[simonfoy]

Hi
 
I have just bought a pair of KRK Rokit 6 monitor speakers.
 
The speakers are connected at the rear via a RCA lead in the UNbalanced port.
 
 
The other end I am using a 3.5mm 2-into-1 splitter. 
 
From what I have read and seen on YouTube they say the UNbalanced port should not be used as the sound isn't good. I agree, it isn't.
So, how do I use the balanced ports? The man in the shop said it didn't matter what lead I was using as the splitter isn't balanced I wouldn't be able to use the balanced XLR or other balanced port because the splitter would just make it UNbalanced.
 
I am plugging this into a new PC which has a 7.1 Surround sound card on the motherboard. I also want to plug the speakers into my iPod so what do I need to buy to ensure I can use the balanced outputs and therefore get better sound? 
I hope this makes sense. Thanks a million
 
Simon

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
So, how do I use the balanced ports? The man in the shop said it didn't matter what lead I was using as the splitter isn't balanced I wouldn't be able to use the balanced XLR or other balanced port because the splitter would just make it UNbalanced.
 
I am plugging this into a new PC which has a 7.1 Surround sound card on the motherboard. I also want to plug the speakers into my iPod so what do I need to buy to ensure I can use the balanced outputs and therefore get better sound? 
I hope this makes sense. Thanks a million

 

A DAC-Preamp(-HPamp) unit or an audio interface with balanced output. The latter can be a lot cheaper but their headphone amp designs are problematic, so only get something like the Scarlett 2i4 if you don't really need to drive headphones. Otherwise, you need something like the AudioGD NFB-11.

 

That said, if the sound isn't good to you at all barring any obvious noise issues, chances are you just don't like the sound of those KRKs, or maybe there's something wrong with your soundcard settings. We haul them out of my friend's office and out into his roofdeck when we grill hooked up to an iPhone on a line-out dock running Spotify (we just set the gain and don't touch it) and not only does it demolish every single-cabinet portable speaker we can get our hands on, but the sound isn't problematic. And I just don't mean for background music - when the party was winding down and I just finished scrubbing the grill, I sat down in front of the speakers and they sound fine, at least considering it was just hooked up to an iPhone line out.

 

[simonfoy]

Thanks for the help, much appreciated