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8340: Analog out monitorcontroller worse than digital out audiointerface?

phazma, muokattu 5 Vuodet sitten.

8340: Analog out monitorcontroller worse than digital out audiointerface?

Youngling Viestejä: 2 Liittymispäivä: 6.12.2017 Viimeisimmät viestit

Hello,

right now I am using my new Genelec 8340 monitors via aes/ebu input fed from my RME Fireface UFX. For now have to use it without GLM but I am planning of course to use it later on. However even with the rotary volume at -6dB and both -10dB and -20dB switches ON I can only turn the (digital) volume knob of my interface to -30 to -20 dB before it becomes too loud with the software playback inside my interfaces mixer set to -5dB (maximum) in order that my outboard gear is not too quiet in comparison to my DAW output. 

I initially preferred a digital connection in order to eliminate soundquality worsening because of a cable and also to not make the monitors do a further AD/DA conversion. However I also read in the Genelec FAQ that the digital volume should be at maximum and all attenuation should be done with gain padding (I guess that means using the dip switches). However there is no way that I can set my DAW playback volume and the output volume to 0dB.

Apart from the digital attenuation issue I would feel safer to use an analog volume knob and for many other workflow improvements I am interested in getting a Drawmer MC 3.1 (active monitor controller) to controll all of my monitoring. This monitor controller also has aes/ebu input so I would not introduce cable deterioration between my interface and the monitor controller anyway. 

So my question is, would the sound coming out of my monitors be noticably different/worse when instead of being connected digitally to my interface I have the monitor controller that converts the sound to analog, the sound goes through a cable and the monitors have to redo AD/DA conversion? Or perhaps it is even a smaller problem than digital attenuation and I would have sonic benefits of this? My workflow would improve a lot with that monitor controller but I don't want to sacrifice the sound by putting something into my signal chain.

markus-kahelin, muokattu 5 Vuodet sitten.

RE: 8340: Analog out monitorcontroller worse than digital out audiointerfac

Jedi Knight Viestejä: 109 Liittymispäivä: 16.3.2010 Viimeisimmät viestit

Hi!

 

Just to be sure, please note that the level control on the speaker operates in same direction as any other volume control. To lower the level, you need to turn the control counterclockwise, so the lowest level setting is at +6dBu sensitivity.

 

The difference in the audio quality, when comparing AES/EBU and analog inputs on the 8340A monitor are very, very small and both inputs feature the same audio quality specification, in terms of the acoustic output. So the main quation is as you point out, your desired workflow.

 

Best Regards, Markus

Genelec Support

phazma, muokattu 5 Vuodet sitten.

RE: 8340: Analog out monitorcontroller worse than digital out audiointerfac

Youngling Viestejä: 2 Liittymispäivä: 6.12.2017 Viimeisimmät viestit

Thank you a lot, didn't know that, thought that -6dB meant 6dB of attenuation.  

And great news that AD/DA works just equally well as only DA. So I guess, if I choose to get the monitor controller and use decent, not excessivly long, balanced cables the difference comes down to how the monitor controllers DA compares to the one of the audio interface? I think when I save up I will get it and in case its DA converters should be far inferior to the RME ones (what I don't think form the reviews) I will convert with the RME and use analog input to the controller and analog to the 8340A.