Issues with a Duet

[teestone]

Bought a Duet secondhand here on TGP a few months ago....

Tried to hook it up to a Bluesky MediaDesk 2.1 via the Duets breakout cable...1/4" TRS out from Duet to XLR L and R on MediaDesk....barely any volume...damn!!!

Realizing the manual calls for a regular TS cable not a TRS cable, I had the cables fixed...after a month turn around...1/4" TS out from Duet to XLR L and R on MediaDesk....still barely any volume.....WTF?!?!

The mini jack out via my iMac headphone jack to the RCA L and R on the MediaDesk works fine...although not ideal.

Do I have a faulty Duet or what?

[dass101]

Here's some ideas:
Both the Duet and the Mediadesk have volume controls (Mediadesk has some volume controls on the back of the subwoofer). You should use only one volume control, preferably the one from the Duet, and that means that the Mediadesk has to be fully open.
You shouldn't use TS to XLR, you should use TS to RCA inputs. The unbalanced TS outputs from the Duet has a lower signal than what is required for XLR inputs, it's consumer level output, it should go to the consumer level inputs on the Mediadesk

[teestone]

Originally Posted by dass101

Here's some ideas:
Both the Duet and the Mediadesk have volume controls (Mediadesk has some volume controls on the back of the subwoofer). You should use only one volume control, preferably the one from the Duet, and that means that the Mediadesk has to be fully open.
You shouldn't use TS to XLR, you should use TS to RCA inputs. The unbalanced TS outputs from the Duet has a lower signal than what is required for XLR inputs, it's consumer level output, it should go to the consumer level inputs on the Mediadesk

The volume is wide open on the MediaDesk...set to "Reference" as apposed to minus whatever db.

So I guess I have to get two TS to RCA cables now? I wonder what the XLR inputs are used for on the MediaDesk? I assumed they would be the preferred input.

[dass101]

There is no "prefered" input, each input has a specific purpose. XLR inputs are for conecting gear that works at +4 dBU, TS or RCA inputs are for gear that works at -10 dBV.
The Duet's unbalanced outputs fall into the second category, therefore they should be conected to the appropriate input.
The Duet ships with TS to RCA adapters, didn't you get them? After that you just need to use regular RCA cable, the kind that is used in all standard Home Hi Fi systems.
I don't have a MediaDesk system, but I bet that the manual touches the connectivity issues, you should check it.

[teestone]

Originally Posted by dass101

There is no "prefered" input, each input has a specific purpose. XLR inputs are for conecting gear that works at +4 dBU, TS or RCA inputs are for gear that works at -10 dBV.
The Duet's unbalanced outputs fall into the second category, therefore they should be conected to the appropriate input.
The Duet ships with TS to RCA adapters, didn't you get them? After that you just need to use regular RCA cable, the kind that is used in all standard Home Hi Fi systems.
I don't have a MediaDesk system, but I bet that the manual touches the connectivity issues, you should check it.

The Duet came with two RCA to mono TS adapters with a note explaining why. Now it's making a little more sense. I had planned on using the TS to XLR option all along so my own shortsightedness got the better of me.

I'll pick up a RCA to RCA cable(which I might already have somewhere) and use the adapters.

Thanks for bringing all of this to light dass...it's appreciated!!

[dass101]

You're welcome Let us know how that worked!