# Do I need am Audio Interface for using Monitor speakers?



## Jeso92 (Aug 1, 2018)

Hi, So yea, thats the question ha! I dont have the budget to drop on a decent Audio interface, but I am in need of a pair of speakers. Do I need the Audio interface for that? Or is it fine with just plugging them into the computer only.

-Some extra info. The monitors i will be using are small ones, probably wont be needing much extra power. 

- I dont plan to plug in mic's or instruments into my computer other than my Midi keyboard.


----------



## leon chevalier (Aug 1, 2018)

Hello and welcome here !

You can totally plug your speakers directly into the audio card of your computer.

If you're just starting into computer music, I would advise you to spend the less possible in gear and to buy only when the needs come.

I don't know your budget but I would rather spend 100$ into decent headphones than 100$ bad speakers. You will have better results.

Every speakers for monitoring will need an external power sources. The USB 5v/1A is not enough. (Don't buy usb powered speakers for music !)

The midi keyboard do not need an audio interface to work properly.

Have a look to "asio for all" that's free and it's all you need to start  (and a DAW!)


----------



## Jeso92 (Aug 1, 2018)

leon chevalier said:


> Hello and welcome here !
> 
> You can totally plug your speakers directly into the audio card of your computer.
> 
> ...



Hi! Thanks for the advice. I actually own a pair of AT M50x. I was looking into speakers to lessen the burden of my ears of wearing headphones all day mainly. 

Ah for the speakers power source, are we talking about just plugging them into a power outlet? or an actual amp or audio interface?


----------



## leon chevalier (Aug 1, 2018)

Jeso92 said:


> Hi! Thanks for the advice. I actually own a pair of AT M50x. I was looking into speakers to lessen the burden of my ears of wearing headphones all day mainly.
> 
> Ah for the speakers power source, are we talking about just plugging them into a power outlet? or an actual amp or audio interface?



I'm not sure to answer your question (sorry my English is not perfect) Monitoring speakers usually embed their amps into the speakers cabinet, so you have to plug each speakers into a power plug. But It's not true for some small ones where only one speakers got the amp that send the signal to the other speaker. Like the IK multimedia Iloud micro.


----------



## Jeremy Spencer (Aug 1, 2018)

What type of audio output connections are on your current motherboard?


----------



## leon chevalier (Aug 1, 2018)

Wolfie2112 said:


> What type of audio output connections are on your current motherboard?


The small connector like the one on phone, but if I had no audio interface, I could use some cable like this to connect my speakers :




The connector doesn't matter


----------



## Jeremy Spencer (Aug 1, 2018)

The problem is, you'll need adaptors to go from that little 1/8" jack up to a 1/4" TRS, which is what most monitors have on them as a standard connection. With an external USB interface, you would have these connections, plus a volume knob and headphone jack. You are also jeopardizing the sound quality which results in poor mixes.


----------



## leon chevalier (Aug 1, 2018)

I have a big work station computer but I also often make music on an average laptop, with headphone, no audio interface and asio for all. If I don't use huge orchestral libraries, it's all good.


----------



## leon chevalier (Aug 1, 2018)

Wolfie2112 said:


> The problem is, you'll need adaptors to go from that little 1/8" jack up to a 1/4" TRS, which is what most monitors have on them as a standard connection. With an external USB interface, you would have these connections, plus a volume knob and headphone jack.


I don't see where the problem is ?
You said in your first post that you don't plan to buy an interface. So you may or may not use an adapter. It depends on the speakers you will buy. It will work anyway.


Edit: I just realized that you are not the OP , that's funny !


----------



## thevisi0nary (Aug 1, 2018)

The biggest issue you may or may not run into is driving the monitors. You could buy active monitors (yamaha hs8 just for example) and you would probably be alright, cant know for sure because I don't know how good the sound card is inside your computer. You just plug the monitors into an outlet and they are self powered. 

I mean this as non sarcastically as possible. If you are not concerned with the best sound quality possible by buying an interface with better converters and getting monitors etc, and you just want speakers to offset your workflow without needing to wear headphones all the time, just buy some really nice computer speakers. You will get a good sound, it will just not be an incredibly neutral signal, but you will enjoy how they sound none the less during the writing process. I have $700 monitors and half the time I write music I am laying in my bed just using a decent sound bar. Not that the monitors don't sound better (and are important for me when it comes to mixing). The sound bar is fine when I am just putting songs together.


----------



## pderbidge (Aug 2, 2018)

The thing to keep in mind is if your speakers have balanced inputs and your laptop jack is unbalanced (which it is) then you may or may not get a ground loop. Then again you can also get that with balanced setups but it is good practice to try and avoid that. A decent low cost usb soundcard is this one https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMC202HD--behringer-u-phoria-umc202hd. I use this one with my laptop when i travel. There is an even cheaper one by Behringer that should do the job as well here- https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UM2usb--behringer-u-phoria-um2

Another option would be to get a USB Monitor like these https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M1A330USB--alesis-m1active-330-usb but at this point I think your MX50's might be better. It depends though cause sometimes giving your ears a break from headphones is just necessary and a pair of cheap speakers can be good enough to keep working and then when you want to get detailed with your mix you go back to your headphones.


----------



## Jeso92 (Aug 3, 2018)

Thanks for the advice guys, I might end up getting a cheap audio interface next month to have everything in its right place.


----------



## bill5 (Oct 19, 2018)

I hope you did, although you never said WHY you want/need speakers. If you're mixing recordings, using only headphones is inadvisable, even if they are good ones - and if you can afford speakers, you can certainly afford an inexpensive interface (which you can get for as little as $20-30).


----------

