Need Help with Speaker Setup.

So basically I bought a pair of Mackie Mr5's and I will be adding a subwoofer later down the road. Also have some Ath-m50's that are great :D

I'm kinda new to most of the audio world and the soundcard I have now is the Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1

I want to get an  audio interface thats an upgrade from the present card I got now unless I can hook up my speakers digitally and with balanced connections to the Auzentech (Don't think I can.)

My time is split up about like this: 40% listening to music, 20% games, 40% work.

I don't play games as much as I listen to music but I would like something that is good for both. My work is not audio related so I won't be recording and stuff.

1. willing to spend 200-250 on an interface. Can go alittle higher maybe.

2. Want to beable to hook up a 2.1 setup or 5.1 setup (if i want to upgrade later) with all balanced connections. So i need 6 channels?

3. I would like Digital cause i hear its somewhat better then analog.

Hope someone can help me with this. Need some help with hooking up it all up too. So confusing!!!

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Max 

Your speakers cannot be hooked up "digitally" to anything because you need a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) to turn the ones and zeroes from a digital signal into an analogue signal that your headphones and speakers can convert to sound waves, otherwise you would get no sound.  There's the Xonar Essence STX (soundcard or internal DAC) or Audio-gd NFB-12 (external DAC) for stereo audio at that price range, but I wouldn't know what to recommend for multi-channel.

 

If you can go a little higher, you should try asking in the Dedicated source components forum for a nicer external DAC. 

Ahhh thanks for clearing that up. So basically in order to hear any sound from speakers or recording you need some kind of ADC oor DAC?

I was looking at the Emu 4040 because many people recommend them around the internet but it only has two balanced TRS outputs.. How would I connect the sub?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRG1990 

The emu 404 is a good choice because you can go balanced rather than unbalanced, you would need a studio sub with a balanced thru-put.

Have any good recommendations for such a sub?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRG1990 

The emu 404 is a good choice because you can go balanced rather than unbalanced, you would need a studio sub with a balanced thru-put.

What do you mean by "thru-put" Any other subs comparable to the ones mentioned above in the same price range ?

Also can the Emu 404 do 5.1 sound if i want to upgrade in the future?

Got my Mackie's today and want a temporary solution to plug them into my auzentech x-fi forte. I tried using a A Y adapter like this and plugged in the white rca like this: http://www.computercablestore.com/5_FT_Audio_Y_Splitter_Cab_PID458.aspx 

I plugged them in and all i got was pretty bad humming from the speakers

Ughhhhhhhh What exact cable do i need to go from 3.5mm to rca or TRS ?

Needs to be cheap as its a temp solution only.

Im plugging the 3.5mm jack of the above mentioned .5 FT Audio "Y" Splitter Cable - 3.5mm Male to Dual RCA Males  into the io break out cable that is for the x-fi forte with 3.5mm jacks (tried all of them). I am then procceding to plug the end of the RCA into the mackie mr5's. The cable im using is in the link above your post Eric.

Cant take pics until i get my camera back from family. Thats the best i can explain it. Again im only getting a pretty lound humming out of the speakers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric_C 

Ok, I've had a look at the manual (http://www.auzensupport.com/site/download/manuals.php) and on page 17 it shows the setup for a 2.1 speaker system. 

You should take the I/O breakout cable, and connect the black cable to the green plug.

 

Alternatively, try plugging the black 3.5mm end of your cable into the X-Fi's headphone port? The one on the soundcard itself?

I have two of these cables:

Tried plugging the 3.5mm into the green and the white RCA into the speaker. all i get is humming. also tried plugging the 3.5mm into the head phone jack and i am also getting humming only.

It's a 2.0 setup atm as i dont have my sub yet and wont for some time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric_C 

Yes, I know it's for a 2.0 setup, but the 2.1 system is the closest that they have in the manual. It's really weird that you can't get any sound out of the headphone jack--have you tried testing the X-Fi and Mackie separately? See if you can isolate the problem to either one of them?

I can get some sound out of them but it is overpowered extremely by humming. I tried also testing them seperately but it's the same for both.

I beggining to think i have the wrong cable.