Newbie audio-lover here!

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

You play all of that on laptop and some like Spotify you can even control from a smartphone. You need an balanced USB DAC or interface as interface should be cheaper recommendation is Fucoshite Scarlett Solo 3rd gen (it's a DAC, ADC and microphone preamp).

https://www.amazon.in/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B07QR6Z1JB/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=2L8DR7WTF1VZP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.B93MIcUQEcM_2LpD90uWYe5zQmX75TN8nh3txRH3PMltZNEDeCZoeQZ9S_RjcEJuT2ygBTBpQ-G0cOLnectdT5Vmt27Hsz3kFLfv5mm4VmeowwHX5cPLBytJYFx4u-6VYbtZ4DuoC2hn1POUB6WNLhpp4T1ea9f6a7g8JMH3afLV4sPoFj7Drz0ZNmb4snjuDoaVGyzCjUGxOvL_zuke9Q._S76sCiRLZcgZHMyVWziGJY5fZa9i60HzmVDmH8pZd4&dib_tag=se&keywords=focusrite+scarlett&qid=1710940518&sprefix=fucoshite+scarlett+%2Caps%2C338&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

Try to find better price (sorry for long url everyone). Other than that you will need ¼ TRS balanced to TRS balanced ot XLR cables (or pair of them as obviously they are mono) with length you will need to connect it to to each speaker. It also has ¼ TRS balanced inputs for future expansion. All do there are unbalanced to balanced convertor cables I would say that's the last resort and if you really, really have to as you lose lot of gain that way (4 V balanced, 2 V proper DAC unbalanced, 1 V PC motherboard, 0.7 phone output and each V*2=6 dB and other way around).
I am not a JBL fan boy, quite opposite actually but you get what life gives you.
Edit: of course you might try to find some other budget balanced DAC with more inputs (like Toslink to connect TV or streamer, or unbalanced analog inputs to connect other stuff or with BT) I don't know market in India regarding those so I can't recommend you anything directly.

So i need a (1.) Balanced USB DAC INTERFACE AND (2.)A PAIR OF XLR CABLES right?

 

[staticV3]

SMSL M300se not available in Indian sites... available in aliexpress but i cannot order it from AliExpress to India...any other option? Mi Box 4 will be of any help here?

Mi Box 4 means that this stereo setup is at your TV?
Do you also want to use the speakers for watching movies/TV shows?

If so, which TV are you using?

 

[staticV3]

So i need a (1.) Balanced USB DAC INTERFACE AND (2.)A PAIR OF XLR CABLES right?

A balanced USB DAC is not strictly required.

You can use a regular RCA DAC as well, and make the output balanced with the correct cables:


These give an RCA DAC all the noise cancelling properties of a proper, balanced XLR DAC.

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

Honestly, whether it's active or passive doesn't make any difference.
Look at the features. How you play music on your new system is also important.

I generally like to play music by phone through spotify/youtube music

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

Main reason to use PC (laptop) is software scalability so with EQ-APO and REW you get a room correction DSP on pretty much any source (from PC or analog input) and equal loudness compensation also. That cost a lot of money when you go with stand alone box for it and still lacks in some aspects (loudness, plugins, floating point precision processing...).

These softwares are free or paid?

 

[kemmler3D]

I am considering JBL 306P MKII OR JBL 308P MKII. In future will upgrade with a subwoofer.

The 308p is hard to beat for the money. In fact there are a lot of more expensive speakers that perform worse.


Maybe I didn't read the whole thread, but if you like to listen very loud, or if your room is large, you might want to look at something else. But for the budget I think it's a great choice, I would get them myself if I was looking in that price range.

I have the JBL Control X which uses a similar design (I got mine for $90 US on eBay ) and they sound surprisingly good.

These softwares are free or paid?

The good news is they are totally free!

 

[ZolaIII]

So i need a (1.) Balanced USB DAC INTERFACE AND (2.)A PAIR OF XLR CABLES right?

¼ TRS balanced ot same or LRX, LRX lock in but that's not an advantage if you slip and pull tham by accident.

 

[ZolaIII]

These softwares are free or paid?

Free as a bird!

 

[ZolaIII]

A balanced USB DAC is not strictly required.

You can use a regular RCA DAC as well, and make the output balanced with the correct cables:
View attachment 357925 View attachment 357926

These give an RCA DAC all the noise cancelling properties of a proper, balanced XLR DAC.

I explained how much gain you lose already and that would be only the last resort.

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

Mi Box 4 means that this stereo setup is at your TV?
Do you also want to use the speakers for watching movies/TV shows?

If so, which TV are you using?

No sorry...i mistakenly posted this..
I am thinking of edifier s3000 pro, i was getting a deal of edifier s3000 pro+ mi box with optical out....i was planning to get over with it (like phone-youtube music-sent to mi box 4 over google cast-played over edifier)

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

A balanced USB DAC is not strictly required.

You can use a regular RCA DAC as well, and make the output balanced with the correct cables:
View attachment 357925 View attachment 357926

These give an RCA DAC all the noise cancelling properties of a proper, balanced XLR DAC.

Can u suggest a low budget RCA DAC and cables which i can buy in india...Ebay shipping is also very problematic now a days in case of high custom charge here.

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

The 308p is hard to beat for the money. In fact there are a lot of more expensive speakers that perform worse.


Maybe I didn't read the whole thread, but if you like to listen very loud, or if your room is large, you might want to look at something else. But for the budget I think it's a great choice, I would get them myself if I was looking in that price range.

I have the JBL Control X which uses a similar design (I got mine for $90 US on eBay ) and they sound surprisingly good.



The good news is they are totally free!

No my room is not large and i dont listen to very loud music.

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

¼ TRS balanced ot same or LRX, LRX lock in but that's not an advantage if you slip and pull tham by accident.

I didnt understand this...sorry for my bad
Can you please elaborate in simple terms that i can understand...i have to custom made these cables? Or it can be found online/offline?

 

[ZolaIII]

Those are standard PA cables and you can find them in any music/guitar shop.
XLR has a lock on mechanism and guess what happens when you stumble upon the cable and pull it but it doesn't pop out.
Edit: make sure to ask for balanced TRS ¼ or 6.3 mm ones. Unbalanced one's are used always on electric guitars.

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

Those are standard PA cables and you can find them in any music/guitar shop.
XLR has a lock on mechanism and guess what happens when you stumble upon the cable and pull it but it doesn't pop out.
Edit: make sure to ask for balanced TRS ¼ or 6.3 mm ones. Unbalanced one's are used always on electric guitars.

which one?

 

[ZolaIII]

View attachment 357947View attachment 357952which one?

My advice is stick with second one alike and you need two of them one per each speaker.
But hold on, don't jump ahead of the wagon, fight figure out placement, then how to put cables best you can and calculate how long they need to be (always buy a little longer ones then what you calculated).

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

My advice is stick with second one alike and you need two of them one per each speaker.

Ok...and what about DAC @ low price? Any suggestions

 

[ZolaIII]

Ok...and what about DAC @ low price? Any suggestions

I already suggested you Focusrite Scarlett Solo third generation.
Hire is review of a little bigger sibling (2i2):

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface (DAC/ADC). I was talked into buying it recently. The 2i2 costs US $140 including free Prime shipping so very reasonable for amount of functionality. For a budge device, the Scarlett 2i2 looks pretty good...

www.audiosciencereview.com

If you are lucky you could find it for around 100 $/€, Amazon India price of 150 is actually pretty bad.
I will try to snoop around and dig something out.

 

[dan_uk]

Polk Signature Elite ES20 Review (Bookshelf Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Polk Signature Elite ES20 bookshelf speaker. I purchased it from Amazon for US $349 a pair including shipping. I really like the look and finish of this series from Polk. Despite budget pricing, it looks nice and purposeful as you can tell...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[DrArkapravaSimlai]

I already suggested you Focusrite Scarlett Solo third generation.
Hire is review of a little bigger sibling (2i2):

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface (DAC/ADC). I was talked into buying it recently. The 2i2 costs US $140 including free Prime shipping so very reasonable for amount of functionality. For a budge device, the Scarlett 2i2 looks pretty good...

www.audiosciencereview.com

If you are lucky you could find it for around 100 $/€, Amazon India price of 150 is actually pretty bad.
I will try to snoop around and dig something out.

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) costs 18,619 INR in amazon.in ( quite high price for me)

Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen) costs 13,624 INR (in amazon.in)

Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen costs 15,309 INR ( amazon.in)

Digimore 2 Channel Audio Interface | Premium Mic Pre-Amps | 48V Phantom Power Support | 24-bit/192kHz High Fidelity Recording | XLR/MIC/LINE inputs | Plug and Play-No Drivers required (D-910) costs 4910 INR( amazon.in)

Auris Blume HD Long Range Bluetooth 5.0 Music Receiver Hi-Fi Wireless Audio Adapter with Audiophile DAC & aptX HD for Streaming to Home Stereo, AV Receiver or Stereo Amplifier -----costs 9790INR