There was an article in Glass Audio about using a cartridge as a balanced source. The circuit was not extreme, but the idea is interesting. I believe it used matched signal transformers at the input. Is Boulder describing balanced inputs as in a true balanced input? Does anyone have any experience with using TT and cartridge in balanced mode? This might qualify as extreme..
Re: BALANCED
The signal from the pickup itself is always balanced but you have the fix the cables in order to get a balanced signal. The coils in the pickup is floating.
Check Klaus Böning's amp once more.
http://www.klaus-boening.de/html/laboheme.html
The challenge may be in designing a good balanced amp and also take advantage of the benefits of balanced signals.
fdegrove said:Hi,
I don't know about the GA article but I don't see any challenge in hooking up a cartridge to a balance input.
Can you explain what exactly it is you want to do?
Rgds,
The signal from the pickup itself is always balanced but you have the fix the cables in order to get a balanced signal. The coils in the pickup is floating.
Check Klaus Böning's amp once more.
http://www.klaus-boening.de/html/laboheme.html
The challenge may be in designing a good balanced amp and also take advantage of the benefits of balanced signals.
BALANCED
Per,
Do you mean X-LR?
or this one:
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/archive/perl/593_printreview.htm
??
Cheers,
Per,
Do you mean X-LR?
or this one:
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/archive/perl/593_printreview.htm
??
Cheers,
Boulder phono amp
Oh my, I just took a look at that Boulder chassis photo. That seems to me to be a few too many parts than what is actually needed. I agree with all of the comments regarding connectors, dip switches, relays, ribbon cables, etc. Sheesh, they even have "plug-in" modules for changing cartridge loading. Once you get past the initial shock, it boils down to a couple of transistors and WIMA caps. Deep inside of all that peripheral circuitry is a simple little phono amp.
Nonetheless, it is very impressive in appearance. Somebody put an awful lot of work into it.
I thought my phono amp looked pretty cool, but it lacks pizzaz next to the Boulder.
www.hagtech.com/images/supply.jpg
www.hagtech.com/images/preamp.jpg
Oh my, I just took a look at that Boulder chassis photo. That seems to me to be a few too many parts than what is actually needed. I agree with all of the comments regarding connectors, dip switches, relays, ribbon cables, etc. Sheesh, they even have "plug-in" modules for changing cartridge loading. Once you get past the initial shock, it boils down to a couple of transistors and WIMA caps. Deep inside of all that peripheral circuitry is a simple little phono amp.
Nonetheless, it is very impressive in appearance. Somebody put an awful lot of work into it.
I thought my phono amp looked pretty cool, but it lacks pizzaz next to the Boulder.
www.hagtech.com/images/supply.jpg
www.hagtech.com/images/preamp.jpg
240V amplifiers
>>BTW, it can't be that hard for you to have a 240/230 VAC?
Yes and no. Getting a "CE" rating for a small manufacturer is prohitibvely expensive. And without it I cannot legally ship to European consumers. Not that the amplifier is unsafe - in fact, it meets or exceeds all electrical and mechanical requirements with the exception of exposed tubes. A "cage" would have to be added to comply. The transformer, ac connector, power cord, etc. are all UL, CSA & CE rated. The circuit board uses the required minimum spacings between conductors. The chassis is connected to safety earth good to 30 amps.
So that's my quick no answer. Additionally, the off-the-shelf transformer I selected has an odd shape and mounting and is not easily replaced. No 240V model was available in the same size.
On the yes side, I am investigating the possibility of a rack-mount version that will use a "universal" transformer. It will also have step-up transformers for moving coil inputs. But again, achieving CE certification is too costly. This is not uncommon in high-end audio.
So I guess you'll have to buy the Boulder.
jh
>>BTW, it can't be that hard for you to have a 240/230 VAC?
Yes and no. Getting a "CE" rating for a small manufacturer is prohitibvely expensive. And without it I cannot legally ship to European consumers. Not that the amplifier is unsafe - in fact, it meets or exceeds all electrical and mechanical requirements with the exception of exposed tubes. A "cage" would have to be added to comply. The transformer, ac connector, power cord, etc. are all UL, CSA & CE rated. The circuit board uses the required minimum spacings between conductors. The chassis is connected to safety earth good to 30 amps.
So that's my quick no answer. Additionally, the off-the-shelf transformer I selected has an odd shape and mounting and is not easily replaced. No 240V model was available in the same size.
On the yes side, I am investigating the possibility of a rack-mount version that will use a "universal" transformer. It will also have step-up transformers for moving coil inputs. But again, achieving CE certification is too costly. This is not uncommon in high-end audio.
So I guess you'll have to buy the Boulder.
jh
Mister Hagerman,
The short answer is:I won't buy the Boulder gear.Period.
I consider you to be a very well trained person and if CE is stopping you that's your choice.
Being a European I can only say this:this is one of the toughest markets to penetrate.Once you gain acceptance though it's your playing field.Besides there are a myriad of ways to get around,so give it a go.
I think you deserve it.
Sincerely,
The short answer is:I won't buy the Boulder gear.Period.
I consider you to be a very well trained person and if CE is stopping you that's your choice.
Being a European I can only say this:this is one of the toughest markets to penetrate.Once you gain acceptance though it's your playing field.Besides there are a myriad of ways to get around,so give it a go.
I think you deserve it.
Sincerely,
xtreme phono
I like the 'La Boheme'.... Reminds me somewhat of a a phono preamp in Positive Feedback a number of years ago, balanced input thorugh an instrumentation amp, a TI? INA03??? driving a passive RIAA equilization to an op amp. There is a TI differential amp, THS4031, that facinates me on its technical implmetation (really spiffy way of dealing with CMRR and setting dc operating point), but I've no idea as to how the chip actually sounds -
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/productfolder.jhtml?genericPartNumber=THS4131
I like the 'La Boheme'.... Reminds me somewhat of a a phono preamp in Positive Feedback a number of years ago, balanced input thorugh an instrumentation amp, a TI? INA03??? driving a passive RIAA equilization to an op amp. There is a TI differential amp, THS4031, that facinates me on its technical implmetation (really spiffy way of dealing with CMRR and setting dc operating point), but I've no idea as to how the chip actually sounds -
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/productfolder.jhtml?genericPartNumber=THS4131
Hi Hagtech,
AFAIK, you do not need a CE approval to ship into Europe, but if you had a European distributor who then sold on the products they would then have to be approved. It is a standard required for European companies only, and If you comply with your local standards, shipping in for private use is ok, as long as they are then not sold on commercially.
Hope this helps...
AFAIK, you do not need a CE approval to ship into Europe, but if you had a European distributor who then sold on the products they would then have to be approved. It is a standard required for European companies only, and If you comply with your local standards, shipping in for private use is ok, as long as they are then not sold on commercially.
Hope this helps...
Hi Bertrand,
That is correct as far as I'm up to date with those laws.
The only thing they need to do really is make a 240VAC primary available for the products.(an autodetect would be fine too)
Shouldn't be too difficult,I reckon.
Personally I quite like the filosophy behind the company and would welcome the product range in Europe.
Cheers,
That is correct as far as I'm up to date with those laws.
The only thing they need to do really is make a 240VAC primary available for the products.(an autodetect would be fine too)
Shouldn't be too difficult,I reckon.
Personally I quite like the filosophy behind the company and would welcome the product range in Europe.
Cheers,
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