Speaker Advice

[rhopkins]

I have an ageing amp and speakers setup and I've just started to investigate replacing it. But I've got quite confused very quickly.

Currently I plug RCA cables from my UMCP2 out put to my amp. I also have one turntable that is also plugged into the same amp. The speakers are passive and are connected to the amp with speaker wire - the only type of speaker connection the amp has.

The amp whilst old is ok (I think) but the speakers are a pair of old sony's from this - http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews7345.html. I've noticed recently that the bass is fading - kick drums are very sharp and are losing their depth.

I started looking at studio monitors, but can't see how I'd be able to connect to both my UMCP2 (how would even just this work?) and the turntable.

If I go for replacement passive speakers, I don't really know where to start either. I'm on a bit of a budget - say, $500.

Any advice from the forum?

[DJ Vintage]

Well, I would certainly advise switching to active speakers. There is really not much reason to stick with an amp/passive speaker combo these days, certainly not when buying new.

If you have bit more modern turntable that has line output, you might be able to connect it to the UMCP-2 (no clue what that is or looks like, so can't say for sure). This would either be on a line input or aux input.
If your turntable is older and/or has only phono out, then only a phone in will help you.

Within your budget a set of KRK RP6 G3 monitors should fit. You can go RCA to the speakers (just split a stereo RCA cable into two mono sides) if the distance isn't too great. But since the best place for monitor speakers is relatively close to your ears that should not be a problem.

Then you need to figure out how to connect your turntable if you can't thru the UMCP-2. Maybe you could add a small DJ sound card to the mix and run the sound through the software that way?

[rhopkins]

When you say split the RCA, do you mean pull one of these apart down the middle - http://www.bsslav.com.au/lib/images/pro ... CAMALE.jpg - and plug each side into a monitor, left and right? Dumb question probably, but just checking.

As for the turntable, I can actually just plug an RCA from the back of it into the UMCP2 and switch one of the decks to line-in. That'll then send sound out to the monitors. Drawback is always needing a laptop and Cross running to listen to vinyl, but I can handle that.

[DJ Vintage]

Yep, just split them down the middle.

The ones in the pic seem pretty low-end (look like the kind that come with your home stereo for free). But 10-15 bucks should get you a thicker, better quality cable of the right length.