Balanced XLR switcher 1N - 2out tips ?

[Alou]

Hello i dont know if this has been covered before but i want to ask opinions on how to achieve a proper selection between amps with out sound degradation.
I have one balanced preamp with one XLR out and 2 balanced XLR IN amplifiers with different speakers connected to each,i want to switch between the two with a simple selectoe but in the cleanest with out in loss way.I see that there are some XLR switches on EBAY (from China) but i am not quite sure .
Any suggestions ,please not that i am looking for something simple and in the budget area.

Thanks

 

[staticV3]

The Nobsound MC103 should do the trick. It's $65 on Amazon.
Measurements are here and here

 

[Alou]

Thanks for the reply,i think i saw that but was curious about quality !Did know there was review here!
Thanks!!

 

[Deleted member 46664]

Thanks for the reply,i think i saw that but was curious about quality !Did know there was review here!
Thanks!!

A simple switch should not degrade sound quality in any way.
The only complication will be the connectors ... XLR uses male connectors for outputs, females for inputs, so be careful which switcher you buy.

From your description --1 output to 2 inputs-- you could even use a Y connector and just turn the amps on and off as needed. This also opens the door to using both together. Signal degradation, if any, would be very minimal, probably inaudible.

 

[Alou]

That might work as well ,thought a switch would make it more convenient.

 

[Deleted member 46664]

That might work as well ,thought a switch would make it more convenient.

The switch might be more convenient ... but I'm thinking that to avoid stray hum and noise you might want to turn off the unused amplifier anyway... Either way should be fine.

 

[Blumlein 88]

The switch might be more convenient ... but I'm thinking that to avoid stray hum and noise you might want to turn off the unused amplifier anyway... Either way should be fine.

I use one of those switches and no difference whether unused gear is on or off. It totally disconnects it. The one reviewed is not metal front and rear plus the rest is steel. Still as quiet as measured. Same company makes a physically smaller one that is all aluminum and has neutrik xlrs. I think it's a few dollars more.

 

[Alou]

Yes i understand what you say,turning the amp that not used off is a good idea ,i was going to do that anyway.
The Y splitter cable wont degrade the quality as well if you have the one off i guess.
What i do now is i have the preamp on my desk and both sets of xlr cables marked (amp1 L+R ,amp2 L+R) and just remove on pair and add the other.Its not that it happens all the time just things of ways to be done more tidy and neat.

 

[Deleted member 46664]

I use one of those switches and no difference whether unused gear is on or off. It totally disconnects it. The one reviewed is not metal front and rear plus the rest is steel. Still as quiet as measured. Same company makes a physically smaller one that is all aluminum and has neutrik xlrs. I think it's a few dollars more.

I was thinking mostly of of the open inputs on the unused amp.

 

[Alou]

Same company makes a physically smaller one that is all aluminum and has neutrik xlrs. I think it's a few dollars more.

I think the smaller one is cheaper ,uses a pcb board instead of cables and is also reversible in use.Someone posted this a few posts back
Most of these are in China stock ,i am trying to find a retailer in EU.A year or so back i could find these at EU stores.

 

[Deleted member 46664]

Yes i understand what you say,turning the amp that not used off is a good idea ,i was going to do that anyway.

Good.

The Y splitter cable wont degrade the quality as well if you have the one off i guess.

It won't degrade the signal. Even if it does it will likely be so minimal as to be inaudible.

What i do now is i have the preamp on my desk and both sets of xlr cables marked (amp1 L+R ,amp2 L+R) and just remove on pair and add the other.Its not that it happens all the time just things of ways to be done more tidy and neat.

Plugging and unplugging stuff all the time is less than ideal ... it can lead to connector or cable failures.
Most of the panel connectors on consumer gear is meant to be hooked up and left that way.

So you're going to improve your setup's longivity if nothing else.

 

[Alou]

I will try to find the one tested here or the smaller one which is this by the way :

Portable 3-way XLR Balanced Stereo Audio Switcher Passive Selector Splitter Box | eBay

MC103 is a 3-IN-1-OUT XLR passive stereo audio splitter. Meanwhile, it can also be set as 1-IN-3-OUT. (Please note that at 1-IN-3-OUT mode, the input should be female-to-female wire while the output should be male-to-male wire.).

www.ebay.com

 

[Deleted member 46664]

I will try to find the one tested here or the smaller one which is this by the way :

Portable 3-way XLR Balanced Stereo Audio Switcher Passive Selector Splitter Box | eBay

MC103 is a 3-IN-1-OUT XLR passive stereo audio splitter. Meanwhile, it can also be set as 1-IN-3-OUT. (Please note that at 1-IN-3-OUT mode, the input should be female-to-female wire while the output should be male-to-male wire.).

www.ebay.com

Probably cheaper on Amazon ....
Just remember that XLR cables have different ends ... On the chassis, females are for inputs, males are for outputs.

 

[Alou]

Thanks for posting ,but I am a broadcast engineer i know my basics! LOL!

 

[Deleted member 46664]

Thanks for posting ,but I am a broadcast engineer i know my basics! LOL!

Yet you needed to ask about sound degradation?
Okay... never mind.

Cheers!

 

[Alou]

Cheers to you as well!

 

[Blumlein 88]

I think the smaller one is cheaper ,uses a pcb board instead of cables and is also reversible in use.Someone posted this a few posts back
Most of these are in China stock ,i am trying to find a retailer in EU.A year or so back i could find these at EU stores.

Actually both versions are reversible. I have one of each. The larger one I keep in my system. It is a surround setup, but I use the switcher to connect an audio interface for when I do stereo. The switch is very convenient. The smaller one I use sort of as a portable. Sometimes I've a use for such switching if recording remotely. I don't find the pcb board to cause any issues according to my measurements. Seems as good as the larger one in doing nothing, and adding zero noise.

I also have a handful of XLR gender swapping adapters and a couple gender swapping cables. So using any variation of in and out is no big deal.

Maybe you can find this 2-to-1 switcher if you can't find the others.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07THV5JNS/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1

 

[Alou]

If they are passive they should all be reversible.I just remembered now that i used to have some DI box shaped xlr spliters for studio use .I might find these to try. If I look in my gear i am sure i am going to find stuff.
But for convenience and looks i prefer the switch selector looks better on my desk. Besides this is for home/office use.Most pro gear i have are either very large selectors to use for home or have a dip type for switches the portable ones.
Anyway i think the Nobsound will do the job ,probably get the bigger on to be more stable on the desk ,just have to order out of China though.
Thanks to all for your posts ,nice to read how you all hook up gear at home.

 

[Jazz Man]

Hi, I'm going from 2 pairs of active monitors to 3, just ordered a batch of Mogami balanced leads made up - I use an old M-Patch 2 (JBL design I believe) controller, now I want to be able to split out another stereo pair of XLRs from my Output 2 - it's not a long run, 2 metres - can I simply use Y leads without losing highs? Switch off the unused speaker set? I do mastering here - trying to get the most out of the sound (I use Focal Clear MG cans also)