Asus xonar stx rca to xlr questions (unbalanced to balanced)

[skaarsgard]

Experts, thank you for your time. This may be long but please hear me out. Budget could be up to $1200 but I'd really like to keep it under $500 (not including speakers).

I feel like I've studied for hours and still unable to find out if there truly are ramifications of connecting powered studio monitors via balanced XLR to RCA cable into my ASUS Xonar STX's (pc sound card) non-balanced RCA out ports.

My goal is to upgrade my current pretty good computer speakers (Definitive Technology Incline) to studio monitors with focus on high quality music playback and music production in that order of preference. Most of the ASUS forums I've stumbled upon recommended powered speakers straight into the RCA outputs. My current speakers can do this now - the only others I've stumbled upon that were interesting were the Audioengine 5+ but I've actually heard them and not what I'm currently looking for. I would like to keep my sound card as it has an excellent DAC now.

These are the two speakers I'm mostly interested in as I've been impressed with my first couple of tests at the local guitar shop:
Adam a5x and Yamaha HS7

My current dilemma is they both only have balanced XLR and TSR inputs. So, I thought I could simply buy XLR to RCA cables and connect them up. Apparently it's not as easy as that - unbalanced to balanced can cause problems.

So, now I am looking for an interface between the speakers. The easy solution would be to buy an audio interface with balanced XLR outputs - something like a Focus-rite Scarlett but it only has a USB interface and its DAC is likely a downgrade. Other options would be in the pre-amp space but most include DAC's and are way overkill for me cost-wise.

Are there other options I could look into? What is the general consensus on this forum regarding connecting unbalanced into balanced?

I could always go the desktop amp route with Passive bookshelves but I am not too sold on their ability in the music production department.

Thanks in advance! I've been pulling my hair out over this - cannot find a device that has XLR balanced out, RCA in and without a DAC.

-skaars

 

[slipperybidness]

What problem in particular do you expect to be caused by using RCAs unbalanced into a balanced connection?

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Hey skaars,

Someone’s been feeding you a line of bull. It’s no problem going from unbalanced RCA to a balanced XLR input. I have some equalizers in my system that only have XLR in and outs, that I’m feeding with RCA to XLR cables, and everything works just fine.

Another alternative, possible cheaper, would be to use RCA to 1/4" TS (tip-sleeve) cables. That will work fine as well.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[slipperybidness]

Hey skaars,

Someone’s been feeding you a line of bull. It’s no problem going from unbalanced RCA to a balanced XLR input. I have some equalizers in my system that only have XLR in and outs, that I’m feeding with RCA to XLR cables, and everything works just fine.

Another alternative, possible cheaper, would be to use RCA to 1/4" TS (tip-sleeve) cables. That will work fine as well.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

+1

That is exactly what I was getting at in post #2, but before I dropped that bomb, I was trying to see just what line of non-sense was fed to him.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Yeah, I’d be interested in hearing that myself...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[BMXTRIX]

So, you've been looking for this...
http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=45

But I agree with others that you don't need it.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

agree with rest. No worry about connecting unbalanced into pro monitors.
btw: have you heard JBL LSR305 or 308???

 

[skaarsgard]

Everybody - thank you very much for your confirmations of what I suspected should be fine. I found some mono price cables previously online that will do the trick - RCA to XLR or TS. While I am still a noob in high end audio, I usually don't have any fears building things, tinkering or trying new ways to accomplish alternative solutions.

I'll give it a shot and report back.

Also, thanks for the interface link - will keep that in my back pocket for later.

And I did hear those JBL's (5") at the same guitar shop. I was extremely impressed (almost blown away) with the bass punch as I play bass guitar but compared the other two, it wasn't in the same league in the middle or upper ends. I actually may succumb to the JBL's for recording but it will constantly both me when listening to music that I'm missing something I previously heard on another set- if that makes sense.

Knowing how most audiophiles all suffer from perfectionism, I bet a lot of you know what I am saying here.

 

[slipperybidness]

Everybody - thank you very much for your confirmations of what I suspected should be fine. I found some mono price cables previously online that will do the trick - RCA to XLR or TS. While I am still a noob in high end audio, I usually don't have any fears building things, tinkering or trying new ways to accomplish alternative solutions.

I'll give it a shot and report back.

Also, thanks for the interface link - will keep that in my back pocket for later.

And I did hear those JBL's (5") at the same guitar shop. I was extremely impressed (almost blown away) with the bass punch as I play bass guitar but compared the other two, it wasn't in the same league in the middle or upper ends. I actually may succumb to the JBL's for recording but it will constantly both me when listening to music that I'm missing something I previously heard on another set- if that makes sense.

Knowing how most audiophiles all suffer from perfectionism, I bet a lot of you know what I am saying here.

Adam makes some pretty dang nice monitors! But you pay for them!

Seems like you may be going to Guitar Center? Remember that they have used gear too.

Back to the question that brought you here...please tell us the "problems" that you were told you would create on the bal/unbal connections. We could use a good laugh