Hi all,
I've had basically the same monitoring setup for about ten years now - the output of my console fed into a conrad-johnson tube PV1 preamp, a White 4700 EQ, Marchand XM-9 Crossover, and a Bryston 4B (all connected unbalanced) feeding Westlake BBSM-4s. Sometimes I switch the Westlakes with a pair of Quested H-108s. I also use an old Mac 50-watt mono transistor power amp to feed a home-made subwoofer.
I really only needed the preamp for input switching and tape monitoring loops for running cassette copies and using the turntable. There have always been some problems: at low volumes the stereo image gets right-heavy. I've never been sure if it was an acoustic problem or a bad pot, or something else. Lately I've also been having real problems with one side cutting out, buzzes, leakage between inputs in the preamp, and I decided it was time to make some changes. I hardly turn on the cassette machines these days, and I can use the patchbay to connect them if I need to.
So I built a kit for a balanced, stereo, 46-step series attenuator with 1% resistors and a Shallco switch from Marchand Electronics. Brad Blackwood had some made and was very happy with them. I also got much advice from NYDave - thanks again. The White EQ can be connected to a balanced system with no mods, but the Marchand crossover needed to be changed. The circuit boards have provisions for active balanced inputs with a trace cut and XLR plugs. On the outputs I used a pair of Cinemag CMOB-1H transformers. Marchand's enclosures are designed to work with many of his different products, so there a lot of holes already drilled that worked for my purpose and saved a ton of my least favorite work. For instance, I had RCA connectors on mine, but the box comes punched with the screwholes in place for Switchcraft XLRs. I just had to punch out a larger hole for the body of the XLR and I was done. I wish I was capable of that kind of forethought. The Bryston already has balanced inputs, so just some new cables needed there and my whole system is balanced.
The net result is a very substantial sonic difference - the stereo image is stable at all volumes and very much clearer. The noise level is almost inaudible and is much softer than all of my damn fans. I like listening to my room again.
:thumb: :sam: :guinness:
Here's Marchand's URL: Marchand
I've had basically the same monitoring setup for about ten years now - the output of my console fed into a conrad-johnson tube PV1 preamp, a White 4700 EQ, Marchand XM-9 Crossover, and a Bryston 4B (all connected unbalanced) feeding Westlake BBSM-4s. Sometimes I switch the Westlakes with a pair of Quested H-108s. I also use an old Mac 50-watt mono transistor power amp to feed a home-made subwoofer.
I really only needed the preamp for input switching and tape monitoring loops for running cassette copies and using the turntable. There have always been some problems: at low volumes the stereo image gets right-heavy. I've never been sure if it was an acoustic problem or a bad pot, or something else. Lately I've also been having real problems with one side cutting out, buzzes, leakage between inputs in the preamp, and I decided it was time to make some changes. I hardly turn on the cassette machines these days, and I can use the patchbay to connect them if I need to.
So I built a kit for a balanced, stereo, 46-step series attenuator with 1% resistors and a Shallco switch from Marchand Electronics. Brad Blackwood had some made and was very happy with them. I also got much advice from NYDave - thanks again. The White EQ can be connected to a balanced system with no mods, but the Marchand crossover needed to be changed. The circuit boards have provisions for active balanced inputs with a trace cut and XLR plugs. On the outputs I used a pair of Cinemag CMOB-1H transformers. Marchand's enclosures are designed to work with many of his different products, so there a lot of holes already drilled that worked for my purpose and saved a ton of my least favorite work. For instance, I had RCA connectors on mine, but the box comes punched with the screwholes in place for Switchcraft XLRs. I just had to punch out a larger hole for the body of the XLR and I was done. I wish I was capable of that kind of forethought. The Bryston already has balanced inputs, so just some new cables needed there and my whole system is balanced.
The net result is a very substantial sonic difference - the stereo image is stable at all volumes and very much clearer. The noise level is almost inaudible and is much softer than all of my damn fans. I like listening to my room again.
:thumb: :sam: :guinness:
Here's Marchand's URL: Marchand
