I have recently been trialing my new Balanced Line Stage in either balanced or unbalanced output to the Aleph 5.
Firstly, I have to say this is the best sounding pre I've heard for some time. Its quite a smart performer.
Why I did not build this ages ago is beyond me. Cheers Nelson.
Unbalanced in/out appears to sound a bit warmer, and unbalanced in/balanced output less warm and more crisp and clinical in comparison.
I maybe correct in assuming balanced output mode cancels some of the second harmonic disortion of SE operation?
I prefer a bit of 2nd harmonic maybe
As to my choice of parts its straight out of the article.
I'm using an Allen Bradley conductive plastic 25K dual gang pot on the input (unbalanced input mode) and the shunt attenuator (Aleph P) using (2) Lorlin 2 pole 6 position rotory switches with resisitors of 4.3K, 2K, 1K, 499R, 240R 120R.
This seems to work and does not appear to effect sound quality.
I intend to build Panos's relay version of the attenuator for 64 step multi stepped attenuation.
My output caps are Black Gate C series 10uf 50 volt, they are billiant!
regards
macka
Firstly, I have to say this is the best sounding pre I've heard for some time. Its quite a smart performer.
Why I did not build this ages ago is beyond me. Cheers Nelson.
Unbalanced in/out appears to sound a bit warmer, and unbalanced in/balanced output less warm and more crisp and clinical in comparison.
I maybe correct in assuming balanced output mode cancels some of the second harmonic disortion of SE operation?
I prefer a bit of 2nd harmonic maybe
As to my choice of parts its straight out of the article.
I'm using an Allen Bradley conductive plastic 25K dual gang pot on the input (unbalanced input mode) and the shunt attenuator (Aleph P) using (2) Lorlin 2 pole 6 position rotory switches with resisitors of 4.3K, 2K, 1K, 499R, 240R 120R.
This seems to work and does not appear to effect sound quality.
I intend to build Panos's relay version of the attenuator for 64 step multi stepped attenuation.
My output caps are Black Gate C series 10uf 50 volt, they are billiant!
regards
macka