I am probably going to by the fostex pm-2 active monitors. As I understand it active monitors have a built in amplifier, that´s why they are called active, obviously. Now, in the store where I went to listen to the monitors the power them through an additional amp. Would not running this additional amp (i wasn´t going to by one) give me any disadvantage? Would the sound quality somehow decrease? would they just do it because it was a big showroom and needed the extra "power"?
I was going to put the monitors right behind my little mixer, soundtracs topaz 12-4.
thanks.
active studio monitors without external amplifier?
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- KVRist
- 42 posts since 22 Jul, 2004
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- KVRist
- 450 posts since 2 Nov, 2003 from 'sunny' Gaylord, Michigan, USA
disclaimer....i'm no expert.
but....
have you ever sent a power level output (like speaker-level out of an amp) into the line inputs of another amp? and then listen to the output off of that? not workable, i don't think, if you are trying to show off the sonic purity of various monitors. they may be going from a preamp to the active monitors....that would allow level matching between the different monitors and a single sound source if you wanted to a/b different monitor pairs.
if you piggyback amp to amp, your first amp level would have to be really really low, and volumes actually adjusted on the monitors themselves, because you would be "zero to 150" with a few degrees of volume turnage on the first amp, almost worthless.
i think. definitely, if somebody else has a different insight i'd like to hear it, because i'd definitely be leaning something new here.
if it were me, and i was going to invest, i'd probably try to match those monitors with a sub as opposed to more input power. the limit will always be the power output of the last amp in the chain.
you can't put a speaker level input into a 100watt, and expect to get more than 100watts out.
not to suggest that the monitors you are looking at need a sub....i've never heard them. but if you are looking for more apparent volume, that's the way i'd go....but you weren't going to buy the amp anyways, right?
i love buying new hardware...i'd sure like to know how you like these when you get them.
i have alesis monitors m1 active mk2, with a polk audio sub and the setup is excellent for my livingroom studio.
i think.
but....
have you ever sent a power level output (like speaker-level out of an amp) into the line inputs of another amp? and then listen to the output off of that? not workable, i don't think, if you are trying to show off the sonic purity of various monitors. they may be going from a preamp to the active monitors....that would allow level matching between the different monitors and a single sound source if you wanted to a/b different monitor pairs.
if you piggyback amp to amp, your first amp level would have to be really really low, and volumes actually adjusted on the monitors themselves, because you would be "zero to 150" with a few degrees of volume turnage on the first amp, almost worthless.
i think. definitely, if somebody else has a different insight i'd like to hear it, because i'd definitely be leaning something new here.
if it were me, and i was going to invest, i'd probably try to match those monitors with a sub as opposed to more input power. the limit will always be the power output of the last amp in the chain.
you can't put a speaker level input into a 100watt, and expect to get more than 100watts out.
not to suggest that the monitors you are looking at need a sub....i've never heard them. but if you are looking for more apparent volume, that's the way i'd go....but you weren't going to buy the amp anyways, right?
i love buying new hardware...i'd sure like to know how you like these when you get them.
i have alesis monitors m1 active mk2, with a polk audio sub and the setup is excellent for my livingroom studio.
i think.
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- KVRist
- 450 posts since 2 Nov, 2003 from 'sunny' Gaylord, Michigan, USA
one more thing....a preamp might be nice.....cleaner input potential with lower noise floor. i'm using mackie big knob, which isn't really a preamp (i guess) but does allow level matching between different sources and different monitor sets, and i did notice a cleaner sound....tho i'll admit that that may just be wishful thinking to justify the purchase. it is nice to be able to click between my monitors and my stereo, tho, to see how tunes sound on different systems on the fly. or to listen to both at the same time when the chubby neighbor upstairs starts practicing his tap dancing.
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- KVRAF
- 6937 posts since 4 Jun, 2004 from Utrecht, Holland
You're absolutely right, active monitors take a line level input.
In the shop they had a power amp inbetween? That does not mean that the amp was actually used for amplification. Could be the monitors were hooked up through line out, rec out, slave out, tape out, or whatever they called an alternative line output. Just for convenience of routing to do comparisons maybe...
In the shop they had a power amp inbetween? That does not mean that the amp was actually used for amplification. Could be the monitors were hooked up through line out, rec out, slave out, tape out, or whatever they called an alternative line output. Just for convenience of routing to do comparisons maybe...