Two sets of active bookshelf speakers connected to 1 input

[BillieBobThe3rd]

As the title says, is this possible? Do I need a specific type of amp/dac, or will any do? Obviously, I'll need two channels and sufficient power, but other than that, I am literally clueless. Cheers

 

To add, I have one pair of Pioneer DJ 4 Inch Desktop Monitor Speakers, DM40-D; and a pair of the Majority D40(s). Similar name, but not the same!

 

Does impedance play a part in all of this?

[adm0n]

Well both speakers will need power. You can either provide them separately with power if they are something like wireless speakers or you provide the signal at the same time with power with classical speaker wire.

 

If you just want one cable to be used as an input, a normal TRS (3.5mm audio jack) connector can carry a stereo signal. Alternatively a DAC can get the audio signal via USB.

Does that help or are you looking for something else?

[DoctorNick]

3 minutes ago, BillieBobThe3rd said:

As the title says, is this possible? Do I need a specific type of amp/dac, or will any do? Obviously, I'll need two channels and sufficient power, but other than that, I am literally clueless. Cheers

Because the speakers has there own amp, then simply splitting the signal should be enough. I would just get a mini jack splitter cable like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Speaker-Headphone-Audio-Splitter/dp/B000067RC4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=mini%2Bjack%2Bsplitter&qid=1702365602&sr=8-3&th=1

 

[BillieBobThe3rd]

Just now, adm0n said:

Well both speakers will need power. You can either provide them separately with power if they are something like wireless speakers or you provide the signal at the same time with power with classical speaker wire.

 

If you just want one cable to be used as an input, a normal TRS (3.5mm audio jack) connector can carry a stereo signal. Alternatively a DAC can get the audio signal via USB.

Does that help or are you looking for something else?

I'm  hoping to power them together, so I'd basically have four speakers connected to one input (output from the media source). I can't do USB, as I am connecting both sets of speakers to my monitor, which only has a basic 3.5mm jack. I've tried a 3.5mm splitter by the way, and it worked, but the audio was awful. Clearly, there wasn't enough power.

 

I'm looking at getting an amp dac type thingy, but again, have no clue what to get? Honestly, at this point I'm just thinking of getting a Denon amp/ hifi, just for ease.

[BillieBobThe3rd]

7 minutes ago, DoctorNick said:

Because the speakers has there own amp, then simply splitting the signal should be enough. I would just get a mini jack splitter cable like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Speaker-Headphone-Audio-Splitter/dp/B000067RC4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=mini%2Bjack%2Bsplitter&qid=1702365602&sr=8-3&th=1

 

Sensible idea, unfortunately it didn't work for me. Both sets of speakers were powered, and worked just fine, but the volume was reduced on both sets. As was, the overall "dynamic range" of the speakers.

[adm0n]

If you use 3.5mm you don't need a DAC (Digital Analog Converter) as your signal is already analog. What you'd need is a AMP, to make the signal more powerful.

 

What speakers do you have? Maybe something like this could work for you (https://www.amazon.com/BT20A-Bluetooth-Audio-Amplifier-Integrated/dp/B07BQC7GNL)

You'd need a 3.5mm to RCA cable for that though, or you could use bluetooth, if latency isn't an issue.

 

 

[BillieBobThe3rd]

4 minutes ago, adm0n said:

If you use 3.5mm you don't need a DAC (Digital Analog Converter) as your signal is already analog. What you'd need is a AMP, to make the signal more powerful.

 

What speakers do you have? Maybe something like this could work for you (https://www.amazon.com/BT20A-Bluetooth-Audio-Amplifier-Integrated/dp/B07BQC7GNL)

You'd need a 3.5mm to RCA cable for that though, or you could use bluetooth, if latency isn't an issue.

 

 

Okay. That clarifies things, thank you. So I just need an amp, and no DAC, as that's already built in to the speakers I guess? Will any amp do? I favour Sony or Denon, but would rather not pay the money they are asking, haha!

 

I have one pair of Pioneer DJ 4 Inch Desktop Monitor Speakers, DM40-D; and a pair of Majority D40(s)

 

Bluetooth is not an option, because of latency, as you say.

 

 

[BillieBobThe3rd]

8 minutes ago, adm0n said:

If you use 3.5mm you don't need a DAC (Digital Analog Converter) as your signal is already analog. What you'd need is a AMP, to make the signal more powerful.

 

What speakers do you have? Maybe something like this could work for you (https://www.amazon.com/BT20A-Bluetooth-Audio-Amplifier-Integrated/dp/B07BQC7GNL)

You'd need a 3.5mm to RCA cable for that though, or you could use bluetooth, if latency isn't an issue.

 

 

The amp you highlighted seems pretty blooming good, but I couldn't see the IO part of it in the pictures. Does it have dual speaker outputs? Thanks for your help

[adm0n]

29 minutes ago, BillieBobThe3rd said:

Okay. That clarifies things, thank you. So I just need an amp, and no DAC, as that's already built in to the speakers I guess? Will any amp do? I favour Sony or Denon, but would rather not pay the money they are asking, haha!

 

I have one pair of Pioneer DJ 4 Inch Desktop Monitor Speakers, DM40-D; and a pair of Majority D40(s)

 

Bluetooth is not an option, because of latency, as you say.

 

 

A DAC takes a digital signal (think like a signal that comes via USB or Bluetooth consisting of 1's and 0's) into an analog signal (think a signal that goes via a 3.5mm cable and basically has an amplitude proportional to how much the speakers tweeter should move to create the desired sound). So if you take the signal via a 3.5mm cable from your monitor, you already have an analog signal, that went through your monitors DAC.

 

The DAC in your monitor will likely not be the best and there will be very little amplification to that signal.

But both speaker sets you've mentioned are powered and have an amplifier build in, if I'm not mistaken.

 

The D40-D looks like this

Spoiler

So you insert AC and a stero signal. And you get the output for the second speaker as well. So for this you don't need an AMP as it is build in. And the other speaker looked similar, don't know if it pairs up with the second one though or if they are both standalone.

 

Now to your problem why it sounded bad with the splitter. There are a few reasons, one could be that the splitter was bad, another that the DAC in your monitor is just really bad and a third option would be that you messed something up in your settings.

[BillieBobThe3rd]

8 hours ago, adm0n said:

A DAC takes a digital signal (think like a signal that comes via USB or Bluetooth consisting of 1's and 0's) into an analog signal (think a signal that goes via a 3.5mm cable and basically has an amplitude proportional to how much the speakers tweeter should move to create the desired sound). So if you take the signal via a 3.5mm cable from your monitor, you already have an analog signal, that went through your monitors DAC.

 

The DAC in your monitor will likely not be the best and there will be very little amplification to that signal.

But both speaker sets you've mentioned are powered and have an amplifier build in, if I'm not mistaken.

 

The D40-D looks like this

  Hide contents

So you insert AC and a stero signal. And you get the output for the second speaker as well. So for this you don't need an AMP as it is build in. And the other speaker looked similar, don't know if it pairs up with the second one though or if they are both standalone.

 

Now to your problem why it sounded bad with the splitter. There are a few reasons, one could be that the splitter was bad, another that the DAC in your monitor is just really bad and a third option would be that you messed something up in your settings.

Interesting. I do wonder if an amp might help, just in terms of powering all the speakers. Just because, the splitter was so useless. As you say though, it could be the splitter itself. Apparently audio equipment is complicated!

 

Honestly, I'm probably just persuading myself to buy an amp, because I kinda want one. Especially, if it will give me a sub out, so I can then buy a separate subwoofer. Cheers

[Blue4130]

5 hours ago, BillieBobThe3rd said:

Interesting. I do wonder if an amp might help, just in terms of powering all the speakers. Just because, the splitter was so useless. As you say though, it could be the splitter itself. Apparently audio equipment is complicated!

 

Honestly, I'm probably just persuading myself to buy an amp, because I kinda want one. Especially, if it will give me a sub out, so I can then buy a separate subwoofer. Cheers

You don't need to power the speakers from an amp, They are ACTIVE speakers.

[saintlouisbagels]

On 12/12/2023 at 11:59 AM, BillieBobThe3rd said:

Interesting. I do wonder if an amp might help, just in terms of powering all the speakers. Just because, the splitter was so useless. As you say though, it could be the splitter itself. Apparently audio equipment is complicated!

 

Honestly, I'm probably just persuading myself to buy an amp, because I kinda want one. Especially, if it will give me a sub out, so I can then buy a separate subwoofer. Cheers

Your desktop monitor speakers are active/powered speakers. They have a built-in amplifier.

Buying a speaker amplifier won't do you any good because your speakers are only going to accept line-level inputs.

 

If you want a sub-out then you're looking for something called a "pre-amp" which is essentially a box with inputs, outputs, and volume control. I think most DAC units typically come with a volume knob and enough I/O to function as pre-amps.

This way, the volume knob on the pre-amp will give a variable volume output to both the powered monitors, and the subwoofer.

Most subwoofers are active subwoofers, like your active speakers.

 

edit:

I just read through the thread.

You're looking for a headphone amplifier if the split signal is not enough for your active speakers.

Keep in mind that the audio-ouput from your monitor is probably really crappy, so splitting and amplifying the signal is just going to compound the issue.

 

I don't understand your setup.

Why is all of the audio being routed from the monitor?

 

Could you give us a full overview of the devices in your setup and your goals so that we can give you proper guidance?

and finally, it is is really dumb to try to use two different set of speakers simultaneously. Just use 1 good pair of speakers.

[Koolholio]

On 12/12/2023 at 7:15 AM, BillieBobThe3rd said:

As the title says, is this possible? Do I need a specific type of amp/dac, or will any do? Obviously, I'll need two channels and sufficient power, but other than that, I am literally clueless. Cheers

 

To add, I have one pair of Pioneer DJ 4 Inch Desktop Monitor Speakers, DM40-D; and a pair of the Majority D40(s). Similar name, but not the same!

 

Does impedance play a part in all of this?

Given the difference in speaker specs you might want to position your tweeters correctly (side)

the pioneers in the middle or?

 

https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Balun
(Passive)Balun and RCA cables…

 

start here

(look at the diagram at the top,

you will require one on either side (a transmitter and receiver)

this one “Operatable only with 2 devices”

and you’ll need a way of converting rca to your audio interface)

https://images.thomann.de/pics/atg/atgdata/document/specs/c_datasheet_252772_v2_en_online.pdf

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_nb_40.htm

 

https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78117
(Read first) balancing is sometimes mislabelled for amplification …

https://www.thomann.de/blog/en/the-difference-between-balanced-and-unbalanced-cables/

 

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/ethernet-audio
(Additional reading on the extensive broad topic)

 

if you have xlr outs, XLR to RCA… but Not XLR to RJ45

 

monitors usually don’t have built in circuitry to reduce distortion because they’re not the same as speakers…

but cables and impedance are still a thing like crosstalk

 

if you want more a surround device than 2 sets, there’s always PROZOR extenders

 

usually you’d plug monitors into a (usually ASIO) audio interface such as 

 

Behringer UCA222 U-Control Ultra-Low Latency 2 In/2 Out USB Audio Interface & Amazon Basics 2-Male to 2-Male RCA Audio Cable - 1.22 meters https://amzn.eu/d/02gUMum

without getting into more expensive pro audio gear…

because 70 v 100 speakers and distributors gets into big bucks

 

A much cheaper option is Asio4all with Bluetooth… even if you have to repeat the signal with additional Bluetooth

have fun

[Omon_Ra]

On 12/12/2023 at 2:15 AM, BillieBobThe3rd said:

As the title says, is this possible? Do I need a specific type of amp/dac, or will any do? Obviously, I'll need two channels and sufficient power, but other than that, I am literally clueless. Cheers

 

To add, I have one pair of Pioneer DJ 4 Inch Desktop Monitor Speakers, DM40-D; and a pair of the Majority D40(s). Similar name, but not the same!

 

Does impedance play a part in all of this?

What is your end-game goal here?

On 12/13/2023 at 1:06 PM, saintlouisbagels said:

 

edit:

 

I just read through the thread.

You're looking for a headphone amplifier if the split signal is not enough for your active speakers.

Keep in mind that the audio-output from your monitor is probably really crappy, so splitting and amplifying the signal is just going to compound the issue.

 

I don't understand your setup.

Why is all of the audio being routed from the monitor?

 

Could you give us a full overview of the devices in your setup and your goals so that we can give you proper guidance?

and finally, it is is really dumb to try to use two different set of speakers simultaneously. Just use 1 good pair of speakers.

Need more info from OP to explain the setup. Skip running audio through the monitor if at all possible. How many inputs do you have, what devices, and what type of outputs do they have [RCA, 3.5mm stereo jack, toslink optical, etc]?

 

Trying to get two sets of powered bookshelves together is going to be more hassle than it's worth. I'd use the Pioneers as your main speakers and setup the Majority somewhere else. If you want quadraphonic or surround sound you're going to want to look into passive bookshelves and an AV receiver. That can be put together for a couple hundred dollars up to as much as you'd ever dream to spend.