How to Connect Genelec Monitors Digitally (AES/EBU Setup Guide)
TL;DR: To connect your Genelec monitors digitally, you need an audio interface with an AES/EBU output and XLR cables. Connect your interface to your sub (if you have one), then daisy-chain to your monitors. Switch on Digital A on one monitor and Digital B on the other. Then calibrate with the GLM software. The sound quality improvement is worth the extra setup.
How Do You Connect Genelec Monitors Digitally?
This is a question I get asked repeatedly: how do you connect Genelec monitors digitally? If you’ve been running your Genelecs with analog connections and you’re curious about going digital, this guide walks you through the entire process, from cables to calibration.
I made a video showing exactly how I have my setup configured. You can watch it here:
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What You’ll Need
To connect your Genelec monitors digitally, you’ll need:
- An audio interface with an AES/EBU output
- XLR cables (or a DB25 to XLR snake if your interface uses DB25 connectors)
- The GLM kit that came with your Genelec monitors
In my setup, I use an Avid HD Omni audio interface, which has a DB25 AES/EBU output. So I needed a DB25 to XLR snake to make the connections. Your setup might be different depending on your interface, but as long as you have AES/EBU output, you can make this work.
Step 1: Connect Your Monitors
Here’s the connection chain I use:
- Audio interface AES output → Sub AES input
- Sub AES output → Right monitor AES input
- Right monitor AES output → Left monitor AES input
My audio interface is on my right side, which is why I connected to the right monitor first. You can arrange this differently depending on your setup. It doesn’t matter as long as all your monitors and subs are connected in the chain.
If you don’t have a sub, you can go directly from your audio interface to one monitor, then daisy-chain to the other.
Step 2: Set the Digital Switches
This step is crucial. If you skip it, you’ll likely hear audio in mono instead of stereo.
On the back of your Genelec monitors, you’ll find small switches. You need to:
- Switch on Digital A on one monitor (I use this on my left monitor)
- Switch on Digital B on the other monitor (I use this on my right monitor)
If you have a sub, you don’t need to switch anything on it. Leave all switches off. The Digital A and Digital B switches tell each monitor which channel of the digital signal to play back. Without this, both monitors would play the same channel and you’d lose your stereo image.
Step 3: Calibrate with GLM Software
Here’s the really important part: you need to calibrate your Genelecs using the GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) software. I hope you got the GLM kit when you bought your Genelecs. It includes a calibration microphone and the software. This is essential because GLM adapts and calibrates your monitors to your specific room. Without it, you’re not hearing what your Genelecs are truly capable of.
Setting Up GLM for Digital
When you create a new calibration in GLM:
- Go to File → New
- Choose your speaker configuration (stereo with sub, stereo only, etc.)
- Drag and drop your monitors and sub according to their position in your room
- Each monitor will generate white noise when selected so you can identify which is which
- Important: Change the input signal type from Analog to AES/EBU
When you select AES/EBU as the input type, you’ll notice the names of your monitors change. Your left monitor will show as “Digital A” and your right as “Digital B” (assuming you set the switches correctly). After the calibration is complete, you’ll see a “D” for Digital next to your group name, confirming you’re running in digital mode.
I’m on GLM version 5. Check Genelec’s website for the latest version. The steps might be slightly different, but the concept is the same.
Why Connect Genelec Monitors Digitally?
I highly recommend connecting your Genelecs digitally because you’ll be blown away by the quality of these monitors when they’re running digital connections. I’ve been using the 8341A monitors for over 7 years now. You can read my full Genelec The Ones review for the complete pros and cons after years of daily use.
When you go analog, your signal goes through an extra DA conversion in your audio interface before it reaches the monitors. With digital connections, you’re sending the digital signal directly to the monitors, which handle the conversion internally with their own high-quality converters. The result? Cleaner, more accurate sound with less noise and better detail.
This matters even more if you’re running your signal through hardware processors. The cleaner the signal going in, the better the results coming out. If you’re curious about my hardware workflow, check out my guide on how I use the SSL Fusion and Bus+ for mastering.
If you’re serious about monitoring accuracy for mixing and mastering, this is worth the setup time. For more on why monitoring matters and what to budget, check out my breakdown of how much mastering studio monitors cost. And if your room isn’t ideal, the home studio setup guide covers what to fix first.
Troubleshooting
Audio sounds mono: Check that you’ve set the Digital A switch on one monitor and Digital B on the other. This is the most common issue.
No sound: Make sure your DAW is outputting to the correct AES/EBU output on your interface. Also verify your cables are properly connected.
GLM doesn’t recognize monitors: The GLM network connection (the small network cable that comes with the kit) is separate from the audio connection. Make sure both are properly connected.
Sample rate mismatch or clicks: Make sure your interface and DAW are set to the same sample rate. Genelec monitors will follow the AES/EBU clock from your interface, so if there’s a mismatch upstream, you’ll hear glitches.
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Key Takeaways
- What you need: Audio interface with AES/EBU output, XLR cables (or DB25 snake), GLM kit.
- Connection chain: Interface → Sub (if you have one) → Right monitor → Left monitor.
- Critical step: Set Digital A on one monitor, Digital B on the other. Skip this and you’ll get mono.
- Don’t forget: Select AES/EBU in GLM software when calibrating.
- Why bother: Cleaner signal, no extra DA conversion, better detail and accuracy.
- Match sample rates across your DAW and interface to avoid clicks or dropouts.
Related Articles
If you found this helpful, check out these guides:
- Genelec The Ones Review – My honest take after 7+ years of daily use.
- How Much Do Mastering Studio Monitors Cost – What to spend at each level.
- Home Studio Setup Guide – Build a room that doesn’t fight your monitors.
- SSL Fusion and Bus+ Settings – My hybrid hardware workflow for mastering.
- Mixing in Headphones vs Monitors – When to trust each, and how I use both.
Ready to Go Deeper?
A clean signal path is just one piece of the mastering puzzle. If you want to learn my complete mastering system (the techniques, the workflow, and the decisions I make on every session), check out the Pro Audio Mastering course. It’s the same process I’ve used on releases for Armada Music and countless client projects.
Learn more about the Pro Audio Mastering Course →
About the Author
I’m Adrian Milea, a Mixing & Mastering Engineer, Music Producer, and Educator with 25+ years of experience. My work has been released by Armada Music and featured in DJ Mag. I run adrianmilea.com to help home producers get professional results without the guesswork.
Last updated: April 2026
Until next time, Stay Cool and Make Great Music!
-Adrian Milea
Digital is better when your interface supports AES/EBU. Going digital skips the extra DA conversion in your interface and lets the monitors handle conversion with their own high-quality converters. The result is a cleaner, more detailed signal. Analog still works fine, but you’ll need quality cables and converters to get close to the same result.
Standard XLR cables work for AES/EBU connections between Genelec monitors. If your audio interface uses DB25 connectors for digital outputs (like many Avid, Apogee, or Lynx interfaces), you’ll need a DB25 to XLR snake to break out the connections.
You haven’t set the Digital A and Digital B switches correctly. On the back of each monitor, switch on Digital A on one speaker and Digital B on the other. These switches tell each monitor which channel of the digital stream to play. Without them, both monitors play the same channel.
You can connect digitally without the GLM kit, but I don’t recommend it. GLM calibrates your monitors to your specific room and is what makes Genelecs really shine. Running them without calibration in an untreated room is leaving most of their performance on the table.
Daisy-chain it. Run your interface’s AES/EBU output to the sub’s AES input, then run the sub’s AES output to your right monitor’s AES input, then daisy-chain from the right monitor to the left. The sub doesn’t need any switches set, just leave them off.
No. AES/EBU is a digital protocol, so the signal stays clean as it passes through the sub and from monitor to monitor. There’s no quality loss from the daisy-chain itself, which is why this is the standard way Genelec recommends connecting their monitors.
Yes. Genelec monitors have separate analog and digital inputs, and you can choose which one is active using the input switches on the back. You can keep both connected and switch between them if needed, which is useful if you have a backup analog signal path.