Studio Technologies 216 - Manual (Page 11)

Model 216 User Guide Issue 1, July 2014
Studio Technologies, Inc. Page 11
As of the writing date of this guide, the
Sennheiser HMD 26 headset is very popu-
lar for on-air sports broadcasting use. A
fine product, it works very well with the
Model 216. Adding the suffix “-XQ” to the
headset’s full part number (HMD 26-600-
XQ) specifies a 3-pin male XLR connector
for the dynamic microphone and a ¼-inch
3-conductor plug for the stereo head-
phones. This configuration is very useful,
allowing the headset to work directly “out
of the box” with the Model 216. Another
headset that users have reported being
satisfied with is the audio-technica BPHS1.
Offered at a lower price-point, it may be
applicable for some applications.
If the writer may digress for a moment to
recount a story… an audio dealer once
shared a secret with me concerning
headsets. He loved selling the “lower-
end” (much less expensive) models of
name-brand headsets, which he did by
the veritable “boatload.” Why? Because
these usually broke soon after going into
service! He knew that on a regular basis
he’d receive orders for more of them. Had
these users, from the beginning, pur-
chased only premium-quality headsets,
their total cost of ownership would have
been much less. Enough said…
Headphone Output
The Model 216’s headphone output is
compatible with stereo or mono head-
phones, headsets, or earpieces. Connect-
ing devices with a nominal impedance
of 100 ohms or greater is preferred. This
shouldn’t prove to be an issue since es-
sentially all of the contemporary devices
meet this recommendation.
Devices are connected to the headphone
output by way of a ¼-inch 3-conductor
phone jack located on the Model 216’s
back panel. As is standard for stereo
headphones, the left channel is connected
to the tip lead of the ¼-inch headphone
jack. The right channel is connected to
the ring lead of the jack. Common for both
channels is connected to the sleeve lead.
Devices with ¼-inch 2-conductor “monau-
ral” plugs can also be used with the Model
216’s headphone output. In this arrange-
ment only the tip lead (left channel) will be
active. The 2-conductor plug will physi-
cally connect (“short”) the ring lead (right
channel) to the sleeve lead (common).
Technically this won’t damage the circuitry
associated with the right-channel head-
phone output since 100 ohm protection
resistors are electrically in series with the
headphone output circuits.
Ethernet Connection
An Ethernet connection that supports
100BASE-TX is required for the Model
216’s Dante Audio-over-Ethernet con-
nectivity. A 10BASE-T connection is not
sufficient for Model 216 operation. A
1000BASE-T (“GigE”) connection is not
supported unless it can automatically
“fall back” to 100BASE-TX operation. An
Ethernet connection that supports Power-
over-Ethernet (PoE) is preferred as it will
provide operating power for the Model
216. For Ethernet with PoE switch (PSE)
power management the Model 216 will
enumerate itself as a PoE class 2 device.
If PoE is not available an external 12 volt
DC power source can also be connected.
This will be discussed in the next section
of this guide.
The 100 Mb/s twisted-pair Ethernet con-
nection is made by way of a Neutrik ether-
CON protected RJ45 connector that is
located on the back panel of the Model
216. This allows connection by way of a