Studio Monitors - TS, TRS or XLR cables?

    I've pretty much decided on JBL LSR305 Studio Monitors for using my Kemper (unpowered Toaster) in the house (I also have a single sized garage converted into a studio where I might use them) and for home recording purposes.


    I already have a DXR10 in the studio.


    I can get a pair with stands for £224 delivered which feels like a good deal and manageable financially.


    The specs say they support TRS and XLR inputs. Something in the back of my head is telling me about posts where the sound quality of the DXR10 was better with guitar jacks (TS) rather than XLR. That's what I use with my DXR10 although in my one outing live I used a single XLR from my main out to front of house and used their monitoring wedges back at me. Sounded great.


    Anyhow, finally the question, what type of cables would you recommend from the Kemper to my Studio Monitors?


    Thanks,
    Andy


    PS - if you must, persuade me what Studio Monitors I should buy other than the JBLs :)

    Both inputs of the JBL LSR305 are balanced. This means you can use XLR or 1/4" stereo jacks. Advantage: they can't pick up noise from other devices. You can also use 1/4" mono jacks (guitar leads) but without the above mentioned advantage. In this case they can pick up noise but over short distances it's maybe no problem.

    I could have farted and it would have sounded good! (Brian Johnson)

    Like 1

    Just 1/4" guitar cables with my JBL's, and works great. Are you setting it up standalone (no PC?) going directly from the Kemper to the monitors, or via interface. Tried it directly to the monitors only on the day my Kemper arrived, but now the 1/4" cables from the Kemper go to Scarlett 18i8 inputs, and then 1/4" cables from the Scarlett to the JBLs. Sounds fine to me.

    I'm still thinking through the set up...currently only have access to a 2i4 and I'll admit still getting my head around how to set this up with Reaper and my Kemper and studio monitors....


    To date I'd been silent recording with the Kemper direct out to one 2i4 inputs and the main out to the other (to get a clean and a "Kemperised" signal to record) and with my headphones into the socket on the front of the 2i4.


    I have had latency issues trying to monitor via the Mac.....but it all gets a bit confusing for my little brain!


    Ultimately though I'd like to have everything set up such that if I want to just play through the Kemper, or I have an idea I want to record, I can do so with minimal effort....that's the goal.


    If anyone has any advice on the chain to set up such an arrangement, that's be great....no doubt I am doing plenty of things wrong.


    Cheers,
    Andy

    Well, I'm not a guru on this stuff and signal chains at all... I had the 2i2. When I got the Kemper, sounded great direct to my JBLs at like a 1 or 2 Kemper volume level. then I hooked it up to my 2i2, and it was nearly inaudible. Had the Kemper volume maxed and the Scarlett volume near max, just to get normal room volume. I don't like getting frustrated like that, so I just went out to buy a 6i6... ("if stumped, throw $$ at it" kind of problem solver! LOL). They didn't have the 6i6 stock, so I got the 18i8 (way overkill, but local music store gave it to me cheaper than online prices). Took just a little tweaking after that, but you don't get the Focusrite software (or SPDIF) until you're at a 6i6 level of unit or above.


    BUT from what I've heard, it should still be fine with the 2i4. Honestly, I suck, so I haven't tried recording anything with the Kemper yet, but will get around to trying that, when I have some time to kill, and want to feel depressed about my abilities. :)