The RSA Protector balanced portable: Images and impressions 1st page, Please post your impressions . .

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. Does this amp convert a single-ended source input into a true balanced drive output?

It would appear to use a phase splitting device and 4ch of output, providing balanced drive from a single ended source. Ray has somewhat touched on this in posts in the paid thread.

Quote:

2. Regarding the resistors in the output stage, do IEMs really require much dampening? Since this amp is first & foremost designed for IEMs, I would think the requirement of coupling higher-voltage balanced output with a very low noise-floor is more important a design consideration, no?

Some folks have done a bit of testing regarding the frequency response curves of IEMs when driven by amps with varying output impedances. I don't feel qualified to speak much about this and can only relate my experiences regarding adding even low value series resistance to the output of various amps. I didn't like the results. Of course it's hard to say how big a role the resistors will play here since we don't know the value of the resistors.

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All that being said, I still have to wonder if IEMs really require a balanced output amp at all.

I'm 100% with you on this one Jimmy. What I want out of my IEM amp is not more power but precise and finely adjustable attenuation to allow me to maximize the sound quality of the output of whatever source I'm feeding it.

 

[Lil' Knight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif some fair points, but why does it need to be a super duper balanced cable? the connectors are available, you can simply reterminate a stock cable.

What stock cable are you talking about?

 

[The Monkey]

Maybe a stock super duper single-ended cable?

 

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Knight /img/forum/go_quote.gif What stock cable are you talking about?

I think he was referring to any stock headphone cable with 4 wires that could be easily re-terminated to use with this amp.

 

[Lil' Knight]

I wish it could be done that way. The stock JH13 cable can't be reterminated in balanced.
Fortunately, the new UE18 cable is possible. I'm waiting for the quote from UE for that one.

@edit: Nate might be correct. I thought he was mentioning the IEMs cable.

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe a stock super duper single-ended cable?

The new Ultimate Ears cable that will be available with the UE18 Pro should be able to be easily modified to balanced.

 

[shigzeo]

I've used TRRS in many of my MD players for years and they have never once suffered cutting in and out. The Auvi units used a sort of balanced wiring for its sennheiser mx300 or mx400 series earphones back in the good ol' MD days.

This is a badly translated article, but as Sharp no longer make AUVI portable units, most of the information has been taken down.

 

[qusp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think he was referring to any stock headphone cable with 4 wires that could be easily re-terminated to use with this amp.

indeed I was; in the annuls of history I remember (foggily) some of the other IEM cables are 4 wire too, because I seem to remember p0wd3rhound from westone talking about a stock cable he has balanced. I havent chopped open any of the stock cables though as I made all of mine from scratch. and the new UE18 cable of course, but whether that works properly with the JH13/16 we wont know till its in some HFers hands

 

[The Monkey]

Does there exist a female connector that matches the balanced male plug that goes into the Protector?

 

[qusp]

I guess so considering it has to plug into the amp.... whether its easily accessible is another thing; i'm not quite sold on it, but its growing on me

 

[The Monkey]

I should have been clearer; I mean a female connector that could be used to make an XLR or TRS adapter.

 

[n_maher]

Considering there's a male cable end it seems likely that there's a mating female connector.

My ultimate concern with the connector (ignoring its bulk) is the fixed non-rotational nature of the connection it makes to the amp. I don't know and can't speak for anyone else but my portable rig gets yanked around from time to time and it's nice that the cable can move without disconnecting or meeting with unmovable resistance. I'm also not a fan of the RA nature of the connection, while that works great for Ray in this one case it may not for others.

 

[Robin W.]

I've ordered some of the connectors Ray is using, part numbers can be found in his paid thread. I haven't come across a cable mount female version but there are a couple different panel mount versions that could be used to convert a Ray Samuels 4 pin into dual 3 pin xlr, or single 4 pin xlr etc. (this assumes you choose to terminate the headphones with this new 4 pin)

I find it amusing that people are so quick to criticize the connector because it doesn't match any current standards, when at the moment there are no standards for balanced portable audio. Desktop audio has either dual 3 pin xlr or single 4 pin, but there is no way either of those would fit in a portable amp. It’s true the TRRS is a candidate but there are many other uses in a similar application that could cause problems. Someone can and will plug in an iphone headset, a camera cable etc. into the amp or trrs headphones into an iphone etc and it won’t work right, people will complain that it shouldn’t use the same connector if it’s not compatible etc. There is probably no way to win, I commend Ray for going out on a limb and looking outside the box to find a solution. Only time will tell if it catches on, but I personally will give the connector a try before I say anything good or bad about it.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwaudio /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've ordered some of the connectors Ray is using, part numbers can be found in his paid thread. I haven't come across a cable mount female version but there are a couple different panel mount versions that could be used to convert a Ray Samuels 4 pin into dual 3 pin xlr, or single 4 pin xlr etc. (this assumes you choose to terminate the headphones with this new 4 pin) I find it amusing that people are so quick to criticize the connector because it doesn't match any current standards, when at the moment there are no standards for balanced portable audio. Desktop audio has either dual 3 pin xlr or single 4 pin, but there is no way either of those would fit in a portable amp. It’s true the TRRS is a candidate but there are many other uses in a similar application that could cause problems. Someone can and will plug in an iphone headset, a camera cable etc. into the amp or trrs headphones into an iphone etc and it won’t work right, people will complain that it shouldn’t use the same connector if it’s not compatible etc. There is probably no way to win, I commend Ray for going out on a limb and looking outside the box to find a solution. Only time will tell if it catches on, but I personally will give the connector a try before I say anything good or bad about it.

Who where you able to order them from?

 

[Robin W.]

This is a screen shot of the catalog page, I think everything you need is there. Sorry links aren't clickable.