[cruzin55]

I was recently given a pair of Yamaha MPS5 Studio Monitors and I would like to know if they can be used with either my computer (i am running Windows 7 64 bit) or with my home audio system (I have an old Yamaha HTR 5140 receiver).  There is a line 1 port that is set up for a 3 pin connector and a line 2 port that is set up for a single jack.  I do hope someone will know how to run these with the above listed units.  Thanks so much in advance.

[mlundy57]

Those speakers have their own built in amplifier with two types of inputs, unbalanced RCA (the single pin connector) and balanced XLR (the three pin connector).

You need a source with either RCA or XLR output jacks.  If your computer has a sound card with Left and Right analog audio output jacks you connect the left channel output jack to the left speaker and the right output jack to the right speaker.

If your computer does not have analog output jacks you can use a USB DAC that has output jacks. Some of the smaller USB DACS like the Audioquest Dragonfly or LH Labs GeekOut only have a stereo mini jack. If you use one of these, you will need a stereo mini plug to RCA adapter. You would then connect the right and left outpus from the DAC (or adapter) to the speakers.

You can also use these speakers with an HT receiver as long as it has left and right channel pre-amp outputs. If your Yamaha receiver has left and right pre-amp outputs you would connect these to the inputs of the speakers. 

Since these speakers have their own amplifiers, you would connect them using either RCA or XLR connectors, depending on the type of output your pr-amp or DAC has. You do not connect them to the speaker binding posts of an amp.

Mike

[HAL]

The inputs, are 1/4" TS and XLR connectors.

You can use a mono 1/4" to RCA adapter to use the TS input as single ended.   Then you just need a stereo RCA line level output connectors from a soundcard to drive both speakers via a software volume control. 

Start with the computer music player volume very low and increase it slowly to check levels.

[mlundy57]

Oops, sorry about that. From the picture I was looking at of the back of the speaker I thought it was an RCA jack. I'm used to TS inputs being on guitar amps, not speaker amps.

Mike

[srb]

The Yamaha HTR-5140 has no L/R preamp outputs, only a subwoofer output, so you won't be able to use them with that.

But they will make very nice computer monitors.  Sometimes the 1/4" input on studio type monitors is also a balanced connection for a TRS balanced phone plug, but the MSP5's 1/4" input is unbalanced and you are good to go with the mono 1/4" male plug to RCA female adapter as HAL suggested.

 

I have the smaller Yamaha MSP3, which has a smaller 4" woofer (versus 5" woofer) and a single 20W amplifier (versus the bi-amplified 40W + 27W amplifiers).

Although I had a previous bias against metal dome tweeters, this speaker has taught me to judge each on its own merits, and the MSP3 sounds very clear and engaging without harshness or glare.  The cabinets are also very solid and inert, and based on my MSP3, I can only assume that the bigger brother MSP5 would probably sound a bit better and you will likely be very pleased with them.

Steve