Hooking up PC to powered speakers with XLR?, How to connect to pro-audio gear? Options

[TooSteep]

Hello all:

I believe I am about to come in to possession of a pair of powered DJ speakers. I believe they have XLR connectors on the back.

What is the simplest method of connecting my PC to them and controlling the volume from my desk, strictly for playback (no recording)?

Right now, I have an external 24-bit USB box, with analog RCA outs that I run into my amplifier that sits on a shelf at the side of my room. The amp has a simple little remote control that I use from my desk to control the volume on my stand-mounted monitors. I keep the volume control in Windows and on Foobar set to maximum - assuming (hoping?) that it gives me maximum bit depth for the music.

Is there a 'de facto' standard method around here for hooking up to Active pro-audio gear?

Thanks.

[mzil]

I believe I am about to come in to possession of a pair of powered DJ speakers. I believe they have XLR connectors on the back.

I bet they already have unbalanced inputs too, in which case you won't need to buy/make any adapter. What are they exactly?

XLR is a nice beefy connection useful in a professional setting like a stage or studio where equipment is constantly being connected and disconnected. Balanced runs also have a theoretical advantage that they are less prone to picking up any "common mode" noise, such as hum from extraneous noise generators, when used over long runs such as across a stage or across a studio, however for short range desktop use, where you connect once, let it sit that way for months or even years without disconnecting, and send the signal only a short distance, balanced connections have no real world advantage. It is a myth that they do. [Barring some unusual common mode noise source induced over that short run, which isn't likely.]

This post has been edited by mzil: Jul 1 2012, 17:41