Orchard Audio Upgrades Starkrimson Ultra Stereo Amps with an Active RCA Input Option

Orchard Audio's 500W Starkrimson Ultra stereo amplifiers received a big upgrade. Revision 2.5 builds upon revision 2.0 by adding a built-in active RCA-to-XLR converter. This means the amplifiers can now be used with both single-ended (RCA) and balanced (XLR) sources. With this upgrade even when using the single-ended source the signal to the amplifier is fully balanced. An active RCA to XLR converter is also available from Orchard as a separate product.

Angry Audio, an audio problem solver manufacturer from Nashville, Tennessee, just announced another very useful box. The Bluetooth Gadget is a solution to connect phones, tablets and computers to any studio or professional audio production setup, eliminating the messy cables and adapters and the annoying whine of digital ground loops. Equipped with AAC and the virtually-lossless aptX codec algorithms, the Bluetooth Gadget always chooses the best possible codec for the connected device.

Longtime audioXpress contributor Gary Galo writes about a transformer-coupled balanced output circuit for solid-state preamps, usable with line-level signals. Exploring the differences between balanced interfaces and unbalanced interfaces - and finding things that we really want to be aware of, he then explains why he selected Jensen transformers for his own project. This article was originally published in AudioXpress, February 2019.

Earthquake Sound Corporation introduced the Hum Kleaner, an active converter that provides two channels of unbalanced-to-balanced and balanced-to-unbalanced level conversion in a resilient, compact, and portable unit. Balanced lines offer increased immunity to external electrical noise such as hum. Since a balanced system minimizes induced noise, it is the preferred method of audio connections, especially when long lengths of cables are used.