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Nobsound/Douk Audio MC3 Little Bear XLR switch + Nobsound Mini Fully-Balanced/Single-Ended Passive Preamp Volume Control?

ethanhallbeyer

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Does anyone have experience with these two devices? I'm wondering if they would do better than the JBL MPatch2, which I currently have. Also, would having both devices in the chain degrade the signal quality?

The JBL MPatch2 which works pretty well, for the most part, but I notice that when I turn the volume nob, the left and right speaker volume isn't perfectly in sync (with volume starting at 0 and slowly turned up, it seems the sound comes out of one speaker first and then the other).

Thanks in advance!
 

Blumlein 88

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I have the Douk audio XLR switcher. Actually have both versions, and they don't color or effect anything about the signal. If you need XLR switching they offer they'll not be a problem. Both versions have been measured and reviewed here on ASR if you missed it.



Don't know anything about the Nobsound passive or the JBL. Most such devices that use volume pots will have some imbalance with very low volume levels.

Here are some measurements of the Nobsound vs a Goldpoint.

I don't know how you plan to use it, with passive preamps you will need to keep the cable between its output and what you are sending it to pretty short. Otherwise it might roll off the treble somewhat.
 
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ethanhallbeyer

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I have the Douk audio XLR switcher. Actually have both versions, and they don't color or effect anything about the signal. If you need XLR switching they offer they'll not be a problem. Both versions have been measured and reviewed here on ASR if you missed it.



Don't know anything about the Nobsound passive or the JBL. Most such devices that use volume pots will have some imbalance with very low volume levels.

Here are some measurements of the Nobsound vs a Goldpoint.

I don't know how you plan to use it, with passive preamps you will need to keep the cable between its output and what you are sending it to pretty short. Otherwise it might roll off the treble somewhat.

Thanks. Do you mean you have a Douk with volume control? If so, does the left and right channel volume difference at low levels exist on that too?
 

Blumlein 88

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Thanks. Do you mean you have a Douk with volume control? If so, does the left and right channel volume difference at low levels exist on that too?
No I have the two XLR switchers. Don't have one with volume control.

About low level volume mistracking, most pots will do it. Good ones less than cheap ones. Plus it will vary from pot to pot so even in the same product one may differ from another of the same product. Quite often the tracking is fine up at medium or higher levels. So do you need it to work at large attenuations (very low volume)? You might get problems at -40 db or more for even good potentiometer based controls. The way to fully avoid it is with switched resistor units. Those will cost more however.
 
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ethanhallbeyer

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No I have the two XLR switchers. Don't have one with volume control.

About low level volume mistracking, most pots will do it. Good ones less than cheap ones. Plus it will vary from pot to pot so even in the same product one may differ from another of the same product. Quite often the tracking is fine up at medium or higher levels. So do you need it to work at large attenuations (very low volume)? You might get problems at -40 db or more for even good potentiometer based controls. The way to fully avoid it is with switched resistor units. Those will cost more however.

Thanks, I might be able to live with the difference at lower volumes that I would not likely listen at for long durations (or care about the difference), like if I just have music playing at low volumes as light background music.

I already have a JBL M-Patch2 which does the XLR switching plus has a volume knob, but wasn't sure if I was getting the best quality with it in the chain or not, and I noticed the volume level difference on the right and left channels when playing at lower volumes.

I guess the only way to know for sure is to compare it with other solutions and see if I can even hear a difference.

Out of curiosity, are the examples of products that use switched resistor units that I can look up?
 

Blumlein 88

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Thanks, I might be able to live with the difference at lower volumes that I would not likely listen at for long durations (or care about the difference), like if I just have music playing at low volumes as light background music.

I already have a JBL M-Patch2 which does the XLR switching plus has a volume knob, but wasn't sure if I was getting the best quality with it in the chain or not, and I noticed the volume level difference on the right and left channels when playing at lower volumes.

I guess the only way to know for sure is to compare it with other solutions and see if I can even hear a difference.

Out of curiosity, are the examples of products that use switched resistor units that I can look up?
This is the other one in that link I posted. Goldpoint. There are others, but the names escape my memory at the moment.

 

Acerun

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Fair to say if you used an RME that puts out 7 volts in you would get 7 volts out?
 
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