BobWire XLR1 XLR and RCA Switcher Review

[HerbertThePervert]

You could use this for blind A/B testing, too. Testing of cables, for example. Or of amplifiers, preamps, etc. Maybe even DACs.

But not with golden ears in the audience. There are Relais in the signal path

 

[Rottmannash]

Mine came in Friday, hooked it up Saturday and works as advertised. Using the auto sensing feature. Good poduct! Quite heavy for a small enclosure.

 

[Labjr]

Mine came in Friday, hooked it up Saturday and works as advertised. Using the auto sensing feature. Good poduct! Quite heavy for a small enclosure.

Audiphile Version with extra bricks inside.

 

[OldManMatt]

I too miss the days of relay/logic, and when you could get surplus NIB telephone and other heavy duty (military spec) relays for next to nothing... I liked those octal base ones.
Still like to hear the muted click of them in modern gear (SMSL DL100 I just installed).
Ditto ferric choride and drill bits (I grabbed a bunch of them from the local physics department...still have a few).
I wrote my own pcb designer app in basic, run on a Sinclair, and printed out on a graphite ink jet printer....ah, those were the days...)

The Timex Sinclair?

 

[OldManMatt]

With real world ears how bad is the penalty when using input B as Unbalanced/RCA? Audible? Seems like the perfectionist like to see -120db. Is the output impedance equal to the input?

An interesting device that I could personally use for a couple different scenarios. Paying for convenience.

 

[PGAMiami]

Just ordered one from Amazon. I have an RME ADI-2 FS DAC, a Denon 4800H and Benchmark AHB2s in mono. I currently use Benchmark XLR RCA cables for the Denon and a custom made XLR AB that is switched using one of the triggers on the Denon. Works fine, but with Bob’s unit I will have 6db of gain on the RCA input, and this will allow a lower gain setting on the Benchmark amps, which both DAC and amps will benefit from. Looking forward to installing it. The XLR1 RCA input should be pretty much transparent for the Denon, and surely transparent for the RME DAC.

 

[PGAMiami]

Just now installed the XLR1 to switch an RME DAC or a Denon 4800H into my Benchmark amps. Very pleased so far. The unit is dead quiet and now I can run the amps in the lowest gain setting, as recommended by Benchmark when you have a high output source like the RME or their DAC/preamp. It sounds really great. And the Denon also works flawlessly via the RCA input. The extra 6 db of gain from the phase splitter is very convenient to have. I should not be able hear much difference versus my old custom XLR switch, but the RME Benchmark combo does seem to have more dynamics now. At the very worst, it surely isn’t hurting anything.

 

[PGAMiami]

Apologies for sounding like a commercial for Bobwire, but I’m more impressed with this little box as I learn more about it. I have been using the triggers on my AVR to turn amps on and switch input on the XLR switches that I had. Most audio signal detection circuits are not very reliable for low level signals. However, this is surely not the case on the XLR1, and it reliably detects even the slightest signals. With the RME DAC on input 1 and the Denon AVR on input 2 RCA, it works perfectly at the most sensitive setting. Either turning off the Denon, or even muting the Denon is instantly detected. This saves having to use multiple remotes. If I play music on the RME, my amps turn on and sound wonderful. If I turn on the Denon, the same. And I can mute the Devon, so I can easily watch TV with music playing via the RME. This is a really nice little box. And the XLR inputs are totally transparent, there are zero electronic clicks or pops as it switches, and even with your ears next to the speakers one can barely hear the noise on the Denon via the RCA inputs. With the RME the Benchmark amps are dead silent. Really a five star product.

 

[NMixes]

Bought two, working great in my studio.

 

[BobWire]

Apologies for sounding like a commercial for Bobwire, but I’m more impressed with this little box as I learn more about it. I have been using the triggers on my AVR to turn amps on and switch input on the XLR switches that I had. Most audio signal detection circuits are not very reliable for low level signals. However, this is surely not the case on the XLR1, and it reliably detects even the slightest signals. With the RME DAC on input 1 and the Denon AVR on input 2 RCA, it works perfectly at the most sensitive setting. Either turning off the Denon, or even muting the Denon is instantly detected. This saves having to use multiple remotes. If I play music on the RME, my amps turn on and sound wonderful. If I turn on the Denon, the same. And I can mute the Devon, so I can easily watch TV with music playing via the RME. This is a really nice little box. And the XLR inputs are totally transparent, there are zero electronic clicks or pops as it switches, and even with your ears next to the speakers one can barely hear the noise on the Denon via the RCA inputs. With the RME the Benchmark amps are dead silent. Really a five star product.

Thank you for the feedback! I worked hard on the transparency and "pop free" operation!

Enjoy!

 

[BobWire]

View attachment 402845

Bought two, working great in my studio.

Great to see the photo! Thanks for sharing! If you need want the 2 XLR1s to switch at the exact same time, you can link them with the 12V trigger cables. Set one to "Audio Sensing" and the second to "12V trigger. Connect the audio sensing 12V output to the 12V input of the 2nd unit. Enjoy! -Bob

 

[BobWire]

Audiphile Version with extra bricks inside.

A long time ago, for the a past company I worked for(before I joined), a 5 pound steal bar was added to the interior of a high end CD player. Potentially this could help stabilize the unit from vibrations, but.....

For the BobWire products, they are just heavy duty steal cases, no extra stuff to make it seem heavy.

 

[BobWire]

With real world ears how bad is the penalty when using input B as Unbalanced/RCA? Audible? Seems like the perfectionist like to see -120db. Is the output impedance equal to the input?

An interesting device that I could personally use for a couple different scenarios. Paying for convenience.

I use 102db Klipsch speaker for real word noise floor listening test. Even a foot away from the speakers, I cant hear any additional noise using the RCA inputs.

 

[bobitto]

I use 102db Klipsch speaker for real word noise floor listening test. Even a foot away from the speakers, I cant hear any additional noise using the RCA inputs.

Please start selling it on Amazon.ca

 

[BobWire]

Please start selling it on Amazon.ca

Hello Bobitto,

It has been for sale on Amazon CA for some time:

https://a.co/d/7qgZIT4

-Bob

 

[bobitto]

Hello Bobitto,

It has been for sale on Amazon CA for some time:

https://a.co/d/7qgZIT4

-Bob

this is very strange, until you provided the direct link it was not showing up in Canadian Amazon, even when I clicked ti visit your amazon store, XLR1 was showing up only in the US Amazon, while all other products are shown in Canadian Amazon right away

 

[justilew]

Just wanted to chime in and say the unit I bought several months ago has been working flawlessly. I use it to switch between a record player and streamer source but also power on my tube amp. You can see a review I posted on Amazon.

 

[BobWire]

Just wanted to chime in and say the unit I bought several months ago has been working flawlessly. I use it to switch between a record player and streamer source but also power on my tube amp. You can see a review I posted on Amazon.

Thank you for the purchase and feeback!

 

[gfinlays]

I bought one of his DAT1 digital audio trigger units. Fantastic little device. Turns on all of my amps as soon as any audio feed is chosen.

 

[BobWire]

I bought one of his DAT1 digital audio trigger units. Fantastic little device. Turns on all of my amps as soon as any audio feed is chosen.

Glad to hear it worked out for you! My first product.