ARX Balance 8 User manual

Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX® Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX®
8
Balance
ARX Systems Pty Ltd, PO Box 15,
Moorabbin, Victoria 3189, Australia
Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
International Fax: [phone]
On the Web: www.arx.com.au
Email: [email protected]
8 channel
Audio Balancer and
Level Optimizer
OWNER’S
MANUAL
8
Warranty Service Procedure
Should it become necessary to have your equipment serviced under the terms of the
warranty, please follow these steps:
1. Call your ARX distributor for a Return Authorization (RA) number;
2. Carefully repack the unit, in its original packaging where possible, including a note
with a description of the problem, and a copy of the receipt showing date of
purchase. Attach these to the actual unit itself. Don’t forget to write your name and
address clearly, and include a phone number where you can be contacted during
normal business hours. Make it easy for our service technicians to contact you if
they have a question. Also, use plenty of packing material - better to be safe than
sorry.
3. Send the unit freight prepaid to ARX Systems, at the address given you with your
RA number. We will pay the return freight when the serviced unit is returned to you.
4. We strongly recommend you insure the package. We can’t fix it if it gets lost! Send it
by UPS, Fedex, DHL or any similar service that can track the package. Parcel Post
is not recommended
If Warranty Registration Card is missing, please write to ARX in the country of pur-
chase, stating model and where purchased, or to ARX, PO Box 15, Moorabbin, Victoria
3189, Australia.
Or you can Email us at: [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL LIMITED WARRANTY
ARX Systems (ARX) warrants to the first purchaser of any ARX equipment that it is free
from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service. ARX’s sole
obligation under this warranty shall be to provide, without charge, parts and labour
necessary to remedy defects, if any, which appear within twelve (12) months from
date of purchase, and for a further twelve (12) months supply parts only.
This is our only warranty. It does not cover finish or appearance items, burned voice
coils, or if the equipment has been, in ARX’s sole judgement:
•Subjected to misuse, abuse, negligence or accident;
•Repaired, worked on, or altered by persons not authorized by ARX;
•Connected, installed, adjusted or used for a purpose other than that for which it
was designed. This includes running a speaker system with the ISC leads disconnect-
ed, or with a non-ARX crossover, or with the wrong processor.
This warranty gives you and us specific legal rights and you may also have other rights
which may apply.

Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX® Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX®
27
Input Impedance 22K Unbalanced
Input Headroom +24dB
Input Connector RCA (Phono)
Output Impedance 300 Ohms Balanced
Output Level (max) +24dB
Output Connector Male XLR, wired Pin 1 Gnd, Pin 2 + Hot, Pin 3 – Cold
Frequency Response 10Hz- 30KHz ±0.25dB
Signal to Noise Ratio -96dB unweighted
-102dB A weighted
Distortion .003% THD, 100Hz
.0025% THD, 1KHz
.00325% THD, 10KHz
Dynamic Range 120dB
Gain • 0dB Unity, mode switch out,
• 14dB, mode switch in (-10dB
to +4dB level matching)
Power 100-120/220-240 VAC 50/60Hz
5VA (5 watts) on 3 pin IEC connector
with removable cable
Specifications
This symbol indicates that a Slow Blow
fuse is used in this equipment. Replace
with same type and value only
This symbol is intended to alert you to
the presence of uninsulated dangerous
voltage within the product's enclosure
that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electric shock.
This symbol is intended to alert you to
the presence of important operating
instructions contained in this owner's
manual
WARNING SYMBOLS USED
ON THIS EQUIPMENT
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS FIRST
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.
To change, pull fuseholder out and rotate 180o, then push in again. Do not insert power
cable into unit until voltage has been correctly set. Do not connect power cable to AC
power until voltage has been correctly set
THIS IS SET FOR 100 V
AC TO 120 V AC
OPERATION
THIS IS SET FOR 220 V
AC TO 240 V AC
OPERATION
Complies with 89/336/EEC EMC Di-
rective, amended by 92/31/EEC and
93/68/EEC; meets the following
standards:EN 55013 : 1990, Sections
3.2 and 3.5, EN 55020 : 1988, Sections
4.3, 5.4, 6.2, 7.0, 8.0., and EN 60950 :
1994 Low Voltage Directive
Complies with Australian Standard AS/
N25 1053
Our policy is one of continuous im-
provement, and therefore designs may
change without notice. However, un-
less otherwise stated, specifications
will always equal or exceed those pre-
viously given.
Complete online documentation is available on the ARX website:
www.arx.com.au/balance8.htm
Specific queries can be emailed to the factory at [email protected]
ARX® is a Registered Trade Mark of ARX Systems Pty Ltd. MIXXMas-
ter™ is a trade mark or ARX Systems Pty Ltd. Any other names and
trademarks are used for information purposes only, and no other intent is
expressed or implied

Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX® Balance 8 Owner's Manual v2 CE ©2010 ARX®
45
Rear Panel Connectors
• Channels 1 - 2 Unbalanced RCA Input sockets. Pin + (Hot), Sleeve
Ground
• Channels 1 - 2 Balanced XLR Output sockets. Pin 2 HOT +, Pin 3 Cold –,
Pin 1 Ground
• IEC 3 pin AC connector and integral fuseholder. Replace fuse with
correct value only: 100 - 120 V AC 1 amp, 220-240 V AC 0.5 amp.
Please also refer to voltage details on Page 2
Front panel
• Channel 1 and 2 Gain Mode switch
• Unity Gain LED and –10dB to +4dB status LED. One of these will always be
illuminated if the unit is connected to AC mains power
Architects’ and Engineers’ Specifications
The unit shall be an 8 channel device that electronically converts unbalanced audio signals to
balanced signals. 4 switches on the front panel (1 per pair of channels) shall offer the option of
unity gain or -10 dB to +4 dB level matching.
It shall be mounted into a standard 1 RU all steel chassis with extruded aluminium front panel.
All Inputs shall be unbalanced RCA (phono) connectors, wired Tip + (Hot), Sleeve Ground.
All Outputs shall be Balanced 3 pin XLR type, wired Pin 2 + (Hot), Pin 3 – (Cold), and Pin 1 Ground.
The Signal to Noise ratio shall be -96dB unweighted, and -102 dB A weighted.
The Input impedance shall be 22K Ohms Unbalanced, and the Output impedance shall be 300
ohms Balanced. Dynamic Range shall be 120dB.
Maximum Input headroom shall be +24 dB, and maximum Output Level shall be +24 dB. THD
shall be 0.003% @ 100Hz, 0.025% @ 1KHz, and 0.0032% @ 10KHz.
AC power range shall be switchable 100 to 120V or 220 to 240V AC, using a standard three pin IEC
connector, with built-in fuse and voltage change switch.
The unit shall be the ARX Balance 8
Channels 3 to 8 identical
Channels 3 to 8 identical

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.