[Audioenthused]

Good day Hifiers
I hope I am posting this in the right place

So I just acquired a pair of D2s (my first quality speakers) which don't work with my Xnoar DG soundcard or my e10 DAC/Amp, was so desperate even tried them with on board sound of my computer, this was before I got the e10 because I was advised that it could be due to the amp on the DG's port that is causing the problem and since the on board is not amped (well not to my knowledge) I tested it on it.  When plugged in the speakers produce some distorted frequencies, something slightly high pitched but mostly squeaky and the vocals sound like they are way in the background and I am guessing depending how the vocals are panned sometimes I don't hear anything at all.

My main issue is when I plugged the speaker into my friends Mbox it works perfectly fine so what is the issue? Where am I going wrong?
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Good day Hifiers
I hope I am posting this in the right place
So I just acquired a pair of D2s (my first quality speakers) which don't work with my Xonar DG sound card or my e10 DAC/Amp, was so desperate even tried them with on board sound of my computer, this was before I got the E10 because I was advised that it could be due to the amp on the DG's port that is causing the problem and since the on board is not amped (well not to my knowledge) I tested it on it.  When plugged in the speakers produce some distorted frequencies, something slightly high pitched but mostly squeaky and the vocals sound like they are way in the background and I am guessing depending how the vocals are panned sometimes I don't hear anything at all.
My main issue is when I plugged the speaker into my friends Mbox it works perfectly fine so what is the issue? Where am I going wrong?
Thanks in advance.

 
Personally, I doubt the Xonar DG's ability to drive headphones had a negative affect on the DG's ability to work with speakers.
When you connected the DG to the BX5, did you use a cable with a 3.5mm (1/8") stereo plug at one end and at the other end dual 1/4" (6.35mm) mono plugs?
With the Xonar DG installed in the computer, did you disable the motherboard's on-board audio? in the BIOS
I'm assuming you set the Xonar DG's control panel's Analog output to "2 Speaker"?
Try deleting the Asus software and install the Unified Xonar Drivers.
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/
 
I'm assuming the cable you use to connect to the Mbox is different from the cable you use to connect with the Xonar DG?

 

[Audioenthused]

   
Personally, I doubt the Xonar DG's ability to drive headphones had a negative affect on the DG's ability to work with speakers.
When you connected the DG to the BX5, did you use a cable with a 3.5mm (1/8") stereo plug at one end and at the other end dual 1/4" (6.35mm) mono plugs?
With the Xonar DG installed in the computer, did you disable the motherboard's on-board audio? in the BIOS
I'm assuming you set the Xonar DG's control panel's Analog output to "2 Speaker"?
Try deleting the Asus software and install the Unified Xonar Drivers.
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/
 
I'm assuming the cable you use to connect to the Mbox is different from the cable you use to connect with the Xonar DG?

 
Thanks for your reply I'm a bit specific and I noticed that you stated "did you use a cable with a 3.5mm (1/8") stereo plug at one end and at the other end dual 1/4" (6.35mm) mono plugs?"
 
Does it have to be "mono" if I had used a cable which was stereo on the 1/8" on one end and stereo on the 1/4" (TRS) end instead of a (TS) mono end could that cause a problem?


 

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Thanks for your reply I'm a bit specific and I noticed that you stated "did you use a cable with a 3.5mm (1/8") stereo plug at one end and at the other end dual 1/4" (6.35mm) mono plugs?"
Does it have to be "mono" if I had used a cable which was stereo on the 1/8" on one end and stereo on the 1/4" (TRS) end instead of a (TS) mono end could that cause a problem?

 
 
I'm far from an "audio expert", so I do a lot of guessing and speculation.
 
I believe my Monoprice 5" studio monitors came from the same factory that make the M-Audio BX5s.
Might be some minor changes, but in general I think my Monoprice 5" are just rebranded BX5s.
So i bought a cable with the 3.5mm stereo plug on one end and dual 1/4" mono TS plugs on the other end to connect my sound card, and it works.
(Technically it's a short 3.5mm stereo plug going to two RCA connectors adapter, then daisy chained to a RCAs (red/white) to two 1/4" mono plugs cable).
These are the cable and adapter i use to connect my sound card to studio monitors.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSCPR20
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?seq=1&format=2&p_id=666&CAWELAID=1329452184&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=320013720000010990&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CJaan9D-r70CFVFp7AodBBMAJg
 
 
I guess you can feed an unbalanced audio signal to the studio monitor, using a mono (TS) 1/4" plug, one channel feeds the signal, the other channel is the return/ground.
Or feed the studio monitor a balanced audio signal using the stereo (TRS) 1/4" plug, two channel to feed the audio signal and the third channel is the return/ground.
I believe sound card (and computer audio in general) uses an unbalanced audio signal.
 
From my understanding balanced audio is where twice the power (voltage or amps?) is sent, each channel is carrying the same power as a normal mono channel, but your using two channels, so twice the power in total.
So it might be when you send an unbalanced audio signal, but split the power to two channels, each channel is only carrying half the power as it normally would, so the studio monitor might be a little confused on what is being sent to it.
Or your sending the correct power on just one of the channels, but the studio monitor is expecting two channels.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Does it have to be "mono" if I had used a cable which was stereo on the 1/8" on one end and stereo on the 1/4" (TRS) end instead of a (TS) mono end could that cause a problem?

 
Yes. It does have to be mono.
 
In fact it is not contrary to the available evidence that what you have done is use a stereo minijack to dual stereo TRS jack adaptor instead of a stereo minijack to dual mono TS jack.
 
Use Google to read up on the differences between unbalanced and balanced audio cabling.
 
Since you already know the speakers work when wired correctly all you need to do now is check you are getting output from the ASUS or whatever then connect the system up correctly.
 
Google locally for a 1/8" unbalanced stereo mini-jack to 2x unbalanced 1/4" TS jack.
 
here are some examples. http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/stereo-mini-jack-to-mono-jack
 
Although depending on what gear you have lying around you might find it easier to do as purple suggested.  Use a regular stereo minijack to 2x RCA phono cable and use RCA to TS jack adaptors in the back of the speakers.
 
Save up for a USB audio interface with balanced outs and a volume control. It makes sense in the long run even though it does not always mean better SQ.

 

[Audioenthused]

  Save up for a USB audio interface with balanced outs and a volume control. It makes sense in the long run even though it does not always mean better SQ.

 
Thanks a lot for confirming this for me I think I see the mistake I made, a member here had also recommended 1/8th to 2x 1/4th TS but I had initially purchase the Bx5 D2 and a pair of 1/8th to XLR cables and when those didn't work I ordered a pair of 1/8th to 1/4th TRS and those also didn't work properly (seeing now that it is due to them both being sterero on both ends) when I explained the issue to Mal suggested that it could be due to the amp on my DG that was causing the issues which is what lead to me purchasing the e10 and I am still experiencing this issue thus why I am here now.  
 
But its apparent this was due to my oversight and I could have saved myself the purchase of the e10 and the extra cables **sighs** which I could have saved towards an AI like what you are suggesting. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

The FiiO E10 should be an easy resell.