The Hagerman Trumpet Reference is fully differential. I wrote a review of it here:http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue78/hagerman_trumpet.htm
Transparent Opus Gen 5 vs Transparent Opus MM2 mini review
- Thread starter jfrech
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The Hagerman Trumpet Reference is fully differential. I wrote a review of it here:http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue78/hagerman_trumpet.htm
Thanks for the explanation, I'm unclear about a couple of points.
1- Is the signal coming out of the tonearm SE or differentially balanced? As far as I know any RCA jack is SE, the signal has to be converted to balanced either by a transformer or electronic circuitry, is there any other way in this scenario?
3- "transparent networks in differential mode"? Is there another way aside from electronic circuitry or transformer to convert the SE signal coming out of the tonearm to a balanced signal?
4- Does this include Tranparent's differential wires we're discussing here? In case of a standard RCA to XLR phono cable basically equates to a SE signal, so what's the point? Just to clarify, your comments were regarding standard phono cables and not what's sitting inside your phono stage, am I correct or did I miss something?
david
Sorry to continue Nick I'm trying to figure something out here; RCA connectors are unbalanced regardless if they're used for inputs and outputs. The "ground" connection serves for completing the electrical circuit and way to connect the shield cable to the chassis. Are you saying that its not true and the RCA output jacks from tonearms are all connected as you describe above and that there's no conversion of a SE signal to Balanced is happening inside the Transparent's box?
david
There is no conversion happening inside transparent's network box. A simple test with a VOM will confirm the absence of any transformer. RCA chassis mount connectors on the equipment end can be tied to chassis ground or left floating depending on the design of the connector and equipment. Most high end RCA jacks are supplied with chassis isolation washers and can be used for isolated connection. If you have a balanced source and balanced input, you can achieve a balanced connection with a RCA connector. Not ideal but possible. The advantages of having a balanced input for a MC cart certainly outweigh any drawbacks of having to use an RCA for the connection. In Doshi audio gear, we can supply the units with RCA jacks or XLR connectors so as to accommodate the end user's cable.
I believe Myles was attributing the dynamics to the V3 design advances over the 2 series in general not the specific addition of remote control loading and other features. The Doshi V3 Phono stage is offered in 2 specific guises. The first being the Remote controlled version in which we believe the majority of the buying public will be interested. There is a studio version which incorporates metering allowing for L+R / L-R metering for azimuth adjustment as well as selectable eq and roll off to accommodate for older eq curves. This unit is targeted towards a pro/transcription user. They both sound massively good - take your pick
I believe Myles was attributing the dynamics to the V3 design advances over the 2 series in general not the specific addition of remote control loading and other features. The Doshi V3 Phono stage is offered in 2 specific guises. The first being the Remote controlled version in which we believe the majority of the buying public will be interested. There is a studio version which incorporates metering allowing for L+R / L-R metering for azimuth adjustment as well as selectable eq and roll off to accommodate for older eq curves. This unit is targeted towards a pro/transcription user. They both sound massively good - take your pick
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Hi Nick
Is the Transparent cable that Myles is using similar to the one you cobbled for my Studer when you were installing your tape head pre at my house a few years ago? IOW RCA (balanced) to XLR
Is the Transparent cable that Myles is using similar to the one you cobbled for my Studer when you were installing your tape head pre at my house a few years ago? IOW RCA (balanced) to XLR
Nick, are Myles's connections RCA-to-RCA and do i see an extra wire coming out of the Transparent box? It seems to me this 'differential balanced' thing is all about preserving signal independence from chassis ground, and your phono also preserves it, as does the VPI RCA and XLR boxes. As such, all kinds of cables preserve that relationship, and the Transparent would simply run a chassis-ground wire from the phono over the signal wires for shielding (that second wire I think I see coming out of the box, on the bottom of Myles's picture).
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In run my phono RCA input but flip the input switch to XLR. I get a terrible hum without a ground from phono pre to turntable. Once grounded it is as quiet as the RCA sent to ground by the input switch. One of the quirks of the Ayre phone is that you can float the RCA input to the balanced signal path. Again it must have the additional ground to work.
There is no conversion happening inside transparent's network box. A simple test with a VOM will confirm the absence of any transformer. RCA chassis mount connectors on the equipment end can be tied to chassis ground or left floating depending on the design of the connector and equipment. Most high end RCA jacks are supplied with chassis isolation washers and can be used for isolated connection. If you have a balanced source and balanced input, you can achieve a balanced connection with a RCA connector. Not ideal but possible. The advantages of having a balanced input for a MC cart certainly outweigh any drawbacks of having to use an RCA for the connection. In Doshi audio gear, we can supply the units with RCA jacks or XLR connectors so as to accommodate the end user's cable.
I believe Myles was attributing the dynamics to the V3 design advances over the 2 series in general not the specific addition of remote control loading and other features. The Doshi V3 Phono stage is offered in 2 specific guises. The first being the Remote controlled version in which we believe the majority of the buying public will be interested. There is a studio version which incorporates metering allowing for L+R / L-R metering for azimuth adjustment as well as selectable eq and roll off to accommodate for older eq curves. This unit is targeted towards a pro/transcription user. They both sound massively good - take your pick
Thanks Nick, appreciate the clarifications. I didn't know about your v2 to v3 move, it was the way it was phrased that raised an eyebrow. I remember seeing pictures of your pro version here, its DELICIOUS!
My questions don't arise from your phono, "differentially balanced" in electronics is understandable, its association with a cable is where questions arise specially with RCA jacks in the mix. I understand balanced and pseudo balanced cables but differentially balanced without the use of any transformer or circuitry? Calling rigged up RCA jacks "differentially balanced" with a box stuck in middle can lead to other conclusions, you know what I mean
. Another variable in the "balanced" chain remains with the source and that's the arm's wiring. For example Rega arms which are very popular have the left channel negative signal connected to the ground, that's a SE signal. In this case either the arm needs to be rewired or the signal converted somewhere along its path prior to pre's balanced inputs, so that's not what this Transparent phono cable can address?
david
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differentially balanced is probably redundant.
If the rega tonearm wire has the left ch negative tied to the arm ground - they are not balanced and there is nothing this cable can do. Although the rega 1000 series has a din connector in the base (AFAIK)
Steve- we used the output of the heads in balanced mode with the RCA to XLR cable. WE also added relay switching to allow for the head wiring to feed the internal electronics which are SE
If the rega tonearm wire has the left ch negative tied to the arm ground - they are not balanced and there is nothing this cable can do. Although the rega 1000 series has a din connector in the base (AFAIK)
Steve- we used the output of the heads in balanced mode with the RCA to XLR cable. WE also added relay switching to allow for the head wiring to feed the internal electronics which are SE
Congrats!...contemplating a possible move to Opus MM2 (2nd hand) speaker cables as many of them are now rolling in...look forward to reading more about your comments on the big Magnus Opus...
I still love my Opus MM2 Speaker...to the point I don't want to be without it for 2 weeks or so while gets updated to gen 5...absolutely NOTHING wrong with MM2, in fact, it beats most out there. As far as my new Magnum Opus, put it this way, I thought it made a bigger different than a new phono stage (I tried 2 others more than twice the price of my Nagra)
I know a lot of cable skeptics...but these Opus MM2, Gen 5 and Magnum Opus are component level upgrades...
John, congratulations on the Transparent upgrades. Are you saying that each step, from Opus MM2 to Opus Gen 5 to Magnum Opus, is itself as significant as a component upgrade, or is getting one of these three compared to other cables out there, like a component upgrade? Or a little of both? Having heard the differences between say some of the Pass amps or preamps and noting that some are subtle and others more significant, I know what you mean.
Transparent dealers have told me as much, also. A suite of cables is like a major component. In my system context, just one of the cables you mention is like a component. As one moves up the line, one cable model upgrade can cost as much as a component upgrade, and upgrading an entire suite of cables one or two models up can cost a small fortune. I learned this recently when I simply switched from a Transparent REF XL single ended 1M IC to a balanced version. That upgrade cost the same as my phono stage upgrade. The problem for me was that the new stage sounded better with a balanced connection while the old stage sounded better single ended. So I ended up getting both.
I do think this new Gen 5 is beginning to enable some people to look at the older MM2 Opus line as they are getting traded in. There may be a few relative bargains available.
Thanks for sharing your listening impressions.
you're adding fuel to a fire that is already alight! Look forward to finding out more...
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