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Recommendations for hifi speaker choice in the low budget range

somebodyelse said:
If it just looks like that then it _might_ be ok, depending on how it's wired internally.
Click to expand...
Strange things might happen, but this look absolutely like a stereo->stereo cable and I would be VERY surprised if that is wired in a way that works for stereo->mono (balanced).
So I think you might be right.
A check would be to fire up a sound generator app and play a low tone like a 100Hz sine. And then compare the sound with single channel (L or R) to the sound with both channels (mono, or L+R).
If the mono sound is weak (un comparison), it will be clear that the cable is not working correctly.
 
I'd be surprised if an off the shelf cable was wired for one side of stereo -> balanced too - more likely 2 cables or a cable and an adapter would be needed, or a custom cable. Stereo mini-jack to two mono connectors, then another cable from one mono to balanced.

@staticV3 already mentioned the mono setting in the source (Wiim, phone or whatever), which I was going to cover once it was verified I hadn't misunderstood how things were going to be used. It's necessary so you don't miss instruments that are hard-panned to the side you're not connecting to the speaker.
 
JeremyFife said:
It would be good for other, more experienced members, to comment too.

That cable is for stereo (both channels) ... however - I think that when you plug it into the balanced TRS input it is treated as mono (slightly technical, balanced cables use two channels for a single output channel in order to deal with noise).
That is, you might only be getting one channel with this - but I'd appreciate someone else checking.

What are you using as the source, what is the other end of that cable plugged into?

A simple check would be to get a new cable with two stereo 3.5mm jacks (the small one) and plugging it into the RCA input of your speaker. That would be a stereo - stereo connection.
If that still doesn't sound right then can use your existing preamp, perhaps needing different cables - but that depends on what your equipment is
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. I did plug it into the TRS input. Regarding your question what I‘m using as a source: just a smartphone or a laptop. I plug the 3.5mm jack in one of them and play the music from there.

By the way, I found the exact cable now that I‘m actually using. It‘s the following: https://www.hieber-lindberg.de/Audi...BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADyODTQ4hZEspAuj9kk4iUPkBcyTK

And one question: Why do I only get mono with the TRS input but stereo with a two stereo 3.5mm jacks cable into the RCA?
 
somebodyelse said:
Something 'like' that, or exactly that? If it's exactly that then I think it's wrong. If it just looks like that then it _might_ be ok, depending on how it's wired internally. Or I'm misunderstanding your setup...

The Kali has a balanced input - it uses the difference between the tip and ring as the signal. Stereo puts left and right on the tip and ring, so using a stereo cable to go between phone and Kali will mean you hear the difference between left and right. The mono version you want to hear is the sum of left and right, not the difference.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion and thank you very much. I know found the exact cable, it‘s the following: https://www.hieber-lindberg.de/Audi...BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADyODTQ4hZEspAuj9kk4iUPkBcyTK

I think I lack the knowledge to fully understand what you mean by the relation between tip and ring. But I think I get the conclusion, it‘s like if I use a stereo cable then it contradicts the way the Kali is built. Is that correct?
 
staticV3 said:
99% of music is mastered in an equilateral triangle which isn't possible according to your OP.

The WiiM Mini can and will downmix to Mono, which means that all sounds from both input channels will be output to the single speaker.

What's lost is the sound difference between the two channels, so things like panning effects, but those you can't reproduce properly anyway given your listening habits.
Click to expand...

Aaah, interesting, thank you! I really didn‘t get that the Wiim Mini will downmix to Mono. Would you say that the Wiim Mini is then preferable than the following cable: https://www.hieber-lindberg.de/Audi...BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADyODTQ4hZEspAuj9kk4iUPkBcyTK ?

As I said, I merely attached this cable to my smartphone/laptop and the Kali - with no further instance in between. And it did sound a bit off for some reason.
 
Set a rail as a square around the ceiling, hang them there and move them accordingly for each seat.
Sounds funny but it's the only way I can think for stereo.
 
You can also use any small mixer to downmix stereo to mono. Plug in the left and right cables into a separate channel of the mixer. Pan each channel to the left. Connect the Kali to the left output of the mixer.
 
Duskqq said:
Sorry for the confusion and thank you very much. I know found the exact cable, it‘s the following: https://www.hieber-lindberg.de/Audi...BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADyODTQ4hZEspAuj9kk4iUPkBcyTK

I think I lack the knowledge to fully understand what you mean by the relation between tip and ring. But I think I get the conclusion, it‘s like if I use a stereo cable then it contradicts the way the Kali is built. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Short version: That cable should work, probably playing left or right (it doesn't say how it's wired). You probably need to use the phone's Mono setting to hear the mix of left and right. If you've got an Android phone the mono setting is in the accessibility section. I don't know about Apple.

Longer explanation: https://www.cablematters.com/Blog/Audio/ts-vs-trs-cables should explain it in more detail, and with pictures of the different connectors. The one you've linked this time is a stereo (TRS) mini-jack to mono (TS) jack which will connect cold to ground when plugged into the Kali, and will work. It doesn't say exactly how it's wired - my guess is that it will play one channel from the source, so you need to use the mono setting in the source to get a mono mix. There's a slim chance it's wired as a passive mixer, but I think that's unlikely.
 
Ellebob said:
You can also use any small mixer to downmix stereo to mono. Plug in the left and right cables into a separate channel of the mixer. Pan each channel to the left. Connect the Kali to the left output of the mixer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea.
But how am I supposed to use two cables if I only use one speaker? Where will the other ends of the cables be plugged? I do indeed have a small interface but it doesn‘t have the function you‘re describing.
 
somebodyelse said:
Short version: That cable should work, probably playing left or right (it doesn't say how it's wired). You probably need to use the phone's Mono setting to hear the mix of left and right. If you've got an Android phone the mono setting is in the accessibility section. I don't know about Apple.

Longer explanation: https://www.cablematters.com/Blog/Audio/ts-vs-trs-cables should explain it in more detail, and with pictures of the different connectors. The one you've linked this time is a stereo (TRS) mini-jack to mono (TS) jack which will connect cold to ground when plugged into the Kali, and will work. It doesn't say exactly how it's wired - my guess is that it will play one channel from the source, so you need to use the mono setting in the source to get a mono mix. There's a slim chance it's wired as a passive mixer, but I think that's unlikely.
Click to expand...

Thank you as well! So just that I understand it correctly; I would have to use both the stereo>mono-cable AND and the same time the mono setting of my phone to make it work properly, otherwise it could still make a difference to the sound? - Unless the cable I‘m using is wired in a way that guarantees the sound independent of the phone.
 
Ellebob said:
You can also use any small mixer to downmix stereo to mono. Plug in the left and right cables into a separate channel of the mixer. Pan each channel to the left. Connect the Kali to the left output of the mixer.
Click to expand...

Is there any chance to downmix to mono with the interface shown in the photographs? I do have XLR cables but everytime I only use one of them the music lacks the sounds (trivially) that would usually come from the other speaker which is left unattached.
 

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Duskqq said:
Thank you as well! So just that I understand it correctly; I would have to use both the stereo>mono-cable AND and the same time the mono setting of my phone to make it work properly, otherwise it could still make a difference to the sound? - Unless the cable I‘m using is wired in a way that guarantees the sound independent of the phone.
Click to expand...
Correct. The biggest difference would be with music where an instrument plays only on one side, so could be missing entirely if you don't use the mono setting.
 
Not sure with that interface. It might be possible in the software, probably good chance.
With small mixer you only use one output and the left and right inputs get panned to that one channel. This makes it mono. You are mixing the left and right channels to one channel, let's say left channel but doesn't matter whether you use the left or right channel. You connect the monitor to the left output.
 
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You can often mix stereo to mono with a good active DI box for a hundred dollars or so without any loss of quality. Such devices are available with XLR cables.

The problem with cable solutions is that many amplifiers don't have a common ground so by shorting it with a cable you may cause severe distortion and other problems.

In this case an active mixer or DI box is essential, though not particularly costly.
 
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