Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
Decware Audio Forums
03/28/24 at 17:31:01 




Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Balanced version of the ZROCK2? (Read 1939 times)
Jeff of Arabica
Seasoned Member
****


Name the greatest of
all inventors...
Accident.

Posts: 968
Balanced version of the ZROCK2?
08/16/19 at 04:42:16
 
Steve,
Have you considered building a balanced version of the ZROCK2?

Or, should I ask...  would Decware "Skunkworks" be willing to custom build me a balanced ZROCK2 with all the bells and whistles? Smiley
Back to top
 
 

Canary Audio Grand Reference Monos//ZMA//Zen Ultra//Taboo MKIII//Waversa DAC3//ModWright Oppo UDP-205// PS Audio P20//Canary Audio MC-10//Van den Hul Colibri "Stradivarius"//FFYX T1803 TT//SonoruS Reel-to-Reel & tube playback preamp//Tannoy Westminster Speakers
  IP Logged
RonP
Verified Member
**




Posts: 32
Re: Balanced version of the ZROCK2?
Reply #1 - 11/15/22 at 20:16:38
 
Sorry to reply to such an old post, I'm also curious about a balanced version.

Back to top
 
 

Nottingham Ace Spacedeck TT w/Heavy Kit + AudioMods S6 + SoundSmith Paua mk II • Modwright PH9.0XT • Cambridge CXNv2 (ModWright) & CXC • Modwright LS99 • Decware TORII MK5 • PI Audio UberBUSS • TriodeWireLabs Power Cables • Clayton Shaw Caladans (Ordered)
  IP Logged
Lon
Seasoned Member
****


"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23305
Re: Balanced version of the ZROCK2?
Reply #2 - 03/02/23 at 13:42:18
 
I think if Steve were to answer this query he would say "The balanced version of the ZROCK2 is the ZROCK2 and a ZBIT." I use both a ZROCK2 and a ZBIT in two systems and with another a 1:1 transformer like the ZBIT built by Pinetree Audio.
Back to top
 
 

HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
  IP Logged
DrewDays
Senior Member
***




Posts: 53
Re: Balanced version of the ZROCK2?
Reply #3 - 03/04/23 at 19:15:59
 
I think Lon is spot on. At least from what I've read in various forums.
Back to top
 
 

VPI Prime, Ortofon Bronze/Black, ZP3, ZROCK2, Rachael (SE34I.5), Caintuck Audio Lii F-15 Open Baffles
  IP Logged
Edsonic
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 154
Re: Balanced version of the ZROCK2?
Reply #4 - 03/05/23 at 00:28:20
 

"Steve,
Have you considered building a balanced version of the ZROCK2?"

That question was asked and answered nine months before this OP. (Ah, the lost art of scrolling down ... )


https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1537407839


When the object is to maintain balanced differential configuration, for example, from balanced DAC to a balanced preamp, with a ZROCK in between, a balanced ZROCK or two individual ZROCKs would be required.  The purpose of the ZBIT is to convert balanced to unbalanced/single-ended, so that defeats the purpose of maintaining balanced throughput between balanced devices. As Steve explained, a prospective balanced ZROCK would consist of two ZROCKs in one chassis, with XLR jacks at both ends.

The cost of such item would be at least nearly as much as two separate ZROCKs, or possibly even more because of the one-off outsized chassis and the extra expense of XLR vs. RCA jacks. My guess is that the demand for this item, at such cost, would be too low to make it financially or operationally worthwhile.

The standard XLR -> Y-split to 2 RCA adapters will not work for this purpose (using two separate ZROCKs w/ RCA jacks) because those adapters merely leave XLR pin 3 (-) unconnected and split pin 2 (+) to the separate RCA (+). So then balanced connection is lost, along with half the voltage. The ZBIT uses both the (+) and (-) leads (pin 2 and pin 3), which maintains the higher voltage level, but they are tied together at the (+) output, so it is single-ended, and not balanced.

I've looked but cannot find available adapters that use both (+) and (-) pins of XLR, separately, to the respective (+) of the two RCA plugs (instead of just dropping the (-) by not connecting pin 3). Maybe one of the small cable makers would accommodate a special order for this, I'm not sure. Decware purportedly has such an item in the works.


PS

For clarification; with single-ended/RCA cables, ground and (-) are both carried by the same one wire and connection. The standard configuration for XLR cables and connections has the ground/shield carried on a separate wire via pin 1. The proper adapter/splitter Y-splits the ground signal from XLR pin 1 to the (-) sleeve of the separate RCA plugs. XLR pin 2 (+) is connected to one RCA (+) and pin 3 (-) to the other RCA (+).




Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print