Can I use Topping L30 for stage monitoring?

[Ashimaru]

As a drummer, can I use the Topping L30 for monitoring? The chain is from an XLR male cable that comes from a snake cable/main mixer connected to an XLR female to RCA then to Topping L30 and IEM. Is it possible?

 

[Philbo King]

It is possible...

Assuming the XLR feed carries a mono signal, and you want that mono signal to reach both ears,
I suggest this:
XLR (male) line level feed from PA -> XLR-XLR (female-female) gender changer -> passive transformer DI box ‐> custom cable (1/4" TS plug, with the hot lead split to 2 separate RCA plugs) -> Topping headphone amp.

Using an XLR-to-RCA cable can be a bad idea since the XLR feed is balanced and the RCA is unbalanced. This shorts one of the balanced XLR feed lines to ground, creating a possibility of killing the output circuit on the mixer. The DI box avoids that issue by correctly converting balanced to unbalanced signal.

Depending on your cable building or shopping skills, this *could* be built rugged enough for stage use, though I'm not a fan of RCA connectors for stage use.

 

[Ashimaru]

It is possible...

Assuming the XLR feed carries a mono signal, and you want that mono signal to reach both ears,
I suggest this:
XLR (male) line level feed from PA -> XLR-XLR (female-female) gender changer -> passive transformer DI box ‐> custom cable (1/4" TS plug, with the hot lead split to 2 separate RCA plugs) -> Topping headphone amp.

Using an XLR-to-RCA cable can be a bad idea since the XLR feed is balanced and the RCA is unbalanced. This shorts one of the balanced XLR feed lines to ground, creating a possibility of killing the output circuit on the mixer. The DI box avoids that issue by correctly converting balanced to unbalanced signal.

Depending on your cable building or shopping skills, this *could* be built rugged enough for stage use, though I'm not a fan of RCA connectors for stage use.

Thank You. Any recommendations for passive transformer DI box?

 

[rationaltime]

I have a different opinion about this.

As pointed out, the XLR to RCA cable shorts one signal line to ground.
The return channel was designed with source impedance to handle that.
Remember, each side of a differential output is supposed to drive a
virtual ground.

So, just plug the mixer return RCA cable into one aux input of the
headphone amplifier. You will hear that in one ear. The musicians
with in ear monitors normally have them in only one ear.

 

[Philbo King]

Thank You. Any recommendations for passive transformer DI box?

There are a lot of them out there. Here is one that would do the job:

Amazon.com

 

[Philbo King]

I have a different opinion about this.

As pointed out, the XLR to RCA cable shorts one signal line to ground.
The return channel was designed with source impedance to handle that.
Remember, each side of a differential output is supposed to drive a
virtual ground.

So, just plug the mixer return RCA cable into one aux input of the
headphone amplifier. You will hear that in one ear. The musicians
with in ear monitors normally have them in only one ear.

I was applying caution with my reply. It's one thing to fry an aux output of an 8 or 16 channel Mackie mixer board, but quite another to fry an output of a $15000 Digico pro mixer console. Without any specific info about the mixer in question, safe is better. It is considered rude in some circles to let the magic smoke escape out of other peoples gear.