MuxLab 500030 - Stereo Audio Balun for PC and Multimedia (3.5mm Jack to RJ45)
Optimize your audiovisual setup and overcome the distance limitations of conventional analog audio cables with the MuxLab 500030. This signal extender, technically known as a PC Stereo Audio Balun, is a high-performance passive solution designed to transmit unbalanced line-level stereo audio signals over standard structured cabling (Cat5e or Cat6).
Its compact and intelligent design incorporates a patch cable with a 3.5mm stereo jack connector, allowing direct connection to sound cards in computers, laptops, media servers, MP3 players, or any audio source with a headphone output, without the need for additional adapters. By converting the signal for transmission over twisted pair cable, this device ensures superior audio integrity over long distances, eliminating the complexity and cost of running heavy and expensive audio cables.
Main features
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Extended range: Allows you to send stereo audio up to distances of 1.5 km (5,000 feet) using a single Cat5e/6 cable, ideal for large venues.
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High fidelity sound: Offers a full frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz at short and medium distances, and maintains a range of 100 Hz to 20 kHz even at its maximum distance, ensuring clarity in voice and background music applications.
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Plug & Play design: A completely passive device that does not require an external power supply, simplifying installation on ceilings, behind screens or in technical furniture.
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Direct connectivity: Equipped with a female RJ45 connector for the network cable and a 15cm flexible cable (patch cable) with a male 3.5mm jack connector, designed to relieve mechanical stress on the audio source port.
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Integration versatility: It works point-to-point and is fully compatible with other baluns in the MuxLab range, such as the 500027 (RCA) model, allowing simple connector format conversions (from 3.5mm Jack to RCA) through the network infrastructure.
Benefits for the installer and the user
The MuxLab 500030 transforms how audio is managed in commercial and educational projects. By using UTP (Cat5/6) cable, which is much more economical and easier to handle than coaxial or shielded audio cable, material and labor costs are significantly reduced. Furthermore, the use of baluns helps mitigate common problems in long cable runs, such as ground loops or interference, delivering clean sound to the receiving end.
Ideal use cases
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Classrooms and education: Connecting the audio from the teacher's laptop located on the desk to the classroom's PA system or amplifier located in a distant rack.
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Corporate boardrooms: Integration of PC audio into conference or projection systems.
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Digital Signage: Sending audio from a centralized media server to remote screens or speakers in shopping malls or airports.
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Residential systems: Multi-room audio distribution from a central source to different rooms using existing network cabling.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does the MuxLab 500030 require a power supply?
No, it is a passive device that uses the physics of the twisted pair to transmit the signal, so it does not require plugs or batteries.
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Is it sold in pairs?
It is generally sold individually. For a complete link, you will need two units (one at each end) or combine it with another compatible model (such as the 500027 with RCA connectors) depending on your inputs and outputs.
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What type of cable should I use?
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable of Cat 5e or Cat 6 category is recommended for maximum performance and distance.
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Can I connect a microphone directly?
No, this balun is designed for "line-level" signals (such as the headphone output of a PC or mobile device). Microphones require pre-amplification before being connected to this device.
Project description
Passive analog stereo audio extender (balun) designed for transmitting unbalanced line-level signals over Cat5e/6 UTP twisted-pair cabling. The device must have a female RJ45 interface and an integrated patch cable with a male 3.5mm stereo jack connector. Transmission range is up to 1.5 km with a bandwidth of 100Hz to 20kHz at maximum distance, and 60Hz to 20kHz up to 300m. It features a compact, flame-retardant ABS plastic housing with approximate dimensions of 48 x 25 mm in diameter. The input impedance is compatible with standard PC and multimedia audio outputs. It is compatible with balun models that terminate in RCA connectors (e.g., 500027).
