Numpty audio connection question

[srw]

For reasons too dull to bore you with I've just bought a Presonus Audiobox external sound card (https://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-USB-96) and need to pipe the output through a 1980s vintage domestic amplifier to a pair of speakers.

The last similar box I had was equipped with phono outputs, which I'm used to. This one has two outputs labelled "Main Out", which are 1/4" jack sockets. The technical specs are below. Can I simply get a twin 1/4" jack to phono adapter (https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/prosound-twin-mono-14-inch-to-twin-phono-female-cable-10m-a87ry or https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-635mm-plastic-mono-plug-to-phono-socket-adapter-rw01b and expect it to work? Following the trail of explanations online leads me into a maze of words which look like English but don't actually make sense. I'm a musician, not an audio technician.

 

[Wobblers]

Short answer is yes. What adapter you need will depend on whether or not the jack sockets are mono or stereo. If they're mono, you should see a "L" and "R" to indicate which channel is which. Use the mono 1/4" to phono for each socket. If you don't see some sort channel label, they're probably stereo, so the 1/4" to stereo phono lead should work.

 

[Drago]

You may need to play with the output level settings, but fundamentally the answer you seek is "yes".

 

[srw]

Thank you. Simple answers are good. I'll now let the tech-heads explore why the answer may be no.

[edit]

Under "features" there is the description "2 balanced ¼” main (L/R) line output", so I take it that it's a pair of mono sockets. Unhelpfully they don't appear to be labelled, so I'll need to experiment.

 

[lutonloony]

Never really sure if left and right are that crucial connection wise? Guess if it is full orchestra then the lugs might be confused by lead violin comming from the right, but as long as a get sound I'm happy. (Am now ready to be banished forevermore)

 

[raleighnut]

Why not use a 1/4 inch mono to male phono lead, less connections should give better quality.

 

[srw]

Why not use a 1/4 inch mono to male phono lead, less connections should give better quality.

Because I hadn't found the bit of the Maplin website which listed them!

 

[raleighnut]

Because I hadn't found the bit of the Maplin website which listed them!

 

[swansonj]

Never really sure if left and right are that crucial connection wise? Guess if it is full orchestra then the lugs might be confused by lead violin comming from the right, but as long as a get sound I'm happy. (Am now ready to be banished forevermore)

[Bites tongue and resists temptation to derail thread into a discussion of CP violation via the question of whether left and right have any absolute meaning or are purely arbitrary]

 

[Kestevan]

[Bites tongue and resists temptation to derail thread into a discussion of CP violation via the question of whether left and right have any absolute meaning or are purely arbitrary]

Yeah, but is that your left or my left which is potentially arbitrary

 

[Yellow Saddle]

[Bites tongue and resists temptation to derail thread into a discussion of CP violation via the question of whether left and right have any absolute meaning or are purely arbitrary]

Of course they have absolute meaning and they are far less pretentious than drive and non-drive side.

 

[bruce1530]

Yes, that adaptor will do the job. It’s a balanced output, but plugging a standard jack in will unbalance it (bridges the ring and sleeve). You may need to drop the gain a bit.

However, I wouldn’t recommend those adaptors, other than as a very last resort. Use the jack to phono adaptor lead. It’s nothing to do with sound quality or number pf connectors - it’s a mechanical thing. When you use those adaptors, and plug the other cable into them, then plug them into your device, you end up with quite a long rigid assembly sticking out. This not only makes it more awkward to position, it makes it quite easy to damage the internal socket if the connector gets knocked, since the assembly is so long.

This cable would do the job https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-twin-phono-rca-to-twin-14-jack-cable-15m-a00xf - but like most Maplin stuff, it’s ridiculously overpriced at £12.99. You pay a premium for high street convenience. Here’s an equivalent at CPC for £1.70 http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg03286/2x-phono-to-2x-2p-6-35mm-plgs/dp/AV18874 - although you need to spend more than a fiver to get free delivery.

£1.64 on eBay with free delivery....

 

[bruce1530]

Here’s a cheaper one at Maplin, which will be just as good. Still 3 times the price of CPC...

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-essentials-twin-mono-14-inch-to-twin-phono-cable-15m-a02ry

 

[GrumpyGregry]

What @bruce1530 said. Leads not adaptors. When I were a lad and worked in a studio adaptors were banned and we were expected to solder own own cables for specific interconnect needs.

 

[raleighnut]

What @bruce1530 said. Leads not adaptors. When I were a lad and worked in a studio adaptors were banned and we were expected to solder own own cables for specific interconnect needs.

Why not use a 1/4 inch mono to male phono lead, less connections should give better quality.