Hi all,
I have just bought parts to build the Balanced Zen Line Stage to go with a power amp I built at home. I read the article from Mr Pass but I do not understand one thing. I do not want to use the balanced inputs/outputs. I want to use just unbalanced RCA inputs/outputs. There is a plus and minus for the input and output. Which one do I use for balanced operation.
Suppose I decide to use the balanced input/output, how do I connect my CD player's RCA plugs. I am totally confused. Please help and thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Vivek
I have just bought parts to build the Balanced Zen Line Stage to go with a power amp I built at home. I read the article from Mr Pass but I do not understand one thing. I do not want to use the balanced inputs/outputs. I want to use just unbalanced RCA inputs/outputs. There is a plus and minus for the input and output. Which one do I use for balanced operation.
Suppose I decide to use the balanced input/output, how do I connect my CD player's RCA plugs. I am totally confused. Please help and thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Vivek
And more, for a very long time Master Nelson has said:
"The better converter for Unbalanced to Balanced and reverse is a Bosoz"
if you look at the release schematic of the X2 ....
It uses balanced to Unbalanced Bosoz then the attenuator {unbalanced}
and the outouts are Unbalanced to Balanced... Bosoz "encore"
Wouahh... thats a marvelous thing !!!! ingenuity, and simplicity.
Add a 1 or 2 CCS to this preparation, and you get a "master class" preamp.
Alain.
"The better converter for Unbalanced to Balanced and reverse is a Bosoz"
if you look at the release schematic of the X2 ....
It uses balanced to Unbalanced Bosoz then the attenuator {unbalanced}
and the outouts are Unbalanced to Balanced... Bosoz "encore"
Wouahh... thats a marvelous thing !!!! ingenuity, and simplicity.
Add a 1 or 2 CCS to this preparation, and you get a "master class" preamp.
Alain.
Hi guys,
So I just use the + input and + output for unbalanced operation, leaving the - input and - output free. Is that correct?
Few more questions.
Will pots just at the output be good enough to use as a volume control?
In India it is difficult to get fancy pots like the Blue Alps. And I think ordinary carbon pots will introduce distortion. Will a stepped attenuator with 1% metal film resistors work well?
Thanks again.
Vivek
So I just use the + input and + output for unbalanced operation, leaving the - input and - output free. Is that correct?
Few more questions.
Will pots just at the output be good enough to use as a volume control?
In India it is difficult to get fancy pots like the Blue Alps. And I think ordinary carbon pots will introduce distortion. Will a stepped attenuator with 1% metal film resistors work well?
Thanks again.
Vivek
I am using one of the Taiwanese stepped attentuator (eBay special) at the output my BZLS. It is built with 1% Dale resistors. Works fine.
Note: Some have reported clicks when adjusting these attenuators. Mine is silent during adjustment. Luck of the draw, I guess.
edit: I think there are a few threads which discuss the best type of attenuator for the BZLS, as well as the Aleph P. Nelson even chimed a few times, if I remember correctly. A search might turn up something.
Note: Some have reported clicks when adjusting these attenuators. Mine is silent during adjustment. Luck of the draw, I guess.
edit: I think there are a few threads which discuss the best type of attenuator for the BZLS, as well as the Aleph P. Nelson even chimed a few times, if I remember correctly. A search might turn up something.
Ok. Got it. -input to the ground with a 220 ohm resistor. What happens to the -output?
I made the boards for the power supply and the main circuit today. While the power supply board turned out pretty okay, the main board is a mess. This happened because I traced the layout with a carbon sheet and then used permanent marking ink with a brush to mark the traces. My free hand drawing is horrible and the board looks terrible. I am now thinking I will do point-to-point wiring.
Vivek
I made the boards for the power supply and the main circuit today. While the power supply board turned out pretty okay, the main board is a mess. This happened because I traced the layout with a carbon sheet and then used permanent marking ink with a brush to mark the traces. My free hand drawing is horrible and the board looks terrible. I am now thinking I will do point-to-point wiring.
Vivek
The BZLS is designed base on the advantage of a balanced operation. If i am gonna use the same design for unbalance input/output set-up, will it defeat the purpose of the balance operation since the benefits will not be appreciated ? will it be more viable to simply go for the Bride of Zen?
Kindly advice. Thanks in advance.
Kindly advice. Thanks in advance.
O.K., I'm a bit confused now. I have a BoSoZ that I am using exclusively single ended. The original article (page six, paragraph four in my version) states: The inputs are female XLR with pin 2 = plus, 3 = minus, and 1 = ground...In parallel with the XLR connectors are 2 RCA connectors, one for each polarity, with XLR pin 2 connected to the "live" of the positive RCA and...XLR pin 3 connected to the live of the negative RCA.
I took this as direction to hook up one RCA to the positive input and the other to the negative input. A couple questions...
1) Are you guys saying that both input RCAs should be hooked up to the positive input on the board?
2) Is the 220ohm resistor from the negative input to ground functioning as R19, providing stability to the input protection zener (z4 on Nelson's schematic)?
I took this as direction to hook up one RCA to the positive input and the other to the negative input. A couple questions...
1) Are you guys saying that both input RCAs should be hooked up to the positive input on the board?
2) Is the 220ohm resistor from the negative input to ground functioning as R19, providing stability to the input protection zener (z4 on Nelson's schematic)?
steenoe said:No, I dont think so. Also you will have a balanced output from a singleended input with the -in grounded! That is quite usefull if you have a poweramp that accepts balanced input.
The circuit will output a balanced signal, in that configuration
Steen.
Hi Steen,
as mentioned by thread starter and myself, we intended the set-up to be unbalanced inputs/outputs and the circuit will be configurated as what ALan Dupont suggested in the thread above -- -ve input tied to ground with 221ohm and -ve output unused. so will the will this operation benefit from the balanced design?
No. For singleended input, you only need one RCA per channel. I think the two RCA's mentioned in the construction manual, is for transferring a balanced signal with RCA's.
For singleended, you do this:
One RCA connected to +IN, per channel. The -IN is shorted to GND on the PCB through a 221 ohm resistor. The shields are connected to GND. -OUT is left unused.
The BosoZ has a reputation of sounding better than the BoZ. Even if configured to single ended signal. I havent heard the BoZ myself, though.
Steen.
Thanks steenoe. I had hooked up the positive input to an RCA on the left channel, and the negative input on the right channel. I will switch the right channel so that its RCA is hooked up to the positive as well.
Your helpful answer has raised another question for me, though.
Does this mean that you need four RCAs (two per channel) to convert single ended signals to a balanced output?
Thanks again.
Your helpful answer has raised another question for me, though.
Does this mean that you need four RCAs (two per channel) to convert single ended signals to a balanced output?
Thanks again.
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