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Using Active Studio Monitors (Speakers)?

Steve N. Mavronis

My build uses the ASUS Z170i Pro Gaming motherboard with SupremeFX/RealTek HD audio. I purchased a pair of PreSonus Eris E3.5 Studio Monitors to use with a USB audio recording interface the Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen that uses RCA outputs. They are active powered with their own internal amplifier. The studio monitors has both a pair of RCA and TRS inputs. The box comes with a 1/8" stereo to dual RCA adapter cable, so I ordered a dual TS to dual RCA adapter cable. My plan is to use this cable for the interface to studio monitors and the 1/8" to dual RCA from the PC to the studio monitors. That way I can use them for both PC audio playback, and separately for interface recording playback. My question is which motherboard audio port to use with the active powered studio monitors; the (5) black speaker out or the (7) green line out?

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And from that which do you think you should use?

Spoiler

The answer is 'Lime'.

 

Just a warning, that there's only one input path to the speakers. As in, you won't be able to selectively use either input in isolation of the other.

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I guess it's all those "rear speaker out" messing with me? I just checked because my PC has been hooked up the same for 3 years and the speakers are plugged into the lime green audio output most likely because the connector is green too LOL. I was just consulting the manual and the wording for "speaker" fooled me. ;)

I'll see about the studio monitor inputs. Worse case I'll have to unplug the 1/4" TS adapter cable jacks when not using the interface for guitar or use the PC with the front Aux in jack or keep my existing speaker system and use the studio monitors only with the interface. I'll report back what happens after I get them on Wednesday.

 

Googling some answers to related questions on the Presonus website I read the following:
 

Quote

"The RCA port is an input that sums with the 1/4" input to the speaker amp."

But I may be misreading that.

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Okay so I got my PreSonus Eris E3.5 studio monitor speakers today and just played with them. They work good with both the PC and Interface separately. It will play though the Interface with the PC connected also except there is a background hum from the PC. Not sure if I can eliminate that, I remember reading about someone else with that PC hum problem using an interface at the same time. My Scarlett Solo interface is plugged into the speaker's TRS inputs (using a dual TS to dual RCA cable) and the PC is using the supplied dual RCA to 1/8" stereo jack. And yes I'm using the PC's line out from the motherboard. Oh and I also tested the supplied 1/8" stereo cable ith my iPhone using the speaker's front AUX input jack and that worked great. I just tried the straight 1/8" cable from my PC to the front AUX input and the hum is present there with the Interface plugged in to the speakers at the same time. Everything is plugged into the same surge protector. I do have a Furman SS6B 6 Plug Surge Protector EMI/RFI with noise attenuation that I use with my musical gear. I wonder if that would help at all.

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