AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › XLR audio quality
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

XLR audio quality

post #1 of 21
3/18/10 at 11:46am
Thread Starter 
Hello everyone,

I am planning to buy a relatively cheap 2.0 speaker system mainly for listening music, but also for watching movies. Since my budget is somewhat limited I am leaning towards studio monitors/active speakers. Now I have a couple of questions I hope you can help me with.

1. Some of the speakers I have been considering have only XLR audio input. So what is this XLR about? I tried to google it, but wasn't able to find too good answers. Is it digital or analog? If I want to watch Blue-Rays with all that hd audio stuff, is it possible with XLR-only speakers. And how do I connect my TV to this kind of speakers, through optical or RCA output (these are my options).

2. Is there a real difference with digital and analog audio (like RCA vs. HDMI vs. optical input/output)?


Thanks for your advice.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 21
3/18/10 at 12:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ephilo View Post

Hello everyone,

I am planning to buy a relatively cheap 2.0 speaker system mainly for listening music, but also for watching movies. Since my budget is somewhat limited I am leaning towards studio monitors/active speakers. Now I have a couple of questions I hope you can help me with.

1. Some of the speakers I have been considering have only XLR audio input. So what is this XLR about? I tried to google it, but wasn't able to find too good answers. Is it digital or analog? If I want to watch Blue-Rays with all that hd audio stuff, is it possible with XLR-only speakers. And how do I connect my TV to this kind of speakers, through optical or RCA output (these are my options).

2. Is there a real difference with digital and analog audio (like RCA vs. HDMI vs. optical input/output)?


Thanks for your advice.

A balanced connection (XLR) would be considered the better connection.
If those speakers, which is probably some form of pro gear, are being connected to an pre/pro or similar component that doesn't offer a XLR connection, then it would normally be recommended that you not try to rig some sort of balanced to unbalanced connection and try to use equipment that offers coinciding connections.

XLRs are used for analog as well as digital.
XLR connections are better for common noise rejection, but if there is no noise to begin with, then there is no significant benefit to use balanced connections (XLR) over unbalanced connections (RCA).
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 21
3/18/10 at 3:12pm
XLR connections were developed for electronically noisy environments - if you have cable runs of less than 10' you probably don't need XLR cables. Other than adding $s to your cable bill they won't do much - and more likely nothing at all.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 21
3/18/10 at 9:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knucklehead90 View Post

XLR connections were developed for electronically noisy environments - if you have cable runs of less than 10' you probably don't need XLR cables. Other than adding $s to your cable bill they won't do much - and more likely nothing at all.

Monoprice is selling xlr cables and they are very reasonable. I don't know if this is now just marketing hooplah, but the higher end amps have xlr connections, so I'be been trying to figure out for myself if it's worthwhile to chase after equipmt that has 'em.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 21
3/18/10 at 10:17pm
I use them on all my gear only due to the much more solid physical connection. Is there an improvement in sound quality...probably not on shorter runs. I have also been told that there is a higher gain with balanced connections.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 21
3/19/10 at 3:38am
So you want powered speakers to connect to your TV and you will be using HDMI sources.

Let's first figure out what audio output connections are available from the TV. And if you will be able to control the volume using the TV remote.

What TV are you using?

-Max
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 21
3/19/10 at 6:18am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by maxcooper View Post

So you want powered speakers to connect to your TV and you will be using HDMI sources.

Let's first figure out what audio output connections are available from the TV. And if you will be able to control the volume using the TV remote.

What TV are you using?

-Max

My TV is Samsung LE40B650. I was first thinking about buying an amp and couple of entry-level passive speakers, but after doing some research I think I can get better sound quality with active speakers or studio monitors at this price.

So basically I want to know whether acquiring studio monitors instead of this amp+speakers system makes any sense and can I have hd audio through this xlr connection. Probably using the tv remote does not work with this kind of setup so this would definitely be more complicated/difficult to use.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 21
3/19/10 at 7:57am
Using active speakers you should not need a preamp. Connect the active speakers to the L/R audio out on the tv to your speakers. Make sure to have the volume at zero as you will get plenty of juice from the tv audio jacks. Put the gain control of the speakers at 1/4-1/2 and adjust the volume from the tv. If the speakers have XLR inputs (usually only pro audio have these) simply get some XLR to RCA adapters of the proper gender to convert the connection to single ended (RCA) and you are set to go.

I have a couple of family members who do this with some better than average computer speakers (with sub) and it sounds much better than the crappy tv speakers.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 21
3/19/10 at 9:16am
Just for edification, I've heard of balanced cables used for a quarter mile run from mic to recording room. Totally line level and no noise with a direct boxes joining runs. Impressive stuff. Anyway, often those XLR ports on the back of powered speakers will have 1/4" jacks for unbalanced runs. That's a 1 to 1 from RCA to 1/4".
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 21
3/19/10 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmichaelf View Post

Just for edification, I've heard of balanced cables used for a quarter mile run from mic to recording room. Totally line level and no noise with a direct boxes joining runs. Impressive stuff. Anyway, often those XLR ports on the back of powered speakers will have 1/4" jacks for unbalanced runs. That's a 1 to 1 from RCA to 1/4".

1/4" TRS ports are balanced - just like XLR.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 21
3/19/10 at 2:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ephilo View Post

My TV is Samsung LE40B650. I was first thinking about buying an amp and couple of entry-level passive speakers, but after doing some research I think I can get better sound quality with active speakers or studio monitors at this price.

So basically I want to know whether acquiring studio monitors instead of this amp+speakers system makes any sense and can I have hd audio through this xlr connection. Probably using the tv remote does not work with this kind of setup so this would definitely be more complicated/difficult to use.

Many people use active monitors, but your tv does not have a variable output so unless you find active monitors with a built in volume control, you will have to get off the couch to adjust the volume.

The XLR connection has no bearing on getting hd audio but will rely on a receiver that can docode the hd audio stream from a blu-ray player and send it to your speakers, since you want to forgo the receiver, this wont matter.

Sound and Vision did a review of many soundbars on the market which would be easier to use than active minotors.
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/spe...e-to-luxe.html

good luck.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 21
3/19/10 at 5:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knucklehead90 View Post

1/4" TRS ports are balanced - just like XLR.

A lot of the time the TRS port is also 1/4" mono unbalanced. I have a Nady XA-1100 and a Nady XA-2100 that are made that way.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 21
3/19/10 at 5:25pm
Does anyone know if the analog audio outs on the Samsung LE40B650 will have a signal if the source is HDMI connected to the TV (presumably with the source downmixing to 2-channel PCM)?

-Max
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 21
4/20/10 at 6:25pm
Does anyone know if I switch to XLR connects for my Cambridge Audio set up (840A V2 Integrated Amp and 840C CD Player) will it improve the sound quality over decent but fairly standard RCA connects? The length of cables will about 3 feet...
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 21
4/20/10 at 6:37pm
No, it won't.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 21
4/20/10 at 6:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rynberg View Post

No, it won't.

that sucks...so whats the point? its suggested as the best way to connect the 2 units in the manual. ugh
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 21
4/21/10 at 3:45pm
Will it measurably improve the sound, yes. Will you actually be able to tell, no.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 21
4/21/10 at 7:07pm
XLR's will help reject noise.... if you have noise in your system, they may help, if not, you will notice no difference...

I changed my preamp from a pioneer receiver to Wyred4Sound amp to an Anthem D2v to Wyred4Sound. With the change I moved from RCAs to XLR's.

IMO the Pioneer was likely the problem here inducing the noise into the system (slight buzzing in the speakers). All was eliminated with the move... Was it the change from RCA's to XLR's or the addition to a superior piece of equipment...
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 21
4/21/10 at 7:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ephilo View Post

My TV is Samsung LE40B650. I was first thinking about buying an amp and couple of entry-level passive speakers, but after doing some research I think I can get better sound quality with active speakers or studio monitors at this price.

If the source, in your case the TV, does not balanced outputs, then there is zero advantage to having XLR inputs on the speakers. You may run into noise issues in connecting active speakers directly to the TV if you use any sort of adaptors.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 21
4/21/10 at 7:56pm
The proper way to interface a balanced XLR input to a single ended unbalanced output is to use a transformer made for that purpose.

The pros do this all the time. The real issue is whether or not the input is transformer coupled or is an active balanced input(differential amp) Numerous issues can pop up trying to use various types of adapters to mate the plugs when the circuitry is not compatible. Use a transformer.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 21
4/21/10 at 8:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gizmologist View Post

The proper way to interface a balanced XLR input to a single ended unbalanced output is to use a transformer made for that purpose.

The pros do this all the time. The real issue is whether or not the input is transformer coupled or is an active balanced input(differential amp) Numerous issues can pop up trying to use various types of adapters to mate the plugs when the circuitry is not compatible. Use a transformer.

Can you provide a link to such a beast?

Brian at Rythmik suggests XLR for long runs to subs but my AVR is RCA only - a transformer would provide a means to give an XLR cable to sub.

Edit: Ok, here's one.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Speakers

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › XLR audio quality