Welcome To the Hoffman Amplifiers Forum

September 07, 2025, 12:27:41 pm
guest image
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
-User Name
-Password



Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input  (Read 3123 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Colas LeGrippa

  • Level 4
  • *****
  • Posts: 2198
  • MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« on: October 10, 2012, 04:04:04 pm »
Hello my friends,

the idea here is to amplify a sound coming out of a rackmount studio sound processing device which outputs are balanced. I just wanna know what type of input transformer to use here and how to hook it up, thanks folks.

Colas
Don't miss the Woodstock experience : ''FORTY YEARS AFTER'' at Club Soda,  in Montreal, august the 17th and 18th and october the 27th. Fifteen musicians onstage.  AWESOME !
P.S.: call me Alvin.

Offline HotBluePlates

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 5
  • ******
  • Posts: 13127
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2012, 07:07:48 pm »
You'll want a single-ended primary and a single-ended secondary. The difference between the two is the shield/ground on the primary will connect only to the chassis (and not to the transformer primary), while the secondary will have one end as the hot and the other as the ground.

But what is the intended output impedance of the gear you'll be plugging in, and what is its output level? These two things will determine the ratio between primary and secondary, as well as the build-out resistor to place across the secondary (if needed).

Is this being plugged into the input jack of a full guitar amp (including preamp), or just feeding the phase inverter? Or would you want to keep the signal balanced, and feed it to a push-pull driver stage?

Offline Colas LeGrippa

  • Level 4
  • *****
  • Posts: 2198
  • MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2012, 07:35:01 pm »
Ideally, there would be 2 inputs: one for a guitar ( 1/4 ) and one balanced XLR. If it is useful to use the whole amp or just necessary to hook up the line transformer to the phase inverter, I don't know. I haven't bought the unit yet but it will be a  time delay effect that I could use for recording as well. So, if I compare a regular guitar amp to a mixing board, I would need the preamp and the power amp. The mixing board being a preamp, and the powered monitor speakers being the power amp.

Thanks, bro.

Colas
Don't miss the Woodstock experience : ''FORTY YEARS AFTER'' at Club Soda,  in Montreal, august the 17th and 18th and october the 27th. Fifteen musicians onstage.  AWESOME !
P.S.: call me Alvin.

Offline xm52

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 141
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2012, 08:00:16 pm »

You might find what you are looking at the application schematic page at Jensen: http://www.jensen-transformers.com/apps_sc.html

Offline HotBluePlates

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 5
  • ******
  • Posts: 13127
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2012, 08:01:38 pm »
In the end, all you're doing is going from balanced to unbalanced operation, so the wiring is easy.

What is the effect? Maybe we can find some specs online for the output level.

Offline PRR

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 17082
  • Maine USA
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2012, 10:49:42 pm »
.

Offline Colas LeGrippa

  • Level 4
  • *****
  • Posts: 2198
  • MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2012, 08:01:55 am »
Good-a Morning-a ,

Wow this is simple, a 10:1 voltage divider, that's all ? No line transformer needed ? And what about the noise ? Any advantage in replacing the first 2 resistors  by a pot, if yes what would be an ideal value ?

( I have worn out the question mark on my keypad )


Thank-a.

Col-a

PS: PRR, what is your brain CPU make ?
Don't miss the Woodstock experience : ''FORTY YEARS AFTER'' at Club Soda,  in Montreal, august the 17th and 18th and october the 27th. Fifteen musicians onstage.  AWESOME !
P.S.: call me Alvin.

Offline PRR

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 17082
  • Maine USA
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2012, 10:52:30 pm »
> No line transformer needed ?

There are SO many ways this can go wrong, I can't cover all cases.

However it is a 36 cent experiment/investment. Worth a try.

Offline Colas LeGrippa

  • Level 4
  • *****
  • Posts: 2198
  • MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: Modifying a guitar amp input to balanced XLR input
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2012, 08:37:30 am »
Hi,

Yeah sure it's worth a try , thanks a million.

Colas
Don't miss the Woodstock experience : ''FORTY YEARS AFTER'' at Club Soda,  in Montreal, august the 17th and 18th and october the 27th. Fifteen musicians onstage.  AWESOME !
P.S.: call me Alvin.

 


Choose a link from the
Hoffman Amplifiers parts catalog
Mobile Device
Catalog Link
Yard Sale
Discontinued
Misc. Hardware
What's New Board Building
 Parts
Amp trim
Handles
Lamps
Diodes
Hoffman Turret
 Boards
Channel
Switching
Resistors Fender Eyelet
 Boards
Screws/Nuts
Washers
Jacks/Plugs
Connectors
Misc Eyelet
Boards
Tools
Capacitors Custom Boards
Tubes
Valves
Pots
Knobs
Fuses/Cords Chassis
Tube
Sockets
Switches Wire
Cable


Handy Links
Tube Amp Library
Tube Amp
Schematics library
Design a custom Eyelet or
Turret Board
DIY Layout Creator
File analyzer program
DIY Layout Creator
File library
Transformer Wiring
Diagrams
Hoffmanamps
Facebook page
Hoffman Amplifiers
Discount Program