Preamp With Remote Balance Control

[Peter]

Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from right
to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too high-end,
preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and output, but also a
remote control that includes balance control adjustment. It would also be
helpful if it incorporated a simple phono stage.

Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.

[Trevor Wilson[_3_]]

Peter wrote:
> Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from
> right to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too
> high-end, preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and
> output, but also a remote control that includes balance control
> adjustment. It would also be helpful if it incorporated a simple
> phono stage.
> Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.

**I have no specific suggestions, apart from one:

Dump the idea of balanced inputs and outputs. It is completely unnecessary.
It will merely add cost, for zero benefit, UNLESS you happen to be in an
extremely electrically noisy environment, or you intend operating cables of
several dozens of Metres, alongside unshielded mains cables.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

[John Stone]

On 2/19/10 1:21 AM, in article
, "Peter" <reply to newsgroup
only> wrote:

> Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from right
> to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too high-end,
> preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and output, but also a
> remote control that includes balance control adjustment. It would also be
> helpful if it incorporated a simple phono stage.
>
> Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>
If nobody else has suggested this, most of the Pass Labs X series (X1,
X2,etc.) preamps have remote balance ability. They are not very cheap, but
build quality is superb and they will last forever. They are fully balanced
from input to output. No built in phono stage, though.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Feb 19, 8:11*am, John Stone > wrote:
> On 2/19/10 1:21 AM, in article
> , "Peter" <reply to newsgroup
>
> only> wrote:
> > Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from right
> > to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too high-end,
> > preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and output, but also a
> > remote control that includes balance control adjustment. *It would also be
> > helpful if it incorporated a simple phono stage.
>
> > Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>
> If nobody else has suggested this, most of the *Pass Labs X series (X1,
> X2,etc.) preamps have remote balance ability. They are not very cheap, but
> build quality is superb and they will last forever. They are fully balanced
> from input to output. No built in phono stage, though.

Some of the more modern McIntosh preamps have all of these features,
but again at a high price.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Feb 19, 5:10*am, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:
> Peter wrote:
> > Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from
> > right to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too
> > high-end, preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and
> > output, but also a remote control that includes balance control
> > adjustment. *It would also be helpful if it incorporated a simple
> > phono stage.
> > Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>
> **I have no specific suggestions, apart from one:
>
> Dump the idea of balanced inputs and outputs. It is completely unnecessary.


Unless, of course, the OP has already invested in XLR cabling and has
balanced capabilities in other components.

[Lionel[_8_]]

Le 19/02/2010 08:21, Peter a écrit :
> Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from right
> to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too high-end,
> preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and output, but
> also a
> remote control that includes balance control adjustment. It would also
> be helpful if it incorporated a simple phono stage.
>
> Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.

Low cost solution :

http://alexandjana.info/Images/gifts%20-%20ikea/TRAKTOR%20rotating%20chair%20with%20wheels.jpg

:-)

[Trevor Wilson[_3_]]

Boon wrote:
> On Feb 19, 5:10 am, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:
>> Peter wrote:
>>> Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well
>>> from right to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not
>>> too high-end, preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input
>>> and output, but also a remote control that includes balance control
>>> adjustment. It would also be helpful if it incorporated a simple
>>> phono stage.
>>> Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>>
>> **I have no specific suggestions, apart from one:
>>
>> Dump the idea of balanced inputs and outputs. It is completely
>> unnecessary.
>
>
> Unless, of course, the OP has already invested in XLR cabling and has
> balanced capabilities in other components.

**Irrelevant. Cable costs are insignificant. Any product which has balanced
outputs, can be used unbalanced. Any product which has balanced inputs can
be used unbalanced. Fundamentally, it boils down to the following:

* The differences between balanced and unbalanced systems, in a domestic
environment is exactly zero. Any differences which may be noted, may be due
to incompetence on the designer's part.
* A true, fully balanced preamp is a very rare and expensive beast.
* The vast majority of preamps that employ balanced inputs and/or balanced
outputs, perform conversion internally at the inputs, then re-convert at the
outputs. Thus incurring extra, completely unnecessary costs.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

[Boon[_2_]]

On Feb 19, 6:43*pm, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:
> Boon wrote:
> > On Feb 19, 5:10 am, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:
> >> Peter wrote:
> >>> Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well
> >>> from right to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not
> >>> too high-end, preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input
> >>> and output, but also a remote control that includes balance control
> >>> adjustment. It would also be helpful if it incorporated a simple
> >>> phono stage.
> >>> Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>
> >> **I have no specific suggestions, apart from one:
>
> >> Dump the idea of balanced inputs and outputs. It is completely
> >> unnecessary.
>
> > Unless, of course, the OP has already invested in XLR cabling and has
> > balanced capabilities in other components.
>
> **Irrelevant. Cable costs are insignificant. Any product which has balanced
> outputs, can be used unbalanced. Any product which has balanced inputs can
> be used unbalanced. Fundamentally, it boils down to the following:
>
> * The differences between balanced and unbalanced systems, in a domestic
> environment is exactly zero. Any differences which may be noted, may be due
> to incompetence on the designer's part.
> * A true, fully balanced preamp is a very rare and expensive beast.
> * The vast majority of preamps that employ balanced inputs and/or balanced
> outputs, perform conversion internally at the inputs, then re-convert at the
> outputs. Thus incurring extra, completely unnecessary costs.

It's not that I disagree with you, but that I'm merely offering this
as the possible reason why the OP made the distinction. Besides, many
XLR cables are expensive, and if the OP has made a significant
investment already, I can see why he'd want to continue.

[Bret L]

One concept most people do not keep in mind is that just because a
unit has XLR or any other multi pin connector that does not mean the
signal is balanced. Most of the prosumer recording gear sold today
uses XLRs in unbalanced or quasi balanced configurations, and a good
deal of high end equipment does as well.

For those too lazy to terminate their own cables this can cause
substantial problems since some of this stuff is "Pin 2 Hot" and some
"Pin 3 Hot". There is also the issue of whether the unit is inverting
or noninverting, which if you consider absolute polarity important can
really make your day.

You also need to consider whether the unit is designed for -10 or +4
dbm full output operation.

There is, however, no doubt that the XLR is miles above the stinky
RCA as a connector.

Another design issue is this: with tube circuits, true full balanced
operation means open loop because in balanced circuits with NFB,
failure or gross mismatch of one tube section means that you have an
oscillator on your hands. Plus, you need a lot of tubes at any rate.
Most classic pro tube gear was single ended internally and interfaced
to the outside with transformers.

I suspect the OP will wind up settling for less than his noble
original concept.

[Bret L]

On Feb 19, 9:56*am, Boon > wrote:
> On Feb 19, 8:11*am, John Stone > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On 2/19/10 1:21 AM, in article
> > , "Peter" <reply to newsgroup
>
> > only> wrote:
> > > Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from right
> > > to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too high-end,
> > > preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and output, but also a
> > > remote control that includes balance control adjustment. *It would also be
> > > helpful if it incorporated a simple phono stage.
>
> > > Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>
> > If nobody else has suggested this, most of the *Pass Labs X series (X1,
> > X2,etc.) preamps have remote balance ability. They are not very cheap, but
> > build quality is superb and they will last forever. They are fully balanced
> > from input to output. No built in phono stage, though.
>
> Some of the more modern McIntosh preamps have all of these features,
> but again at a high price.

Are they true balanced or quasi balanced? I myself don't know, I
suspect the latter.

[Boon[_2_]]

On Feb 20, 3:09*am, Bret L > wrote:
> On Feb 19, 9:56*am, Boon > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Feb 19, 8:11*am, John Stone > wrote:
>
> > > On 2/19/10 1:21 AM, in article
> > > , "Peter" <reply to newsgroup
>
> > > only> wrote:
> > > > Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well from right
> > > > to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not too high-end,
> > > > preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced input and output, but also a
> > > > remote control that includes balance control adjustment. *It would also be
> > > > helpful if it incorporated a simple phono stage.
>
> > > > Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>
> > > If nobody else has suggested this, most of the *Pass Labs X series (X1,
> > > X2,etc.) preamps have remote balance ability. They are not very cheap, but
> > > build quality is superb and they will last forever. They are fully balanced
> > > from input to output. No built in phono stage, though.
>
> > Some of the more modern McIntosh preamps have all of these features,
> > but again at a high price.
>
> *Are they true balanced or quasi balanced? *I myself don't know, I
> suspect the latter.

What Trevor said about true balanced preamps being rare is absolutely
correct, so I may have to agree with you there.

[Trevor Wilson[_3_]]

Boon wrote:
> On Feb 19, 6:43 pm, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:
>> Boon wrote:
>>> On Feb 19, 5:10 am, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:
>>>> Peter wrote:
>>>>> Since unfortunately many recordings are not always balanced well
>>>>> from right to left, I would like to find a high-end, although not
>>>>> too high-end, preamplifer that not only features XLR balanced
>>>>> input and output, but also a remote control that includes balance
>>>>> control adjustment. It would also be helpful if it incorporated a
>>>>> simple phono stage.
>>>>> Thanks in advance for all suggestions and recommendations.
>>
>>>> **I have no specific suggestions, apart from one:
>>
>>>> Dump the idea of balanced inputs and outputs. It is completely
>>>> unnecessary.
>>
>>> Unless, of course, the OP has already invested in XLR cabling and
>>> has balanced capabilities in other components.
>>
>> **Irrelevant. Cable costs are insignificant. Any product which has
>> balanced outputs, can be used unbalanced. Any product which has
>> balanced inputs can be used unbalanced. Fundamentally, it boils down
>> to the following:
>>
>> * The differences between balanced and unbalanced systems, in a
>> domestic environment is exactly zero. Any differences which may be
>> noted, may be due to incompetence on the designer's part.
>> * A true, fully balanced preamp is a very rare and expensive beast.
>> * The vast majority of preamps that employ balanced inputs and/or
>> balanced outputs, perform conversion internally at the inputs, then
>> re-convert at the outputs. Thus incurring extra, completely
>> unnecessary costs.
>
> It's not that I disagree with you, but that I'm merely offering this
> as the possible reason why the OP made the distinction. Besides, many
> XLR cables are expensive, and if the OP has made a significant
> investment already, I can see why he'd want to continue.

**Perhaps the original poster will explain why he thinks it is necessary for
him to buy a fully balanced product. My suspicion is that he has been
brainwashed. He imagines, for whatever reason, that balanced is better.
OTOH, I certainly agree with Brett about the quality of Neutrik (but
certainly not many other brands) XLR connectors.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

[Glanbrok[_2_]]

On Feb 19, 6:10*am, "Trevor Wilson" > wrote:

> **I have no specific suggestions, apart from one:

Radishes!