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Neutrik XLR to RCA Adapters

The quesiton of where to purchase XLR to RCA adpaters has popped up more than once on Audigon. The usual resposnes direct folks towards products from BAT, Rowlans, PAD, etc, which are good but expensive. Well (and perhaps news only to me), Neutrik makes these adapters as well! The catalog numbers for the more common XLR to female RCA jacks are NA2MPMF (male XLR) and NA2FPMF (femele XLT). The cost? Theoretically about $ 17 each *vs, e.g., $ 115 a pair for the PAD version). The catch? No one seems to stock them!. I found a website in Canada that had ONE femele to female, and being a bulk distributor required me to purchase a $ 50 "license" to buy anything from them - pretty useless! So..the question is ..Does anyone know who might carry these in the US????
128x128alexc
aw118
9 posts
 
Check www.markertek.com to purchase them. I have bought a couple pair from them and they work great .They are probably in stock and they carry Canare digital cables among other cables and useful products for the hobby.They cater to the pro market so things are priced realistically.
alexc's avatar
alexc OP
265 posts
 
Swampwalker - Yes, I am using these on a BAT VK 5i SE pre. I have one set from BAT which I use w/ my analog fron end. Works fine, though I have no way of knowing if its detrimental to the sound (phono pre amp had no balanced outputs, so would have to use adpaters at either end or a cbale w/ XLR at one end and RCA at the other - no way to check sound when truly balanced). For my digital gear, I use balanced cables, and from pre to amps I sue HomeGrown Audio silver cables reminated by them w/ XLR's at the pre end and RCA's at the other. However, still searching for onther female XLR to female RCA adapters so I can try other cables between pre and amps.
sfbaydude
109 posts
 
Alexc, Markertek.com as noted above does have the adapters you're looking for. I've got no idea on their quality, however. The xlrs are Neutrik, so thats fine, but I don't recall that they spec the rcas.
alexc's avatar
alexc OP
265 posts
 
Well, I received the Neutrik adapters I ordered from Zack Electronics. They look OK, oter than the fact that they come in pieces and you're supposed to solder the connections yourself. I checked the mastertek site, and they do this for you, though their price is a few bucks higher. So...if you're handy with a soldering iron, go with Zack Electronics. Else, go w/ Mastertek. Some observations. Though nicely finished, etc, the Neutrik adapters lack some typical "audiophile" touches such as gold plated RCA's, which adapters from BAT, PAD, etc do have. Not sure if it makes a difference (or at least, 10X the difference). Like I said will try em and post (assuming I don't burn my fingers off w/ the soldering iron!)
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Alexc- My CL-10 CD has only RCA out. Was wondering if there is any benefit to converting it to XLR before it goes into the BAT pre (the 3i has both balanced and single ended in; I think the 5i Se has only balanced inputs), i.e., does the single ended input on the BAT feed the same circut as the XLR. If it does, I guess I would rather just use the built in RCA. If not, maybe I would play around to see if there is a difference, since the neutris adaptor from Markertech is so cheap (about $15-20, based on what you want. Please keep us posted.
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