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Showing 1 of 144 conversations about:
Sythrix
302
Mar 29, 2018
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Brosefstalin42That's what I thought too. Would have been the perfect standalone DAC if they had just done that.
verifonix
1181
Mar 30, 2018
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Brosefstalin42Balanced is a scam, anyways. You don't need it for headphone listening. It's designed for a strong signal over LONG RANGE. Admittedly devices offering balanced will be more powerful through its balanced connection, but a competent single-ended product will suffice. Truly.
Brosefstalin42
260
Mar 30, 2018
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verifonixThe price doesn't really justify having two DACs and not XLR outs. Remove one and you have the D30 vs this (Sabre vs the chip in the D30 for sound and the dsd/dxd512 capability) and maybe a difference of $30-40. It just seems like a waste to have two DACs without balanced outs when once can suffice. Either cut one out and reduce the price and sell a few more to those that prefer the DAC in this compared to the D30, or add XLR outs and offer probably the cheapest balanced DAC around (and based off the D30, this would likely be a great, quiet DAC). Sure, balanced isn't really a huge deal aside from the extra power possibility on the amps out, but why the two DAC chips?
Brosefstalin42
260
Mar 30, 2018
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bhighI guess if they are trying to emulate the SMSL M8(A) sizing then I guess. The D30 could fit them with just a tiny bit more height and some extra width, this looks to be smaller?
kenwstr
121
Jun 27, 2018
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bhighNo, balanced inputs do not output anything.
You only have a balanced connection if both ends (input and output) support balanced signal. Balanced connection requires 2 signal lines that are phase inverted from each other and an earthed shield (sometimes there is also a drain). At the input end, the inverted signal line is un-inverted and the signal lines merged. As any induced noise was in the same phase on both balanced lines. This un-inversion process inverts the phase of noise on one line merging the lines cancels the noise. In this way , induced noise is to all practical purposes eliminated.
When you directly connect a balanced line to an unbalanced connector, the inverted line is generally earthed. So the induced noise is not cancelled, worse, it pollutes the unbalanced devices signal reference. There are a few variations on how balanced signal is generated and there are corresponding variations on direct connection to unbalanced. If you use the wrong connection method, you can get really bad humm.
The only correct ways to connect balanced with unbalanced is to either use a DI box or an audio transformer. The latter being cheaper by far has no DC continuity between devices for either signal or earth but passes signal via coil induction (this is great for eliminating humm)
Balanced connection's purpose in life is to eliminate possible induced noise from cables longer than 3 metres or 10 feet. For this reason it is used in PA but is very much unnecessary in most domestic audio systems due to their much shorter cabling lengths.
Ken
You only have a balanced connection if both ends (input and output) support balanced signal. Balanced connection requires 2 signal lines that are phase inverted from each other and an earthed shield (sometimes there is also a drain). At the input end, the inverted signal line is un-inverted and the signal lines merged. As any induced noise was in the same phase on both balanced lines. This un-inversion process inverts the phase of noise on one line merging the lines cancels the noise. In this way , induced noise is to all practical purposes eliminated.
When you directly connect a balanced line to an unbalanced connector, the inverted line is generally earthed. So the induced noise is not cancelled, worse, it pollutes the unbalanced devices signal reference. There are a few variations on how balanced signal is generated and there are corresponding variations on direct connection to unbalanced. If you use the wrong connection method, you can get really bad humm.
The only correct ways to connect balanced with unbalanced is to either use a DI box or an audio transformer. The latter being cheaper by far has no DC continuity between devices for either signal or earth but passes signal via coil induction (this is great for eliminating humm)
Balanced connection's purpose in life is to eliminate possible induced noise from cables longer than 3 metres or 10 feet. For this reason it is used in PA but is very much unnecessary in most domestic audio systems due to their much shorter cabling lengths.
Ken
Brosefstalin42
260
Jun 27, 2018
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Brosefstalin42The SMSL dac drop that just finished is essentially this with balanced outs (and untested specs since it's new). Jumped on that one.
kenwstr
121
Jun 29, 2018
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bhighSigh, It's still not outputting anything back up an unbalanced input. If you ground out or disconnect the inverted line, it's not a balanced interconnect.
kenwstr
121
Jun 29, 2018
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bhighMaybe I made an incorrect assumption about what you meant originally. I agree that an Amps output to speakers is essentially balanced in that the 2 lines carry complex waveforms, polarity inverted from each other. I don't get the significance of that in relation to what I thought you replied to, which seemed to be about connecting DAC to Amp. It's probably not worth pursuing but sorry if I have misunderstood.
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