Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX® Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX®
63
Introduction
Thank you for choosing this ARX Balance 88
88
8Audio Balancer and Level Optimizer. We
hope you enjoy using it as much as we enjoyed creating it. As with all ARX equip-
ment, it has undergone extensive factory calibration and ‘burn in’ before shipping. To
ensure continued trouble free use, please familiarise yourself with the contents of
this manual before using the LEVEL 8.
About the Balance 8
Applications
• Studio, Live and Broadcast
• Sound Reinforcement
• AV Systems/CD/Audio-for-Video
• Anywhere unbalanced signals need converting to professional balanced
signals
The primary benefits of running balanced low impedance signals are (a) low noise,
and (b) the ability to run a signal down long lengths of cable, e.g. multicore snakes
from one end of an auditorium to the other, without picking up noise along the way.
Any induced noise is dumped to ground via the cable shielding and also cancelled out
in the summing circuit of the balanced input receiving the signal.
Setting Up
Like so many of our best ideas, setting up your Balance 88
88
8is simplicity itself.
Firstly connect the unit to AC power.
Please Note:
This is a dual voltage unit. It is essential that you check that the voltage on the
fuseholder cover below the AC connector on the rear of the chassis is set correctly
before connecting it to AC power. See Page 2 for more details on this.
Your high impedance unbalanced signal plugs into the RCA input sockets of, say,
Channel 1 and 2, and the balanced outputs appear at the corresponding XLR output
connector next to them. Continue on for all 8 channels if required.
That’s all there is to it. From the Balance 88
88
8the balanced signals can be run to the
next item in the signal chain. Since each channel of the Balance 88
88
8is independent
of the others, 8 different sources or 4 separate stereo pairs can be balanced in this
way.
The Gain Mode switches on the front panel give you the choice of unity gain through
pairs of channels on the Balance 88
88
8, using it as a balancer only; or as a level
optimizer as well, bringing the -10 dB levels up to +4 dB (14dB overall gain) per
channel pair.
LEDs on the front panel indicate which mode has been selected. One of these will
always be illuminated if the unit is connected to AC mains power
Silently interfacing -10dB unbalanced consumer electronics with +4 dB Balanced
professional equipment has always been a problem. Hum and noise generated by a
mismatch at this point will be amplified throughout the studio, broadcast or live
sound system.
But luckily it’s a problem of the past, now that ARX introduces the Balance 88
88
8, an 8
channel audio balancer and level optimizer specifically designed to handle this critical
task.
ARX’s proprietary balancing circuits take the -10dB levels from CD and DVD players,
cassette and tape players, DAT recorders, digital 8 track recorders, and effortlessly
transform them into the balanced signals that all professional audio systems expect.
Inputs are unbalanced RCA connectors, and outputs are industry standard balanced
3 pin XLR type.
Pairs of Gain Mode switches on the front panel let you select unity gain through the
Balance 88
88
8, using it as a balancer only, or as a level optimizer as well, bringing the -
10 dB levels up to +4 dB (14dB overall gain). Status LEDs on the front panel indicate
which mode has been selected.
Housed in a rugged all steel chassis with extruded aluminium front panel, the ARX
Balance 88
88
8is the ideal professional engineer’s tool for the critical task of impedance
and level converting.
