ARX RS-1 XLR AB Switcher Review

[waynel]

I have a DAC with XLR feeding my headphone amp in my office and I'm going to be adding powered monitors to my setup. I assume this would be the type of device I need? The price seems excessive... but I probably don't need all the features since a manual switch would be within my reach?

This device has two sets of inputs and one set of outputs . You’ll need one set of inputs and two sets of outputs like the rs-2. Where is your trigger coming from?

 

[DapperDanMan]

This device has two sets of inputs and one set of outputs . You’ll need one set of inputs and two sets of outputs like the rs-2. Where is your trigger coming from?

Ah OK then it sounds like I'm mixed up on what this device is for. I am running PC -> DAC (via USB) -> Headphone Amp (via XLR), I want to be able to go PC -> DAC -> Switch -> Headphone Amp (A) / Powered Monitors (B).

I give myself a D-minus for reading comprehension

 

[Carnajo]

Ah OK then it sounds like I'm mixed up on what this device is for. I am running PC -> DAC (via USB) -> Headphone Amp (via XLR), I want to be able to go PC -> DAC -> Switch -> Headphone Amp (A) / Powered Monitors (B).

I give myself a D-minus for reading comprehension

I'm pretty sure what you're trying to do can be achieved by simply using RCA splitter cable and just switch off the powered monitors and or the headphone amp depending on what you want to use.

EDIT: oops, I said RCA, but meant XLR if it is balanced.

 

[waynel]

I'm pretty sure what you're trying to do can be achieved by simply using RCA splitter cable and just switch off the powered monitors and or the headphone amp depending on what you want to use.

yes two of these would work for headphone amp plus powered monitors if you are willing to switch off the monitors when using headphones.

https://www.performanceaudio.com/performance-audio-professional-xlr-y-cable-xlrf-to-dual-xlrm.html

There are cheaper versions from Hosa on amazon and you won't hear the difference but these are top notch parts and construction.

 

[waynel]

Here are some photos of the guts

 

[Labjr]

Here are some photos of the guts
View attachment 79061 View attachment 79062 View attachment 79063
View attachment 79064

Hmmm. Not sure what all the support circuitry is for? Are the resistors all same value? In one pic they look like 22ohm? The PCB looks hand-soldered. Looks like the flux wasn't cleaned. Never seen that brand of relays. Made by "Ningbo Forward Relay Corporation". Overall, not something I would consider great construction quality.

 

[waynel]

Hmmm. Not sure what all the support circuitry is for? Are the resistors all same value? In one pic they look like 22ohm? The PCB looks hand-soldered. Looks like the flux wasn't cleaned. Never seen that brand of relays. Made by "Ningbo Forward Relay Corporation". Overall, not something I would consider great construction quality.

Didn’t look badly made to me up close, I may have gotten some fingerprints on the back of the board.

 

[amirm]

THere is a voltage regulator on the right which is nice. And a diode reverse voltage protection.

The caps are there to keep the relays from causing static/glitches.

On the relay, it is from this company: http://www.sj-relays.com/electric-relay/magnetic-latching-relay-p-2a-5v-1-coil.html

I am surprised that it is the latching type. This eliminates the need to keep powering the relay to get it to stay in that mode.

 

[Labjr]

Didn’t look badly made to me up close, I may have gotten some fingerprints on the back of the board.

There appears to be flux residue on the bottom of the board. May not be critical in this application, but with RF and small high speed chips it could cause leakage currents and crosstalk etc.

 

[Labjr]

THere is a voltage regulator on the right which is nice. And a diode reverse voltage protection.

The caps are there to keep the relays from causing static/glitches.

On the relay, it is from this company: http://www.sj-relays.com/electric-relay/magnetic-latching-relay-p-2a-5v-1-coil.html

I am surprised that it is the latching type. This eliminates the need to keep powering the relay to get it to stay in that mode.

I don't believe the P-12 is a latching type according to the data sheet.

http://www.forward-relays.com/pdf/en/P.pdf

 

[waynel]

]

I don't believe the P-12 is a latching type according to the data sheet.

http://www.forward-relays.com/pdf/en/P.pdf

Here’s the full resolution

 

[amirm]

I don't believe the P-12 is a latching type according to the data sheet.

Ah, OK. I looked quickly and thought the entire range was latching.

 

[Labjr]

BTW, if you're picky you can probably clean flux residue with some isopropyl alcohol.

 

[waynel]

Ah, OK. I looked quickly and thought the entire range was latching.

Amir , did you measure the isolation for the off channel at a particular frequency or is it a sweep?

Thanks
Wayne

 

[amirm]

Amir , did you measure the isolation for the off channel at a particular frequency or is it a sweep?

Thanks
Wayne

Just 1 kHz. We are most sensitive to mid frequencies anyway.

 

[Sonnie]

Are you guys that are using this shorting out the switch, leaving it closed for channel A and B, then using remote power from a 12-volt trigger to the 12-volt input to power it on and switch it to channel B?

I'm assuming shorting out the switch to close it does not affect channel A, as long as you don't have power connected.

 

[waynel]

Are you guys that are using this shorting out the switch, leaving it closed for channel A and B, then using remote power from a 12-volt trigger to the 12-volt input to power it on and switch it to channel B?

I'm assuming shorting out the switch to close it does not affect channel A, as long as you don't have power connected.

View attachment 105631

I'm using the two pins on the right with the 2V trigger from my AVR, and no separate power supply. It stays on A unless my AVR is on.
(the two pins on the left are not shorted or connected at all, they are for another use case w/o a 12V trigger supplied)

 

[Sonnie]

I'm using the two pins on the right with the 2V trigger from my AVR, and no separate power supply. It stays on A unless my AVR is on.
(the two pins on the left are not shorted or connected at all, they are for another use case w/o a 12V trigger supplied)

Oh... so you don't have to close the switch (two left pins) to change it to channel B? It states on the unit that for channel B the switch has to be closed for channel B.

 

[waynel]

Oh... so you don't have to close the switch (two left pins) to change it to channel B? It states on the unit that for channel B the switch has to be closed for channel B.

if running off a 12V trigger, ignore the power supply and the two pins on the left, they are for a different use case ( public safety announcements in venues)

 

[RichB]

if running off a 12V trigger, ignore the power supply and the two pins on the left, they are for a different use case ( public safety announcements in venues)

I am using it the same way. Since my DAC has a trigger (Yeah), it powers the ARX only when in 2-channel mode.

- Rich