BX8 Wiring

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Member Since: Jun 11, 2004

Hi Everyone,

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject (I'm very new to home recording). I recently purchased the Audiophile 2496 PCI card along with a pair of StudioPhile BX8's. I need to wire the speakers to the soundcard, and I have a couple of questions:

1. I'm assuming that I will be using the card's output in stereo mode, so does that mean I should purchase a pair of mono TRS 1/4" cables, or do I need to buy stereo cables, or does it not even matter??

2. As far as input goes, I will be recording guitar and bass (not simultaneously), that's it. There are two RCA inputs on the Audiophile card... Should I buy a Y-connector to go from the 1/4" guitar cable to BOTH RCA inputs, or should I just plug into one??

I'm really confused by how the stereo/mono thing is affected at each connection, as you can see. I guess the thing that's really confusing me is the cable type... If I'm going from the left channel out on the card to one of the speakers, wouldn't a mono cable work (even though, technically, it's two separate mono channels going into two separate monitors - making it stereo)?

Or am I completely off the mark? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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Member
Since: May 09, 2004


Jun 12, 2004 12:10 am

Welcome to HRC, first off your gonna need four cables with male RCA at one end and 1/4" TS (or tip-sleeve) at the other end (not TRS or tip-ring-sleeve)

Here's one that pairs two together so you would need two of these

www.musiciansfriend.com/s...ase_pid/339009/

To connect the speakers you would take one of the paired cables and peel the 1/4" ends apart and hook the up to the left/right speakers respectively.

To record guitar and bass you really out to have a direct box if going direct or some kind of mic preamp if using microphones. I would actually recommend a 2 ch. unit that serves both functions such as:

www.musiciansfriend.com/s...ase_pid/241101/

Hope this helps ;}

a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002


Jun 12, 2004 09:22 am

Yes, you're right that each monitor connection is mono, so you just need a mono cable for each monitor. Together that makes stereo. A stereo cable in this situation would do nothing. For the most part, unless you're dealing with a soundblaster sound card or a headphone jack, you never need a stereo cable. The inputs on the Audiophile are mono, and the output on all your microphones and guitars is also mono (unless you're going out of a stereo effects unit). So there is no need to buy a Y connector for both inputs because that would be just taking a mono output and turning it into 2 mono signals that are exactly the same. Then you would just be recording twice the disk space in your program if you set it to record stereo (You don't record things in stereo unless their output is in stereo, which would mean 2 separate cables). So all you need is one cable there. Hope that helps

Member
Since: Jun 11, 2004


Jun 12, 2004 10:53 am

Awesome! Thank you both for the help.

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