Models in question: APC SMT750, SMT1000, SMT1500 Good for audio gear use, or is it better to just plug into a good surge protector?

Are the modi or modi multibit good options for a DAC for a laptop? They're $100 and $250 respectively. Not sure what else is out there that might be a better value.

Not sure how you guys handle these cables, but I'm finding them awful to work on. Not only does the main insulation contain fiber threads, but the individual wires inside have fiber threads running through them. Even with plenty of flux applied, these wires will not take solder. They're...

I currently own one of these, which I love: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Passive-preamplifier-ALPS-Potentiometers-/190836562928   But I may need to order another passive volume control for a 2nd setup, and I'm considering trying a stepped attenuator, such as this one...

Does anyone know of a better cable for the Bose QC3 headphones? The included cable is pretty thin and flimsy, also a bit short, and with a 1/8 plug. I wouldn't mind a thicker cable, preferably a bit longer, and preferably with a 1/4 plug.

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My motherboard is an Asrock Z87 Extreme 4: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z87%20Extreme4/   I'm using the onboard sound, which as far as I can tell, is pretty good. But then I don't really have anything extremely high end to compare it to. The onboard sound goes to a passive preamp, which...

Does anyone know if premade cables exist that use three conductors? Looking for male XLR to male RCA.   If not, I suppose I'll have to unpack the Weller and make some.

Anyone use one of these? http://www.ebay.com/itm/190836562928   Seems to have more versatility than the Goldpoint units I looked at, and of course it's a lot cheaper.

This is my proposed setup:   Outputs of computer audio and turntable go to the two inputs on Schiit Sys... Outputs of Schiit Sys goes to a pair of RCA Y-cables... Outputs of RCA Y-cables go to active monitors and also to Schiit Magni headphone amp.   Will this work fine?

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Anyone have studio monitors + kids/pets? Seems like it would be a dangerous combination. How do you protect your valuable drivers from said biological whirlwinds of chaos and destruction?

Thoughts?

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I just got a pair of HD650's today, and I wanted to get opinions on using the headphone amp in my Mackie 402VLZ4 mixer. I've used it in the past for my HD558 and HD598 and it's been fine, as far as I can tell. But I know the HD650 have a higher impedance, so do they need something more...

The Schiit Modi 2 is $99 (or $149 for the uber model), and it is about as simplistic as a USB DAC can get.   The Behringer Q502USB is also a USB DAC, but with the added benefits of being a mixer and being only $59. Even without considering all of the other mixer functionality, the analog...

So I was looking at getting a soundcard for my computer to replace the onboard sound, but then someone suggested I might be better off with a USB sound interface.   I currently have active monitors connected to a small mixer, which accepts analog inputs from my computer as well as from a...

Saw some Dynaudio Audience 5 speakers advertised locally for $300. I believe that particular model is 15-20 years old. The seller is a local audio store, and they've stated that the speakers are in excellent shape, working perfect. Is anyone familiar with the Audience 5's, and if so, is $300 a...

Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison of Dynaudio's new DBM50's with their long standing BM5A MKII? I'm interested to hear what people have to say about the sound quality  and the difference that slightly larger woofer makes on the DBM50.

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Is it better to run a high level signal into studio monitors and keep the gain on the monitors low, or is it better to run a low level signal into the monitors and turn the gain up more?

I'm currently running TS->RCA cables from my mixer to the unbalanced RCA inputs of my studio monitors. But my mixer outputs say they support both balanced and unbalanced. So would running balanced TRS->TRS or TRS-XLR cables from the mixer to the monitors reduce any of that background hiss? Or...