Slick new splitter system w/Jensen option

[roonsbane]

Hey slutz,

I wanted to let all my fellow remote slutz about this cool 8 channel Radial 8ox splitter.
http://www.radialeng.com/re-8ox.htm
Many users have been asking about reasonably priced splitters and this might be the best sollution if you require a higher quality transformer. I think the general consensus around here is to avoid the Whirlwind transformers. Radial makes a model with their radial transformers $749.00 street price and $949.00 with Jensens. I am a little wigged out about the 25 pin DSUBS going out of it, but I have soldered many DSUBS in the past so I am prepared for that. The Radial seems to have the necessary pads and ground lifts on the outputs. I may go ahead and order a jensen version soon and a second one in a few months if it works well. Anyone using these or have any thoughts about it? How about the radial transformers?

Cameron

[andrewh]

Interesting...thanks for the heads-up. I'm in the market for something like that right now...

Andrew

[Jimbo]

Good to know!

Can't the Whirlwind splitters be ordered with Jensen trannies as well?

- Jim

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Good to know!

Can't the Whirlwind splitters be ordered with Jensen trannies as well?

- Jim

Yes!

[Jimbo]

So, how did that 8ox work out for you, Cameron?

Anyone else try-out this box?

[tnjazz]

We seriously considered it for a while, but we needed 2 isolated outputs on our main splitter system and the 8ox is 1 iso and 2 directs in parallel, if I'm not mistaken.

Still, it looks like an excellent box. Would love to hear from someone who has used it because it's still on our list for "down the road"...

[Ken K]

A couple of months ago I tried to buy one of those 8 channel Radial 8ox splitters and couldn't find anyone to sell me one. None of the dealers seemed to know anything about it including Sweetwater. I live in Los Angeles so it's not like I'm trying to get a piece of gear shipped to the Arctic. I even called Radial to find out where to get one and left messages that weren't returned. I don't know if this box really exists or if it's just a picture in the catalogue. Radial may make great gear but their customer support is LAME!

[fifthcircle]

I bought one from Hollywood Sound here in LA... They know about them and have some in rental stock. I own an 8OX and it is fine. Just what you'd expect from Radial/Jensen. It only has one isolate out and it has 2 parallel outs as well (3 outs total), I want to say one has a ground lift on it... It does have Dsubs, but that isn't the end of the world. There is a lot there in a single rack space.

--Ben

[Juan T.]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Good to know!

Can't the Whirlwind splitters be ordered with Jensen trannies as well?

- Jim

To add to what Steve said my Whirlwind 56 pair splitter panel uses Lundahl transformers as well. We maybe getting second one soon.

Juan

[Marlan]

Radial's stuff is really quite good. I've even used some of their devices on classical sessions. Check out the Custom Snake page they have on their site.

A very good company always coming out with new and USEFULL<-- (manufacturers take notice) products.

[mortenbrekke]

hope I wont regret it. So far I have been happy with using y-splits, but I believe that these radial splitters will be a more professional solution.

Now I cannot drink much beer in august and september!!
Morten

[Jimbo]

Yeah, I've pretty much given up on drinking (beer), eating (food) since I started hanging out at GS -- for a free forum, it's mighty expensive here!

Did you order the Jensen trannies?

Let us know how they work out for you.

Thanks.

[mortenbrekke]

I have used them on 2 concert recordings, and they have been successful. I feel I can trust them, although: - be careful to tight the d-sub connector tight enough. My worst fear is that the d-sub connector will loose contact during the performance.
On the XLR input there is no "lock" that clicks when you insert a microphone cable. If you are very unlucky the mic-cable can unplug.

On the transformer side the 36 DB pad is very convenient. My SCA c84 preamps can easily get overloaded with hot signals, and now I no longer have to buy in-line pads.

I dont know how the Jensen transformers effect the sound, only a real ab test will reveal that. But they seem transparent enough for me.

Im happy I bought the splitter boxes, now my remote-recording work is more serious.

[Jimbo]

Radial has some interesting graphs representing the freq and phase differences between their in-house transformers and the Jensens.

Radial Engineering Custom Shop

You gotta love a company that isn't afraid to look second best!

[Jam]

A friend of mine has one and I've used it for a bunch of gigs.

I'd describe it as a " does what it says on the tin " piece of gear.

I'd have no hesitation in using it again. These were loud rock gigs though.

James

[videoteque]

You gotta love a company that isn't afraid to look second best!

It would be nice if all of them were that honest!!!!

[Indrestudios]

We purchased (6) 8ox units last year, and haven't looked back. Our previous box was a Clair Bros. style Y splitter. The difference was like night and day using transformers. I recommend using the euroblock connector if you're building them into a case. They are super easy to assemble, and lock tightly into their sockets. For us it was a no brainer, as we recycled the multipin whips that already broke out to bare wire.

The pads have been a life saver on things like keyboard mixers, and super hot sampler outputs. My only wish is that they make it a bit easier to see if they are depressed or not. A couple times I've been chasing a weak signal, only to learn that the pad accidentally got pushed in when someone plugged in the XLR.

Here's a picture of our 48 channel box in action.