Active monitors w/ consumer-grade home stereo receiver

saintcarquinez · Post by **saintcarquinez** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:00 pm

Thanks so much.

rhythm ranch · Post by **rhythm ranch** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:16 pm

If the Wharfdales are active you shouldn't be feeding them from the receiver's speaker output. An active speaker wants to see a line level input - try using the tape out from the receiver.

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:21 pm

You do need to read the manuals to both pieces of equipment.

That said, please see if your Denon receiver has an output OTHER than the speakers, otherwise you will be S.O.L.

Cheers

saintcarquinez · Post by **saintcarquinez** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:36 pm

rhythm ranch · Post by **rhythm ranch** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:56 pm

What's the model number of the receiver?

saintcarquinez · Post by **saintcarquinez** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:07 pm

DRA-325R is Denon. Thanks!

AndyHutchinson · Post by **AndyHutchinson** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 6:50 pm

I've been trying to figure out a setup like this too; let me know if you come up with a solution!

ashcat_lt · Post by **ashcat_lt** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:17 pm

What the heck are you people running through these recievers?

The mixer/daw stereo out goes directly to the speakers and you're done. Control volume at the source.

Or are you actually trying to use these speakers for your home "entertainment system" and be able to switch between FM, cassette, DVD, and phono? For this I'd recommend (for quick, easy, and relatively cheap) a DJ mixer.

'Course, a passive stereo volume control for between the tape out and the speakers would be fairly simple to build. By then, you might as well add a source switch and forgo the reciever altogether.

saintcarquinez · Post by **saintcarquinez** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:30 pm

I'd like to forgo the receiver for sure. What I need is a way to a/b signal through different speakers, some of which are passive, and some active. And the ability to attenuate the signal.

farview · Post by **farview** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:58 pm

saintcarquinez wrote:I'd like to forgo the receiver for sure. What I need is a way to a/b signal through different speakers, some of which are passive, and some active. And the ability to attenuate the signal.

A DJ mixer would be the easiest way. Even a normal mixer that has control room outputs for two sets of speakers.

roygbiv · Post by **roygbiv** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:36 am

I use a SMPro m-patch for just such a situation.

Passive switcher/audio controller. Lets you select between two different inputs, and two different outputs.

Go into it from my sound card, then hook one output to my powered speakers, the other output to my receiver with passive speakers.

Works great, only issue is volume matching.

Unfortunately, it is now only available as the "upgraded" the SMPro m-patch 2. I say unfortunately because it costs quite a bit more (~$160), mine was ~ $70 used.

Brian Brock · Post by **Brian Brock** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 11:27 am

I think you can probably run the headphone out of your stereo amp/receiver into your powered speakers without much trouble. It's not elegant, but it should work - I've done it using the headphone out of an audio interface. The headphone out is unbalanced, so you might have to fiddle around a bit.

You really want a free speaker switcher.

Maybe the cheapest, easiest thing would be to get some female/female adaptors, if you're using 1/4 inch balanced you would want something intended to extend headphone cables, or something. You get 4, and put them on the ends of the cables going into your speakers. Then when you want to switch, unplug your audio source cables from the adaptors hooked up to the 20/20s (or if they're passive, whatever amp is driving them), and replug them into the wharfdale adaptors. The reason for using the adaptors is so that you aren't left with dangling live TRS plugs feeding into your powered speakers, which will make a big noise. The adaptors should make the end of the cable equivalent to the socket on the speaker itself, which you can probably plug/unplug without a noise. I'm pretty sure this would work flawlessly, although I haven't done it, and it would cost like ten bucks at Radio Shack.

What audio interface are you using? If it has 2 stereo outputs, you can use that and control everything in software. Some people are worried about sending a burst of digital noise to the speakers that way, but it's never been a problem for me.

Maybe switching between speakers isn't all that important, anyway.

Definitely never plug one thing into another before you make sure that you can't cause any damage.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:29 am

Rat Shack carries passive AV switchers that have 3 RCA jacks, one for video and then L/R audio - just ignore the video jack.

One that I use I use in reverse; in other words it has two sets of ins and one of outs, just reverse and use out for in, etc.

I am 3 sets of running passive speakers and one of active and use two such switches with A, B, A+B capability.

Soundcard ----switch-----Powered monitors
..........................\------receiver----Spkr out A---passives
...........................................\------Spkr out B---switch----passives
............................................................................\-------passives

(ignore the periods in the "schematic")

The push-button switches are quieter than the rotary - they don't "thump".

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Active monitors w/ consumer-grade home stereo receiver

Active monitors w/ consumer-grade home stereo receiver

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