• Registered: 2013-03-02
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

Hi All.  I'm a new owner of a Fireface UCX and this is actually my first audio interface, so I'm very new to computer audio terminology/concepts.  After installing my UCX on my computer and testing it out I find that my speakers (a pair of Audioengine 2s) sound far more tinny/weak than they were playing off onboard audio (or off my iPhone for that matter) and seem to favor my left speaker while my right speaker is very quiet.  Since I'm new to audio interfaces I feel I'm in deep water when it comes to troubleshooting this.  Balance in Totalmix is set to neutral for everything and my audio sounds great from my headphones, so I'm not sure what to do next.  Does anyone know what else I can try?  I have a feeling it's something that will, in retrospect, be very simple but I'm not really identifying what I should try next.  By the way, I am using a 6 ft Monoprice 1/4" stereo cable with a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter on the speaker side and I'm running it from Line Output #1 on the back of the interface.  Thanks much!

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,621

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

It sounds bad because you are splitting a mono (left channel only here) balanced output to 2 unbalanced speakers. The speakers you use are designed to be plugged into a soundblaster, not a professional audio interface. At minimum you need to connect Out 1 to left and Out 2 to right to get audio.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2013-03-02
  • Posts: 6

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

*cough* *cough*...well that's embarassing.  Guess, I had to learn sometime!  Another dumb question: what are the advantages/disadvantages to using TS or TRS cables for those two analog outputs?  I ask this because in the manual it says that those outputs can handle mono and stereo jacks.  Is it just a case of the interface being able to output a mono signal on either kind of cable as a convenience feature?  Thanks for the help and putting up with the silly questions!

4 Reply by isaac (edited by isaac 2013-03-02 11:25:10)

  • isaac
  • isaac
  • S/Mux specialist
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  • From: Auckland New Zealand
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 339

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

efritz wrote:

*cough* *cough*...well that's embarassing.  Guess, I had to learn sometime!  Another dumb question: what are the advantages/disadvantages to using TS or TRS cables for those two analog outputs?  I ask this because in the manual it says that those outputs can handle mono and stereo jacks.  Is it just a case of the interface being able to output a mono signal on either kind of cable as a convenience feature?  Thanks for the help and putting up with the silly questions!

hey efritz,

Each output is only mono. The difference is that TS is unbalanced, and TRS is balanced. You only get one output (or side L/R) per UCX output.

With your current setup you are sending the positive signal to one speaker and the negative signal to your other speaker.... So they are out of phase.

A TRS lead gives you better noise rejection but for a short run it generally won't make any difference.

So to sum up, you need either a 2 x TS to 1/8 inch cable. Or use your existing cable out of the headphone jack on the UCX.

Hope this helps,

Isaac P

  • Registered: 2013-03-02
  • Posts: 6

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

isaac wrote:
efritz wrote:

*cough* *cough*...well that's embarassing.  Guess, I had to learn sometime!  Another dumb question: what are the advantages/disadvantages to using TS or TRS cables for those two analog outputs?  I ask this because in the manual it says that those outputs can handle mono and stereo jacks.  Is it just a case of the interface being able to output a mono signal on either kind of cable as a convenience feature?  Thanks for the help and putting up with the silly questions!

hey efritz,

Each output is only mono. The difference is that TS is unbalanced, and TRS is balanced. You only get one output (or side L/R) per UCX output.

With your current setup you are sending the positive signal to one speaker and the negative signal to your other speaker.... So they are out of phase.

A TRS lead gives you better noise rejection but for a short run it generally won't make any difference.

So to sum up, you need either a 2 x TS to 1/8 inch cable. Or use your existing cable out of the headphone jack on the UCX.

Hope this helps,

Isaac P

Cool.  Also, aren't there TS cables that are balanced?  For example is there a difference between these two cables other than stereo and mono?:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ … p;format=2
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ … p;format=2

I ask this because in the description it says that both cables are "balanced".  Thanks so much for your help guys!

  • Registered: 2011-12-16
  • Posts: 59

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

efritz wrote:

Cool.  Also, aren't there TS cables that are balanced?  For example is there a difference between these two cables other than stereo and mono?:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ … p;format=2
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ … p;format=2

I ask this because in the description it says that both cables are "balanced".  Thanks so much for your help guys!

TRS/TS are descriptions of the plug/connector: T = tip, R = ring, S = sleeve. A TS plug only has two connections; tip and sleeve. 3 connections/conductors are needed for balanced operation.

A "TRS cable" can be used for different things, e.g. mono balanced or stereo unbalanced audio.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,560

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

Jeff wrote:

The speakers you use are designed to be plugged into a soundblaster, not a professional audio interface.

Despite their size, the AE2 are excellent little speakers, no comparison with cheap "multimedia" speakers made of plastic... Nothing wrong with connecting them to professional interfaces...
fryingpan

That said, all that is needed is a pair of these and an regular stereo RCA cable of your choice (and required length):
http://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com/v/vspfiles/photos/SAPT100-2Pack-2.jpg

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2013-03-02
  • Posts: 6

Re: Issue with speakers and Fireface UCX

Thanks so much for the help guys!  I'm ordering another cable and two adapters and should have this speaker issue fixed when they arrive!