using studio monitors as pc speakers?

It will sound pants from the audio jack from the pc and probably have unwanted noise. If you want studio monitors you'll need an usb audio interface with balance xlr cables for best results.
 
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Very unlikely to be true.

The board has an ESS SABRE 9023P DAC, Nichicon capacitors and the audio section is shielded, so should be easily capable of pushing decent audio to the rear sockets. XLR only cuts down on noise when using over long runs through noisy environments, so unless the speakers are several metres from the PC (unlikely) it's not going to make any difference.

Sure, for best results a fully balanced audio chain would be best but for normal use the differences would be inaudible.
 
If I was to get a dac would the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 be ok it has balanced output? or would the Audioengine D1 be a better option?

Also am I going to notice a difference between the onboard audio and any of the above.
 
You are unlikely to hear much of an improvement in audio from the Scarlett, which is made more for recording than high quality playback. I think it is also limited to 16 bit use unless using ASIO.

If you only want simple Stereo, ie. no virtual surround headphone effects for gaming, then the AudioEngine D1 would be fine

You could have course just get a 3.5mm stereo to dual 6.3mm mono converter (cable or box) for a few quid and use the unbalanced connectors to feed them quite happily from your on-board audio. This is of course assuming that your main use is for gaming.
 
ill try it first with 3.5mm from the sound card and see if I can grab a D1 from the rainforest as if I dont notice a big difference I can always return it.

Ended up ordering a pair of HS7's which should be here tomorrow and a HosaTech CYX-402M not sure if the cable is the right one tho?
 
Problem there is you'll be feeding the balanced speaker input with an unbalanced signal, which will probably have a lower voltage swing.
It's worth a try, so just see how it goes and if it's lacking just get a 3.5mm stereo to dual 6.3mm mono cable which will go into the unbalanced socket just below the balanced sockets.
 
There are much better studio monitors than those yamahas. There is a Canadian company called called Yorkville sound that makes a "YSM" line of monitors which sound MUCH better and can take an unbalanced signal via 1/4" TS. Just get a 1/8TH inch TRS to dual mono 1/4" TS cable and you're good to go.

Of course for optimum results, a quality USB DAC would make all the difference. THere's no need to buy an audio interface, a plain DAC is fine and more musical sounding in most cases.
 
I have a pair of HS5 running with a subwoofer from a firewire Focusrite Saffire unit and it sounds awesome.
I have the speakers set up perfectly for ear level triangulation and the stereo imaging is something you have to experience to understand.

If I had the space I would have gone for the HS7 but there you go.
 
Not sure pro monitors are ideal for multimedia type use, they are designed to sound as neutral and revealing as possible, if you get some with tone controls they will probably be ok.
 
Not completely comparable, but I have a pair of M audio AV40 monitors that I used to use on the realtek internal soundcard and a single phone to 3.5 mm jack.
Now got them phone to phone on the ZxR and it's way better.

Granted that these are not in the same league as the monitors in discussion.
 
Not sure pro monitors are ideal for multimedia type use, they are designed to sound as neutral and revealing as possible, if you get some with tone controls they will probably be ok.

The HS7's sound great! The setup is a bit overkill but wanted some nice looking speakers and didnt want to run a amp to power them when active monitors came to mind. My main gaming rig (6700k) has a 7.1 setup with B&W speaker setup and even tho the HS7's sound isnt as warm as the B&W still sounds fantastic.

Ordered a Denon 300usb and Audioengine D1 will setup both and see which I like got my on some Schiit stuff as well..
 
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The HS7's sound great! The setup is a bit overkill but wanted some nice looking speakers and didnt want to run a amp to power them when active monitors came to mind. My main gaming rig (6700k) has a 7.1 setup with B&W speaker setup and even tho the HS7's sound isnt as warm as the B&W still sounds fantastic.

Ordered a Denon 300usb and Audioengine D1 will setup both and see which I like got my on some Schiit stuff as well..
8 years later I'm looking up pc speakers.

Yamaha HS7... how insane..... so many years later apparently they are still relevant.

Did you keep them long? did you regret the purchase at all? and what are you using now.
 
8 years later I'm looking up pc speakers.

Yamaha HS7... how insane..... so many years later apparently they are still relevant.

Did you keep them long? did you regret the purchase at all? and what are you using now.
I have HS7s for studio purposes, but use them occasionally for gaming and listening to music/watching videos. They sound awesome!
 
I have HS7s for studio purposes, but use them occasionally for gaming and listening to music/watching videos. They sound awesome!
That's probably all I needed to convince me to hit the buy button.
Hopefully I can get away with unbalanced 3.5mm stereo to TRS male connectors and not need the headache of looking at audio interfaces
 
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That's probably all I needed to convince me to hit the buy button.
Hopefully I can get away with 3.5mm stereo to TRS male connectors and not need the headache of looking at audio interfaces
If you do end up with an audio interface, I use a focusrite 4i4 (needed the extra inputs) but a 2i2 would be perfect and cheap enough!
 
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