Best Monitor Speakers for Keyboards

[happyrat1]

You need a small mixer to properly hook up the two keyboards to the EQ and the speakers.

I'd recommend the 6 or 10 channel Yamaha.

Something like this would be ideal and leave room for future expansion (eg. modules).

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-MG10XU-10-Input-Stereo-Effects/dp/B00IBIVL42/

I own the 16 channel version in my studio.

Or one of these would keep it simple.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-MG06X-6-Input-Compact-Effects/dp/B00I2J4V5G/

An exact hookup would require some info on what connectors are in use on your speakers and how you have them hooked up.

Here's a quick diagram of how I would hook them up assuming they are standard monitors.

If your EQ unit has a subwoofer output channel then I would use that to drive the subwoofer. If your monitors have a subwoofer out or if your subwoofer has audio outs I would use one to drive the other.

Otherwise you may have to use a pair of Y splitter cables to drive the subwoofer from the main outs.

I'll take a look at the specs of your speakers in a little while and see if I can come up with a proper map. But off the top of my head this is how I'd be doing it.

Here's a flowchart for my home studio to give you an idea of how things should be set up.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

OK, I just looked at the Yamaha HS8S subwoofer.

You need to send the output of the EQ to the subwoofer then use the L and R outputs of the Sub to drive the monitors.

Adjust the speaker diagram I posted accordingly and bob's yer uncle.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

Here's an edited diagram for your speaker setup.

This is a correct diagram for your setup.

Gary

 

[ChrisNabil]

Here's an edited diagram for your speaker setup.

View attachment 1195

This is a correct diagram for your setup.

Gary

Wow!... i wish i never asked . Thank you so much Gary i will take time to digest what you have posted!

 

[ChrisNabil]

Here's an edited diagram for your speaker setup.

View attachment 1195

This is a correct diagram for your setup.

Gary

Ok so this looks like i will need two sets of extra cables?

 

[happyrat1]

Again I'm not certain how you have two keyboards hooked up currently. Are you using a mixer or are you piggy backing one of the keyboards through the other's audio input?

A proper setup would be using some sort of mixer to attach two pairs of audio outputs to a single pair of speakers.

Then the resulting two channels can be fed directly to the EQ unit. Then you would require only a single pair of cables to drive the subwoofer from the EQ.

Finally in the audio chain you'd have the monitors themselves being driven by the line outs of the subwoofer.

Do the math. That should only require two extra audio cables,

Some of those outputs and inputs are balanced outputs but don't worry about that for now. Using unbalanced cabling throughout is perfectly acceptable.

Gary

 

[ChrisNabil]

Again I'm not certain how you have two keyboards hooked up currently. Are you using a mixer or are you piggy backing one of the keyboards through the other's audio input?

A proper setup would be using some sort of mixer to attach two pairs of audio outputs to a single pair of speakers.

Then the resulting two channels can be fed directly to the EQ unit. Then you would require only a single pair of cables to drive the subwoofer from the EQ.

Finally in the audio chain you'd have the monitors themselves being driven by the line outs of the subwoofer.

Do the math. That should only require two extra audio cables,

Some of those outputs and inputs are balanced outputs but don't worry about that for now. Using unbalanced cabling throughout is perfectly acceptable.

Gary

Thank you!!, Yes, i have one of the keyboards going through the other via this cable (https://bit.ly/2DWhHOl) i don't have a mixer so i will have to get one.

 

[happyrat1]

Then you will need a mixer and 4 cables.

All the devices depicted are line level compatible so there's no problem with line levels.

DO however, pay attention to connectors, be they 1/4" TS unbalanced or XLR Male or Female or RCA depending on which hardware is connecting to what.

You may need to invest in a few adapters to get everything properly connected.

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

As far as getting a mixer goes, I'd spend the extra bux and get a Yamaha 10 channel model.

I've had bad experiences with cheap mixers in the past.

Also it'll be nice to be able to patch in a guitar or a bass or a mic into your recordings and if you start expanding your rig with modules you'll run out of channels fast.

10 channels is only 5 stereo inputs.

Gary

 

[ChrisNabil]

Then you will need a mixer and 4 cables.

All the devices depicted are line level compatible so there's no problem with line levels.

DO however, pay attention to connectors, be the 1/4" TS unbalanced or XLR Male or Female or RCA depending on which hardware is connecting to what.

You may need to invest in a few adapters to get everything properly connected.

Gary

Seen this with cables? https://ebay.to/2ycBva9

 

[happyrat1]

All I can say about cables is sort it out for yourself. I probably have sunk over $500 to $1000 in various types of computer and audio cables over the years and have spares that will fit almost anything.

Hard won lessons that everyone endures as part of the learning curve

Gary

 

[happyrat1]

And for music audio cables I heartily recommend the Hosa brand.

Durable and flexible and well designed to last for not too much money.

Get the model numbers here.

http://hosatech.com/products/cable-finder/

And buy them on Amazon.

Gary

 

[ChrisNabil]

And for music audio cables I heartily recommend the Hosa brand.

Durable and flexible and well designed to last for not too much money.

Get the model numbers here.

http://hosatech.com/products/cable-finder/

And buy them on Amazon.

Gary

Your wonderful Gary...Many thanks!!. When i have got the mixer and get it set up i will report back!

 

[Biggles]

Chris

Additionally to the excellent advice from Gary you may want to also try wiring each speaker directly from the Eq.

The Eq you are buying has an adjustable changeover frequency for the Sub output that it has and using this may give you a different sound.

 

[Rayblewit]

Your wonderful Gary..

Now you've done it!
He will need a bigger hat now!

ray

 

[happyrat1]

Ya mean this one's not big enough?

Gary

 

[ChrisNabil]

Now you've done it!
He will need a bigger hat now!

ray

Hahaha , i hope i have not unleashed something....

 

[ChrisNabil]

Chris

Additionally to the excellent advice from Gary you may want to also try wiring each speaker directly from the Eq.

The Eq you are buying has an adjustable changeover frequency for the Sub output that it has and using this may give you a different sound.

Thank you Biggles!, i have actually just bought a mixer so i will wait for that and get everything rigged up. I am sure i will be buying a module of some sort in the near future so from what i can gather getting a mixer is the way to go for many reasons.

 

[happyrat1]

BTW Chris.

Dust is the mortal enemy of a keyboard and music gear.

It gets sucked into the key contacts and eventually interferes with velocity sensing and can disable a key entirely.

Do get proper dust covers as soon as possible for your boards. Avoid the cheapie Spandex universal ones. They're more like dust magnets than dust protectors.

I get all my dust covers custom made by these guys.

https://lecover.com/

They use a heavy gauge plasticized ripstop nylon and sew them to order to your specifications.

Get a dust cover for the mixer as well. They're a bitch to keep clean.

It's a cheap investment to keep a $5K keyboard working properly.

Gary

 

[ChrisNabil]

BTW Chris.

Dust is the mortal enemy of a keyboard and music gear.

It gets sucked into the key contacts and eventually interferes with velocity sensing and can disable a key entirely.

Do get proper dust covers as soon as possible for your boards. Avoid the cheapie Spandex universal ones. They're more like dust magnets than dust protectors.

I get all my dust covers custom made by these guys.

https://lecover.com/

They use a heavy gauge plasticized ripstop nylon and sew them to order to your specifications.

Get a dust cover for the mixer as well. They're a bitch to keep clean.

It's a cheap investment to keep a $5K keyboard working properly.

Gary

I will do that. Seems like that is the type of thing that can easily be overlooked so thank you Gary for pointing that out to me!