power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

[ShredFetus]

hey all...I'm always looking around on ebay etc for a cheap stereo power amp to power my Boss GT-8. There are alot of high powered pa amps that go for pretty cheap...but some of them only have balanced xlr outputs for the speakers.

Is it possible to just get an adaptor that goes from xlr to standard jack plug? Providing the amp's output matches the speakers...or is there a problem seeing as it's a balanced signal?

Or do I just not know what a balanced signal is? :smack:

 

[y2stevo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

I may be wrong, but i've never seen a poweramp Outputs with XLRs. I'd imagine that the inputs are probobly XLR, but for alot of the high powered power amps for PA usage the standard output would be Speak-On

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

Right. There's no such thing as an XLR speaker connector in all my years. There's either a misinterperetation of which are the ins and which are the outs, or they're speakon and it looks like XLR in the picture.

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

Right. There's no such thing as an XLR speaker connector in all my years. There's either a misinterperetation of which are the ins and which are the outs, or they're speakon and it looks like XLR in the picture.

I guess you haven't seen too many Peavey cabs? Peavey uses XLR connectors on lots of speaker stuff.

I don't know that I've ever seen an AMP with an XLR power out, but I've seen plenty of speaker cabs with them. Here's the Peavey blurb for the 6505 4x12:

Four Sheffield® 1200 12 inch speakers
16 ohms
Locking (XLR) or standard 1/4 inch inputs
300 watts (rms) closed-back cabinet
High-density plywood construction
Recessed handles
Heavy-duty casters
Available in straight or slant versions

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

XLR speaker inputs are not too common but they do exsist. The run is not balanced though...only two pins are used.

As for XLR outputs on an amp...never seen that. That would cause plenty of confusion to be sure.

If you are going soild state you might want to look at the Crate power block or maybe this little fella...

http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=DCM150&CID=PWA

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

I guess you haven't seen too many Peavey cabs? Peavey uses XLR connectors on lots of speaker stuff.

I don't know that I've ever seen an AMP with an XLR power out, but I've seen plenty of speaker cabs with them.

So I was right, then? He's talking about amps for his guitar rig, so he'll be going into a 1/4" cabinet receptacle, and I'm saying I've never seen XLR speaker outs on an amp, including Peavey's current offerings.

 

[y2stevo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

So I was right, then? He's talking about amps for his guitar rig, so he'll be going into a 1/4" cabinet receptacle, and I'm saying I've never seen XLR speaker outs on an amp, including Peavey's current offerings.

Not necessarily,He said he was looking at alot of high powered PA amps that had them.

ShredFetus - Are you planning on running a PA power amp into your guitar cab or Buying a pair of Full Range speakers too?

If your just going for running it into your guitar cab you could, like Flyfox said go with theCrate Powerblock, It runs stereo and mono i believe?

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

So I was right, then? He's talking about amps for his guitar rig, so he'll be going into a 1/4" cabinet receptacle, and I'm saying I've never seen XLR speaker outs on an amp, including Peavey's current offerings.

I guess I don't see where you specified AMPS only in your post. What you said was, you've never seen an XLR speaker connector.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

I'm just goofing with you anyway, but I didn't think I had to specify, since the entire thread is about "power amp outputs" so I meant speaker connectors on power amps.

But seriously Shredfetus post some links of what you're looking at so we can help. In the mean time, seriously, has anyone seen XLR speaker outs on common high powered PA Amps?

 

[y2stevo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

nope haven't ever seen any, didn't even know anyone made power amps like that, always though the only production amps had either some combo of Speak-on, Binding POsts or a Jack

 

[ShredFetus]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

Hey guys, thanks for your replys.

Heres some examples of ones with XLR inputs & outputs.
link action

more link action

I still dont know how they would sound though... I mean they might be powerful enough but I doubt they would have the added charachter that a tube power amp would have. Who knows, if I could snatch one up for $100AU it might be worth it, they pop up all the time.

Also would there be any problem with speakon outputs?? :reporter:

 

[ShredFetus]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

ShredFetus - Are you planning on running a PA power amp into your guitar cab or Buying a pair of Full Range speakers too?

I'll be running into two guitar quads. For live applications I use the GT-8 pretty much just as a regular guitar preamp, and bypass the speaker/mic sims. I think a fullrange speaker setup would only be suitable if I were using the sims.

 

[muttonchopsrule]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

first of all, i've never once seen any type of amplifier with speaker level XLR outputs. i'm not denying they exist, but apparently the aren't very common. second of all, speaker-level signals don't need to be balanced because they aren't nearly as susceptible to electromagnetic interference.

but the bottom line is, if you're looking for a power amp for a guitar rig then do your best to find one with normal 1/4 inch speaker outs so you can connect it to whatever cabinet you want and not have to worry about connecting it incorrectly.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: power amp outputs: balanced xlr?

Man those are some links alright! Today marks the very first day I've seen a power amp with an XLR speaker out. (only the british one in the first link, though) They both have binding post outs, and that's what you should use IMO. You can even pre-wire a 1/4" female plug end to a short cable off the binding posts for quick connects.

Here's where some of the confusion lies. The amps have XLR inputs, and then when the description says "balanced XLR outputs" I he's referring to the line level outputs to daisy chain to another power amp. So those are line level signal, and are a passive or active buffered output to the next power amp, or even another mixer, etc.

The Carlsbro clearly has XLR speaker outs, in addition to a front panel XLR in and out (both line level) but the XLR's on the back of the Jands are most likely line level outs, especially considering their position. They're located on the opposite side of the inputs vs. the binding posts. That amp likely has binding post outs only.