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If you have simply cut a network cable in half then the wire colours are likely to match those in the diagram picture top right – the wires that you are calling ‘white’ probably have a feint stripe of a secondary colour – this was the case for me as you can see in the photo below: (I taped off the unconnected wires)
And I have only connected +5V, Gnd and IR Data because that is all that I would expect to need with the older (TIMER) IR eye. The other two connections are ‘expecting’ the JOIN version.
But to be honest I don’t trust the cable colours and would always check end to end with a mulitmeter – to make sure that +5V, Gnd and IR data map across to RJ45 pins 1, 4 and 7.
As for radio, I don’t see any ‘Your Content’ section in the app; perhaps I’m missing something or perhaps it’s because I’m using Android and you’re using iPhone?
Sorry, I am actually using my desktop to adjust the Essence settings – I simply looked for the Essence IP address on my network and opened that in Chrome.
On the B&O app on my iPhone I can get the same menu by going to Settings and then Configure – I then get this:
Sorry, I posted without having read your more recent post. So, no proper Spotify control with my Beo4 eh? Shame that, but not the end of the world. I’ll still get an NL/ML converter if I see one for a good price as it will prove useful if only for connecting stuff together from different generations (along with the 1611 converter I already have too).
And, if I can connect my new Essence via an NL/ML converter, it will free up the Aux In input on my BS4.
So I did a few tests with the Essence:
Connecting the Essence PL output to a Beolink Passive worked fine – I used a fully wired PL RJ45 to 8-pin din which is required for the Passive. The Passive switches on/off as expected. I did have a frighteningly loud moment when I forgot to untick the Essence’s Line-Out selection box where it states: ‘Use Power Link socket for connection to an audio system instead’. Result was a very high line-level audio output straight into the Passive and hence to my speakers. I think it may have caused one of the Passive’s channels to go into some sort of overload protection mode because it went very quiet for a while.(Edit: According to the Passive circuit diagram there is overload protection, so hopefully no damage done)
I also tried the Essence line-in auto-sense which worked fine. I tested it with the line-level output of my Beosound 1 (CD/FM radio), taking the audio from pins 1&4 of the BS1’s AUX socket. One thing to note is that the default setting for the Essence is to put a delay on the line-in audio – this delay can be turned off in the settings but then the line-in audio cannot be distributed. I suppose that this could be a consideration if you wanted to connect a non-B&O TV’s audio output to the Essence Line-In to automatically turn on Beolab speakers – you would have to turn off the delay to avoid lip-sync issues..
I also tested connecting my desktop computer to the Essence by Bluetooth – this works fine for audio but again there is an audio delay so it is not suitable for watching videos. You cannot switch off the Bluetooth delay. (My desktop’s audio is usually provided by Bluetooth to an A2 Active that sits on the desk, thus allowing me to pick it up and wander around when listening to radio, for example. There is no such delay on the A2 Active).
Anyway that’s it for now. The MCL2 link-room test will have to wait a while as I really don’t have a clue where to find my 3-pin MCL2 speaker connection cables!
I’ve noticed that with that box ticked, the output level is too high, and anything played on the Essence is a bit too loud when connected to my BS4 – noticeably louder than when playing a CD for example. I tried turning Line-Out level off and matching the volume level manually, but each time it goes into standby, when I use it again it has defaulted back to a level that is too low. No perfect solution, then.
My Essence is put away again now (need the room as daughter & grandson staying over Christmas), but I will have a further play with levels next time it’s out.
Looking at Sound Heavenly’s website it looks like the RJ45 to DIN cables and adapters Steve has in stock are all fully wired, and I am sure he will gladly verify that before you buy.
Yes mine was one of Steve’s bought very recently and fully wired! (EDIT: For madskp’s MCL test it needs to be fully wired for two reason: Fully wired PL cables will include the ‘trigger’ to turn the Passive on, plus the ‘data’ connection that will hopefully allow communication between the Essence and MCL sensor/devices.)
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