Phoenix Gold Phorum

I would like to use an Arc Audio ALD (balanced line driver) for my ZPA 0.3 and 0.5

Is this the correct pin locations on the CAT5 cable for the RJ45 input on the ZPA's?

This is from the Arc Audio ALD website :

I will also add that the ALD is a two channel balance line driver.

Here are the dedicated pin locations for two channels.

Ok, I believe I have found the layout for the RJ45 connector at the amp





Do you think the Arc Audio ALD will work with the ZPA's?

edouble wrote:Ok, I believe I have found the layout for the RJ45 connector at the amp





Do you think the Arc Audio ALD will work with the ZPA's?

Ask Valeks.......he knows them the best......

zeropoint0.5 wrote: Ask Valeks.......he knows them the best......

I saw you mention them before. Who is Valeks?

edouble wrote:

zeropoint0.5 wrote: Ask Valeks.......he knows them the best......

I saw you mention them before. Who is Valeks?

Hes our goto PG techie, used to work for them and he knows the different lines in and out!

Got it. I pm'd him. I doubt the ALD will work.


On the hunt for two TBAT or TBAT2

ya know its a neat option and all but with all things being taken into account I am not sure many of us would be able to A-B a standard/balanced system and guess them right. In the end you will have another piece in the dash to hide and power, a cable that doesn't look much different(other then price), so I have to ask what is it gonna buy ya other then saying you are using balanced inputs? Don't get me wrong I love techno do-dads but I also like to ask myself what is it really gonna get me over the standard? Is it worth it in the end? I think there is a reason they are not using balanced inputs on their new gear even on a high-end piece like the elite - we can't tell the difference other then price.

ttocs wrote:ya know its a neat option and all but with all things being taken into account I am not sure many of us would be able to A-B a standard/balanced system and guess them right. In the end you will have another piece in the dash to hide and power, a cable that doesn't look much different(other then price), so I have to ask what is it gonna buy ya other then saying you are using balanced inputs? Don't get me wrong I love techno do-dads but I also like to ask myself what is it really gonna get me over the standard? Is it worth it in the end? I think there is a reason they are not using balanced inputs on their new gear even on a high-end piece like the elite - we can't tell the difference other then price.

I completely agree with you that balanced inputs are unnecessary. But..... I am asking myself why the PG engineers put the RJ45 balanced connection on the ZPA's to begin with. The manual says to feed it as much input voltage as possible and to use the balanced inputs whenever possible. Why is this? Do the ZPA's have a weak input stage that needs a very string signal input? The ZPA's are no nonsense amps so why would they but RJ45 balanced input connectors on them if they were not needed?

most amps will recomend to send them as high of a input voltage as you can I think mainly because it should mean a higher signal/noise ratio/ and a cleaner/hotter input will normally mean more power out. Now as to why they did balanced well that would be for the engineers to answer but I imagine like alot of things it was added with a "why not?" attitude.

It will work. Just make custom cat 5 cable with right pin out on both ends... If you have a four channel balanced driver, and two zpa's you could run all four channels, run two 4 wire phone cables into the rj45 of the arc piece correctly, and then put an rj45 on each output end with the correct pin outs. The zpa's are open on the other wires, so no need to have the wires there. People have done similar things with the din style balanced, or xlr balanced, or balanced rca even with different ends for years. Just make damn freaking sure you get the pinouts correct. Double check, then check again, then have a good friend who can read it check for you just to be sure. No point blowing up good gear because your in a hurry.

Thanks for the replies!

It might be easier than you think to A-B a balanced to a non balanced system.

SQ should not improve at all with a balanced system, but the noise floor may drop enough to be an audible difference.

Not only does balanced gain you signal to noise due to increased voltage, it also inverts a signal, sums them, and this practice will further cancel noise in the system.

yea can't say I have ever had the opportinity to do it but suprised that there would be an audible difference or else suprised that they didn't continue to use it afterwards.

I did the test. me personally.....

listening to a zpa0.5 amp feeded by a pld1 with a quadralink cable,

and feeded by a tbat2 with a balanced cable......

I certainly hear the difference...... i switched multiple times to be sure again......

using the tbat2 in place of a pld1 gave a much better result.....

i'm talking here using it on high end speakers, i'm not talking using it on subwoofers....

i have tbat2, tba, pld1 and sld44 pre amps....... so i tested them all......

it is just a personal opinion.....if you have the gear, just make the test/comparision for yourself......


a zpa0.5 feeded by a tbat2 with a balanced cable is the best combo i ever heard playing......

espescially in the mid and the high frequencies.....soundwise even better then my original ms2250/ms2125 's..........

yes, i mean what i say, yes........but the original ms2250 is better on sub duty..... it "pushes" more then the zpa0.5.....

how much i'm impressed by the zpa0.5, the zpa0.3 dissapoints me a little bid honestly..... it gives a more "agressive" sound compared to the 0.5......

i'm talking listening on high end speakers........

but how great the zpa's sound, how fragile they are on the other hand.......

although all the zx,zpa,M,MS series play great, i have my favourites........ like everybody i guess......

if you have one zpa0.5 and one zpa0.3, i would advice to put the zpa0.5 on the front..........

unless you're a heavy bass lover......but then you're better off going class D !!!!!

vladthebad wrote:It will work. Just make custom cat 5 cable with right pin out on both ends... If you have a four channel balanced driver, and two zpa's you could run all four channels, run two 4 wire phone cables into the rj45 of the arc piece correctly, and then put an rj45 on each output end with the correct pin outs. The zpa's are open on the other wires, so no need to have the wires there. People have done similar things with the din style balanced, or xlr balanced, or balanced rca even with different ends for years. Just make damn freaking sure you get the pinouts correct. Double check, then check again, then have a good friend who can read it check for you just to be sure. No point blowing up good gear because your in a hurry.

that why i said " contact Valeks for this "....then you're sure everything will be done wright.....or he can tell directly if it's a good or a bad idea.......

oldskoolmseriesfan wrote:

edouble wrote:

zeropoint0.5 wrote: Ask Valeks.......he knows them the best......

I saw you mention them before. Who is Valeks?

Hes our goto PG techie, used to work for them and he knows the different lines in and out!

www.altser.com = Valeks = Alex V.

it is all the same person......

I did contact Valek and he said I need to make a custom cable. I will probably see if he will do that when I send Altser the amps for upgrades. Unless I can find two Tbat2!!!

The ZPA 0.3 is going to power my Eric Stevens Ultra horns. They are 8 ohm drivers and require very very little power to get loud. The ZPA 0.5 will power Fatial Pro 10" midbass (10fh500), they are 4 ohm. Both drivers are very transparent unlike higher distortion speakers. Any signal noise will not be masked.


Anybody that has a (preferably two) Tbat2 for sale please contact me!!!!

edouble wrote:Got it. I pm'd him. I doubt the ALD will work.


On the hunt for two TBAT or TBAT2

it will work and has been done. ive done it back in the days with a couple different brands of balanced line drivers before i found new tba's to run with my zpas, orion,denon,soundstream,RF,adcom, etc make balanced drivers. you just need to make a custom cable. might as well buy silver plated twisted pair (dirt cheap) off ebay to make the cable. look at this example, http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-22-AWG-Silve ... 48528ba367 ..
its just a matter of doing it, and the satisfaction of DIY!!

freshkryp69 wrote:

edouble wrote:Got it. I pm'd him. I doubt the ALD will work.


On the hunt for two TBAT or TBAT2

it will work and has been done. ive done it back in the days with a couple different brands of balanced line drivers before i found new tba's to run with my zpas, orion,denon,soundstream,RF,adcom, etc make balanced drivers. you just need to make a custom cable. might as well buy silver plated twisted pair (dirt cheap) off ebay to make the cable. look at this example, http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-22-AWG-Silve ... 48528ba367 ..
its just a matter of doing it, and the satisfaction of DIY!!

I am confused about a floating ground that is suppose to accompany the signal. I do not see a ground coming out of the ALD. And from what I can see the ground going into the ZPA is a metal connector (RJ45 style). Am I correct on this?