Connecting Kemper unpowered rack to studio monitors

  • Hi Folks,

    I've had my Kemper unpowered rack for a few weeks, and I'm just wanting to make sure I'm connecting it to my studio monitors correctly. I gather I should be using the L and R main TS outs (my monitors don't have XLR inputs). So far so good. I'm wondering if I should be using any particular kind of cables for these two connections? i.e. guitar cables or speaker cables?

    My monitors are Fluid Audio C5s. On these monitors the L and R inputs are labelled as TRS

    Thanks for your patience!

    Mark

  • Hi Mark,

    Speaker cables are typically not shielded so they would pick up a lot of hum and noise which would be amplified by the power amp section within your active monitors.

    So guitar cables are one option. If the quality is good and the length not too high that should work okay.

    Another option would be to use balanced cables going from the XLR outs of the Kemper to your TRS inputs (e.g. Cordial CFM 6 FV). I use those in order to have perfect signal coming in and to be on the safe side regarding hum, different llengths and qualities should be available at music stores. If you don't encounter any unwanted noise right now than whatever solution you have is already fine I'd say.


    To all: Can somebody else here please confirm that the XLR to TRS do the job? I have some soldered on my own so not sure if commercial cables follow the same specifics. Thanks.

  • Thanks guys. I'll see if I can find some relatively short balanced XLR to TRS cables. Should give the best quality.

    I've just bought a Dynacord AXM 12a FRFR powered speaker for live playing. I'll use a single XLR to connect that. I might even be tempted to grab a second at some stage for stereo! I'll also make sure that all the Kemper Output settings are correct.

    Thanks again.