For some reason the site won't let me post in the "Audio Hardware" forum.

I have an Orban Optimod PC-1100 which is basically a sound card with broadcast quality processing. The only way to connect the card's output to an amplifier is by using and XLR cable.

Can some tell me if the Behringer Reference Amplifier A500 will do the job (more details here http://www.behringer.com/A500/index.cfm?lang=ENG)? All I want to do is connect the Orban Optimod PC-1100 to the A500 amplifier via an XLR cable so I can listen to the output on my Wharfedale Diamond 8.2+ Speakers (impedance 6 OHMS). Will this work?

At the moment I have a Sony TA-FB940R amplifier but it only supports RCA cables.

Thanks

The rear view of the amplifier shows balanced connectors, so it should work. But it will be a bit twiddely to work with separate attenuators for each channel. Don't know if your Optimod has a common attenuator.

BTW the birth of Optimod and the likes was the end of the equation "broadcast=quality"

Sorry for sounding dumb but I'm new to this sort of thing

What do you mean by "seperate attenuators"? How would I find out if my Optimod has a common attenuator? Thanks

2 independent volume knobs

edit: although "attenuator" is the right term for this because it's just for scaling down

No, the Orban dosen't have 2 independent volume knobs. On the back of the card it simply has a long plug (looks like a printer cable plug on the back of a PC) which you plug an Orban cable into - on the other end of the cable is an XLR connector.

http://www.behringer.com//A500/A500_big.jpg
well i can see 2 knobs there. one for channel A and one for channel B

Ye I know, but I'm only going to use one channel for the Optimod.

The 2 big knobs left and right on the front panel - you will have to adjust them separately.
Oops, I did not know your Optimod is a PC card. I only know their standalone sound destroyers. No, there is no attenuator you can manipulate without your mouse.

(Sorry for my negative judgement on Optimod, I just don't like intentionally coloured and compressed sound)

Are you talking about 1 channel = mono?

Ah, I see now. This is quite a naff amp then - it seemed great at first!

Can you or anyone else on here suggest an amp that I can buy with XLR stereo input and one that will work for this purpose?

OK, you will use 2 channels = stereo.
This amp also has 2 channels, but the disadvantage of a somewhat uncomfortable volume setting.
For a passive attenuator box between your PC and the Amp your would need a 4 gang potentiometer, which will be quite expensive if the quality is good.

Ok, what about this.....

What if I use the XLR cable that came with the Optimod and then buy an XLR to RCA connector so I can still use my current Sony amp? Would this work properly?

Yes, this would work
You only have to take care for the output level - XLR generally has a higher voltage than RCA, but this surely can be adjusted.
If you know how to work with a soldering iron, you can make the adapters yourself. It is not hard to do