[teddytejero]

Hello Friends,

I'm a little bit confused. Sennheiser is selling balanced cables for the HD 800. This cable has a 4 pin male ending. My auditor has 2 x 3 pin XLR Male out. How can i operate the HD 800 balanced from the auditor ?
My config : Laptop => Toslink => M1DAC => XLR connects => SPL Auditor => 6,3 mm neutron cable => HD 800

Thanks for any advise !

 

[Asr]

^ The Auditor is made to drive unbalanced headphones only via the 1/4" headphone jack. The rear XLR outputs are not for use with headphones.

 

[teddytejero]

Thanks for your prompt answer. The OUT only as a pre amp then

 

[HaVoC-28]

Thanks for your prompt answer. The OUT only as a pre amp then

not even a pre amp , just a line out .

 

[alexst]

Thanks for great review!

Anyone test SLP Auditor with Audio-Technica ATH-AD1000X and Ultrasone PRO 900 - does it "sound" together?

 

[EVOLVIST]

I think I'm about to pull the trigger for an Auditor. Thanks, everyone, for such a great thread!

One question: Has anyone tried to go from 3.5mm output on their DAC to dual XLR into the Auditor?

That's how my dual sabre DAC is configured, and I'm just a little worried about that getting a very clean signal path, without noise or distortion.

I'll be driving HD800s so there's no worried on that front.

 

[HaVoC-28]

I think I'm about to pull the trigger for an Auditor. Thanks, everyone, for such a great thread!

One question: Has anyone tried to go from 3.5mm output on their DAC to dual XLR into the Auditor?

That's how my dual sabre DAC is configured, and I'm just a little worried about that getting a very clean signal path, without noise or distortion.

I'll be driving HD800s so there's no worried on that front.

 
Don't worry about Jack 3.5 to XLR , it won't harm anything .

 

[EVOLVIST]

Don't worry about Jack 3.5 to XLR , it won't harm anything .

Thank you very much. I know it won't harm anything, but is 3.5 to dual XLR a good, clean signal path?

Sorry if that's a dumb question. I'm pretty much a noob, so if I spend that much money on the amp I want to make sure everything is optimized for the best sound, you know?

Thank you!

 

[HaVoC-28]

Thank you very much. I know it won't harm anything, but is 3.5 to dual XLR a good, clean signal path?

Sorry if that's a dumb question. I'm pretty much a noob, so if I spend that much money on the amp I want to make sure everything is optimized for the best sound, you know?

Thank you!

 
I used Auditor in the Past with various sources : some were RCA , other XLR , and also jack3.5 , if the source is good enough , you don't have to worry about what connection you use .
 
You just have to use correctly configured cable that's all , jack 3.5 won't degrate soud quality . It may be a bit worst in crosstalk departement , but you won't hear it , only DC scopes will

 

[EVOLVIST]

I used Auditor in the Past with various sources : some were RCA , other XLR , and also jack3.5 , if the source is good enough , you don't have to worry about what connection you use .

You just have to use correctly configured cable that's all , jack 3.5 won't degrate soud quality . It may be a bit worst in crosstalk departement , but you won't hear it , only DC scopes will

Thanks, man. I was just wondering if I might need a DI box. BTW, I bought one day. Will report back.

 

[hmorneau]

I think I'm about to pull the trigger for an Auditor. Thanks, everyone, for such a great thread!

One question: Has anyone tried to go from 3.5mm output on their DAC to dual XLR into the Auditor?

That's how my dual sabre DAC is configured, and I'm just a little worried about that getting a very clean signal path, without noise or distortion.

I'll be driving HD800s so there's no worried on that front.

SPL is pro audio equipment, so basically you pay for what you get. You don't pay someone trying to make a living out of is basement, not saying that they are not good, but what I'm trying to say is that SPL know their stuff. Be prepare to be blown away by it for the price it cost.
 
If you want to learn more about the auditor read about the phonitor 1, it's basically the same amp. I have mine since more then a year and I still love it. I don't know why it's not more popular, I guess it's a pretty neutral amp, that's maybe why. 
 
Now do the HD800 will be good with the auditor, that's an other story. But be prepare to ear what's there, and that's not always a good thing with the quality of record available today. But nicely recorded track will sound amazing. 
 
Pro/Studio audio equipment + very transparent headphone like the HD800 = what's there. Now is it enjoyable or "audiophile", for me yes and no. That's why I got the LCD...

 

[EVOLVIST]

Okay, I got my Auditor today. Gave it a listen, driving my HD800s...and it doesn't DRIVE!

Volume is very low. In fact, cranking it up all the way doesn't get there.

Now, previously I had been going from my computer to Aune T1 USB DAC, with gain on 20db and I could barely go past 12 'o clock with the volume. On my PC I'm sending all 0s and 1s through WASAPI bit perfect, using J river or Foobar. Sounds nice...and I'm going 24/96 wav and flac (for what it's worth).

So, now with the Auditor I'm using the same setup, but this time going from the RCA of my DAC into dual male XLR on the Auditor. Yes, it is still dead quiet with the Auditor. No kooky noises. It is unbalanced, sure, but from my understanding, the difference between balanced and unbalanced is only 10 db on the Auditor. It's set to 115v, plugged right into the wall socket. Never a problem with the socket.

But wait! There's more! Now I go from the 3.5mm LO on my IBasso DX90 to dual XLR and the same thing. Even with the DX90 cranked to max. Same low sound.

In both cases it is bypassing the internal amps. The longest cable is 6ft.

Could it be that I am using single RCA to XLR cables, instead of a one-piece Y cable? I wouldn't think so. Any ideas?

 

[hmorneau]

Okay, I got my Auditor today. Gave it a listen, driving my HD800s...and it doesn't DRIVE!

Volume is very low. In fact, cranking it up all the way doesn't get there.

Now, previously I had been going from my computer to Aune T1 USB DAC, with gain on 20db and I could barely go past 12 'o clock with the volume. On my PC I'm sending all 0s and 1s through WASAPI bit perfect, using J river or Foobar. Sounds nice...and I'm going 24/96 wav and flac (for what it's worth).

So, now with the Auditor I'm using the same setup, but this time going from the RCA of my DAC into dual male XLR on the Auditor. Yes, it is still dead quiet with the Auditor. No kooky noises. It is unbalanced, sure, but from my understanding, the difference between balanced and unbalanced is only 10 db on the Auditor. It's set to 115v, plugged right into the wall socket. Never a problem with the socket.

But wait! There's more! Now I go from the 3.5mm LO on my IBasso DX90 to dual XLR and the same thing. Even with the DX90 cranked to max. Same low sound.

In both cases it is bypassing the internal amps. The longest cable is 6ft.

Could it be that I am using single RCA to XLR cables, instead of a one-piece Y cable? I wouldn't think so. Any ideas?

Going from RCA to XLR is bad idea, RCA works at a voltage much lower then the XLR, hence why your gain is so low.
 
My DAC for an exemple output a max of:
RCA: 2,6 Volts
XLR: 5,2 Volts
 
So basically your gain is 50% of what it should be.

 

[hmorneau]

Here some info I found for you:
 
Balanced and Unbalanced Reference Voltage:

For consumer audio products using unbalanced RCA connectors, the reference signal level is -10dBV. This is equal to reference voltage level of 0.316 Vrms. 0 dBV is a voltage reference point equal to 1.0 Vrms. Remember that the dB level is a LOG ratio of two voltages.

=20*LOG(0.316/1) ˜ -10 dBV

For pro audio products using balanced XLR connectors, the reference signal level is +4dBu. This is equal to voltage reference level of 1.23 Vrms. 0 dBu is a voltage reference point equal to 0.775 Vrms.

=20*LOG(1.23/0.775) ˜ +4 dBu

So it's even more then the 50% I was calculating, that make a difference of 12dbV, which is huge at the source. Your Auditor SPL is showing in dBu on the volume pot, so it's a margin of a bit more then 14dBu, so when you go from -4 to +10dBu that show you what it represent. But in In fact it's even more then that, since that's the input level difference, so it got amplified and that difference get even bigger. To give you a reference point I have a sound level meter and I get 86dBA out of my headphone when I dry them at -12dBu on the auditor. So it's pretty loud and I'm far from the max, most of the time I listen to them at -28dBu.
 
You need a converter box to correct the voltage, but on a high-fi setup I don't know how it will affect your sound quality.
 
Source here: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=214470

 

[EVOLVIST]

Here some info I found for you:

[COLOR=222222]Balanced and Unbalanced Reference Voltage:[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]For consumer audio products using unbalanced RCA connectors, the reference signal level is -10dBV. This is equal to reference voltage level of 0.316 Vrms. 0 dBV is a voltage reference point equal to 1.0 Vrms. Remember that the dB level is a LOG ratio of two voltages.[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]=20*LOG(0.316/1) ˜ -10 dBV[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]For pro audio products using balanced XLR connectors, the reference signal level is +4dBu. This is equal to voltage reference level of 1.23 Vrms. 0 dBu is a voltage reference point equal to 0.775 Vrms.[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]=20*LOG(1.23/0.775) ˜ +4 dBu[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]So it's even more then the 50% I was calculating, that make a difference of 12dbV, which is huge at the source. Your Auditor SPL is showing in dBu on the volume pot, so it's a margin of a bit more then 14dBu, so when you are at +10dBu on the amp (max), it's like you would be between -6 and -4 with you had an XLR output instead of RCA.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=222222]You need a converter box to correct the voltage, but on a high-fi setup I don't know how it will affect your sound quality.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=222222]Source here: [/COLOR]http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=214470

Thanks for the response. Really. Some of this stuff is still very greek to me. So, basically I need a DAC with balanced XLR outs, yeah?

I'm looking at...hell, I don't know how much cash, but finding the right DAC, that's transparent enough - not colored too much - detailed enough - will be a search on its own. * sigh * Maybe I'll just send all of this stuff back, because my Aune T1 rocks! I just don't think I'm getting all I can get from my cans with it.