CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

Lobby => DIY => Topic started by: dogears on January 03, 2014, 01:48:22 AM

Title: my USBalanced cable
Post by: dogears on January 03, 2014, 01:48:22 AM

Hi Pirates, just wanted to share my 'solution' to balanced cabling using the USB terminals - it's all in my blog:
http://shutteredlight.blogspot.com/
I'll just post the highlights:
The USBalanced connector (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ka6wgFp4hU/UsVzdXh-KiI/AAAAAAAABuY/pcpO_oWxzwQ/s1600/N8cz892.jpg)
The USB>headphone jack adapter (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ROyLU7OiD7g/UsVzclPIbSI/AAAAAAAABuI/MtfIWmRqjco/s1600/N8cz878.jpg)
The DBA-02 balanced (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaaEI5Cr0ic/UsVzceBlKPI/AAAAAAAABt8/77WarRmXCd8/s1600/N8cz876.jpg)
Pawstex balanced (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d1TWHWVxqpo/UsVzeIOTEfI/AAAAAAAABuo/FVKV6MuLdTs/s1600/N8cz893.jpg)
Gradogs balanced (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5GY3jioE-o8/UsVzeAUVFSI/AAAAAAAABuk/mefxZv9noUw/s1600/N8cz902.jpg)
and the Benchmark Balanced :D (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OzlWZLV1wcU/UsVzeibkq0I/AAAAAAAABus/4cQjwjI8S28/s1600/N8cz903.jpg)
Ok, go easy on me now  walk the plank

Title: Re: my USBalanced cable
Post by: Mr.Sneis on January 03, 2014, 04:57:12 AM

Novel approach, like reterminating to mini xlr to adapt to balanced or unbalanced but instead you went usb right?

Title: Re: my USBalanced cable
Post by: funkmeister on January 03, 2014, 05:31:58 AM

Holy crap, you hack a lot of stuff.

What's the pin-out you used on the USB plugs? Was it L+,R-(G),L-(G),R+ or something different?

Title: Re: my USBalanced cable
Post by: dogears on January 03, 2014, 08:03:25 AM

@Mr. Sneis, yep.
@funkmeister, I was going for the power as Right: Red(+)/Black(-) and data as Left:Green(+)/White(-). Turns out I soldered the other way around :P doesn't matter for balanced but has to be corrected for 'single ended'(?)/unbalanced.

Title: Re: my USBalanced cable
Post by: AstralStorm on January 12, 2014, 12:09:08 AM

Interesting idea, though unfortunately it continues the trend of confusing users and making weird proprietary cables.
At least you used the normal XLRs, not the silly unavailable 4-pin XLR like in Super7.