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EMU 0404USB: 1/4 TS vs. Stereo Output - an underrated difference - Page 3

post #31 of 49
2/7/08 at 6:40pm
I got these: Zaolla Products TS-RCA.
A tad pricey and stiff though.
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post #32 of 49
2/7/08 at 6:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aura View Post
Can anyone recommend any cheap RCA to 1/4 adapters that still have decent quality? I'd rather not have to pay $4 for each one.

I did find these, but I dunno if they'd be any different from other brands.
By the time you pay shipping to Audiogear, you would pay more than picking up a pair of the nickel-plated adapters at RadioShack. Gold-plated adapters are generally gold plated on top of nickel anyway, and it can wear off in short order (trust me.....the gold plating on the TRS jack the Senn HD650 cable attached to my HD600's completely wore off at the contact point on the tip in less than 6 months.)

If you want to try RCA adapters, almost any of the RadioShack stores carry these nickel-plated versions...these....$4.99 for a pair.
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post #33 of 49
2/7/08 at 6:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by penguindude View Post
The crazy thing is with the TS output, im using some $12 cables and it's outperforming the mini-stero output connected by some $40+ cables. And the margin is also quite large.
I have to say that now, I wouldn't totally discount the possibility that this is evidence of a problem with either the mini cable or the mini jack on your 0404 USB.
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post #34 of 49
2/7/08 at 7:15pm
Adapters are a good solution if you must drive a long pair of cables that you've already invested in......

However, if you can solder and only need cables a few feet long, I'd really recommend buying Neutrik NYS RCA and TS connectors for only ~$1 a pop, plus a few feet of good Canare or Mogami balanced mic cable (all of that should be available from a local professional audio store, one that sells PA gear to businesses and such) and end up with a great set of short interconnects for about the same price as a pair of adapters.
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post #35 of 49
2/7/08 at 7:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sejarzo View Post
I have to say that now, I wouldn't totally discount the possibility that this is evidence of a problem with either the mini cable or the mini jack on your 0404 USB.
I'm pretty sure nothing is wrong with my mini cable as I've tried 3 different ones plus a generic one. All of them have different sound signature but the conclusion is the same, they all sound pretty grouped into "one" sound. As for the mini jack on my EMU, i also dont think there is a problem as im not noticing anything wrong with the jack beside its sound quality.

Have you tried to compare the sound from the mini-stereo with the TS connection?
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post #36 of 49
2/7/08 at 9:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by penguindude View Post
Have you tried to compare the sound from the mini-stereo with the TS connection?
Last year when I was away from home every weekday for seven months in a row, I did connect the 0404 USB via a short mini-to-mini into a maxed PIMETA--but I sold it a while back. My temporary living quarters had very little room to set up the rig, and a 1 ft (if it was even that long!) DIY mini-to-mini was much handier to take along versus a couple of larger cables.

That PIMETA had both RCA and mini inputs, and when I was at home, I used it with the TS-to-RCA's......I never felt that anything was amiss with either cable, but I never compared them head-to-head. That mini was made from Neutrik mini plugs and Mogami starquad, and as noted above, very short, providing less opportunity for crosstalk.

I don't have any amp now with a mini input, and so I've no need for any mini-to-RCA cable.
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post #37 of 49
2/7/08 at 9:25pm
Thread Starter 
what a coincidence! One of my mini-rca cables is also canare cable terminated with Neutrik plugs, the length was 3 ft.
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post #38 of 49
2/8/08 at 12:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sejarzo View Post
By the time you pay shipping to Audiogear, you would pay more than picking up a pair of the nickel-plated adapters at RadioShack. Gold-plated adapters are generally gold plated on top of nickel anyway, and it can wear off in short order (trust me.....the gold plating on the TRS jack the Senn HD650 cable attached to my HD600's completely wore off at the contact point on the tip in less than 6 months.)

If you want to try RCA adapters, almost any of the RadioShack stores carry these nickel-plated versions...these....$4.99 for a pair.
Thanks very much Sejarzo, I'm much obliged .
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post #39 of 49
2/8/08 at 6:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by penguindude View Post
Just curious, what amp are you using?
Black cube linear.
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post #40 of 49
2/8/08 at 6:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by penguindude View Post
The crazy thing is with the TS output, im using some $12 cables and it's outperforming the mini-stero output connected by some $40+ cables. And the margin is also quite large.
I have a couple of expensive rca's that actually perform worse than some cheaper ones.
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post #41 of 49
2/9/08 at 6:21am
Provided your other equipment can integrate with balanced connections would it not be best to use the output jacks as a balanced configured connection with an additional 6db gain and better driving characteristics.
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post #42 of 49
2/13/08 at 6:07am
so can anyone verify the improvement using the 1/4" TS to RCA over the mini to RCA?
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post #43 of 49
2/13/08 at 9:22am

a warning using trs/xlr adaptors

I have just received two trs/xlr adaptors which I am using to provide balanced outputs from the EMU 0404usb, however the gap between the two connections on the EMU case are rather close together which can cause problems if the adaptors have a large thick diameter body, on the two I have just bought they just about fit with a slight tension between the two adaptors I hope the connection inside is still making a good contact, I wonder why EMU didn't place them slightly furthur apart only 1 or 2 mm's would have helped, this could also be a potential problem with trs/phono adaptors, so tread carefully when ordering.
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post #44 of 49
2/13/08 at 11:10am
There's no problem at all with using the RadioShack TS-to-RCA adapters in the jacks.

If balanced connections are required, use of TRS-to-XLR cables is probably the better option, if that fits one's budget.
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post #45 of 49
2/13/08 at 6:54pm
Thread Starter 

Firmware Update

For those who still don't know:

EMU released the new firmware (v8.04) for 0404USB earlier this month on their site.

According to EMU
Firmware Changes in this Release:

- S/PDIF input is no longer muted when the system is set to internal clock source and the S/PDIF input clock is the same as the system clock (0404-USB).
- Improved S/PDIF sync when receiving noisy or high-jitter signals (0404-USB).
- The 176.4 kHz and 192 kHz samples rates are no longer stored on power-off. Now, the system defaults to 44.1 kHz.
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