probably have one “ring” around them – meaning they are unbalanced…. balanced 1/4″ cables will have 2 rings around them… meaning your best connection will be to convert from unbalanced 1/4″ to rca, and input them into the rca inputs on the speaker (unless your monitors will take an unbalanced 1/4″ [also called tip-ring] in the balanced 1/4″ jack [also called tip-ring-sleeve] – you’ll have to check your speaker’s manual for this.)
Hope this helps!
August 22, 2008, 3:08 am