thefullranger Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Need to find inexpensive DAC with XLR connectors instead of those awful RCA jacks . I want to run my Crown amp in the balanced mode and not willing to pay through the nose to get a unit with XLR , the cost of each connector is probably around the same price you would think they would give the customer a choice of XLR or 1/4" or RCA on all units as standard equipment Link to comment
pas Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 16 minutes ago, thefullranger said: Need to find inexpensive DAC with XLR connectors instead of those awful RCA jacks . I want to run my Crown amp in the balanced mode and not willing to pay through the nose to get a unit with XLR , the cost of each connector is probably around the same price you would think they would give the customer a choice of XLR or 1/4" or RCA on all units as standard equipment FYI https://www.shenzhenaudio.com/tempotec-fantasia-d-a-32bit-192khz-decoder-dac-external-usb-sound-card-head-amp.html Link to comment
One and a half Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 If the DAC is powered without an earth connection, the RCA float. Quite a few headphone amps accept RCA and output XLR. The chances of forming a ground loop reduce substantially with this setup. The cost of the balance out varies by design, sometimes the output is a resistor, sometimes lengthy true balanced setup which isn’t cheap. AS Profile Equipment List Say NO to MQA Link to comment
Bones13 Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 I’m sure there are “pro” level DAC, and ADC, units that use the XLR connections. True balanced circuitry involves double the electronics (there are DAC paths for both the positive and negative currents). A smaller circuit, or transformer, can convert a single ended circuit to a balanced, perhaps not without some effect on the signal. (Although it’s commonly done) a couple of threads down (atm) This DAC is under $1k and has XLR. [Home Digital] MSB Premier DAC > Modright LS300 > Atma-Sphere "Class D" Monoblocks > Daedalus Audio Muse Studio Speakers [Home Analog] Technics SL-1200G > Boulder 508 (Benz Glider SL) [Office] Laptop > Kitsune R2R lvl3 > Violectric V281 > Meze Liric / Meze Elite [Travel] Laptop/iPad -> Focal Bathys Link to comment
jabbr Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Not sure your budget but a truly inexpensive yet decent DAC is Behringer eg UMC202HD — I entirely agree that XLR is way to go. Custom room treatments for headphone users. Link to comment
Popular Post mansr Posted May 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2018 A good DAC with single-ended (RCA) outputs is better than a bad one with XLR. sandyk, 4est, JDRodrigues and 3 others 6 Link to comment
Panelhead Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Many of the Pro audio dacs use TRS connectors and not XLR. For space saving reasons. Not a fan of RCA connectors. Like any of the other options. Really liked the Locking DIN Deltron plugs and jacks. DNM used these. The Crown are better sounding when driven with a balanced signal. 2012 Mac Mini, i5 - 2.5 GHz, 16 GB RAM. SSD, PM/PV software, Focusrite Clarett 4Pre 4 channel interface. Daysequerra M4.0X Broadcast monitor., My_Ref Evolution rev a , Klipsch La Scala II, Blue Sky Sub 12 Clarett used as ADC for vinyl rips. Corning Optical Thunderbolt cable used to connect computer to 4Pre. Dac fed by iFi iPower and Noise Trapper isolation transformer. Link to comment
Popular Post jabbr Posted May 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2018 4 hours ago, mansr said: A good DAC with single-ended (RCA) outputs is better than a bad one with XLR. So you admit there are bad DACs! I’ll take a good DAC with XLR outputs thank you ? Superdad and lucretius 2 Custom room treatments for headphone users. Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 For any audio gear, when I see a unit with RCA only I just figure they are not serious about SQ. Benchmark has a nice write up on this BTW. Link to comment
Popular Post ElviaCaprice Posted May 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2018 Chord DAC's are the opposite. XLR is inferior to RCA. As explained per John Franks. The primary reason many Dacs have a balanced internal topology is try to overcome switching noise that has been induced into the Dac chips substrate. Balanced circuitry though causes other distortions that should be avoided. Chord Dacs have no substrate switching noise because the switching elements are seperated from the FPGA and more importantly from the analogue circuitry. So because we don't use standard Dac chips that can suffer from these problems. Therefore we do not have no need to used a balanced internal topology so we don't! The balanced analogue outputs are derived externally in analogue form only from single ended ultra low distortion output. I hope that is not too confusing. semente, tmtomh and 4est 3 (JRiver) Jetway barebones NUC (mod 3 sCLK-EX, Cybershaft OP 14) (PH SR7) => mini pcie adapter to PCIe 1X => tXUSBexp PCIe card (mod sCLK-EX) (PH SR7) => (USPCB) Chord DAVE => Omega Super 8XRS/REL t5i (All powered thru Topaz Isolation Transformer) Link to comment
Popular Post mansr Posted May 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2018 21 minutes ago, jabbr said: So you admit there are bad DACs! Why would there not be bad DACs? I have several right here. One even has balanced outputs. 21 minutes ago, jabbr said: I’ll take a good DAC with XLR outputs thank you ? The best DAC within a specific budget may well have only single-ended outputs. It also depends a lot on how it will be used. semente and tmtomh 2 Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Balanced connections greatly reduce noise from external sources. Link to comment
Popular Post mansr Posted May 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2018 1 minute ago, Ralf11 said: Balance connections greatly reduce noise from external sources. Yes, but that only matters if external noise is a problem to begin with. That isn't always the case. semente, mav52, sandyk and 1 other 4 Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Just now, mansr said: Yes, but that only matters if external noise is a problem to begin with. That isn't always the case. buh buh but you are forgetting the Audiopile Chant! "Everything Mutters" Link to comment
pas Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 4 hours ago, JDRodrigues said: If you are on a budget, don't overlook the Emotiva DAC on the used market. XDA-1 or XDA-2 built well and sound great. pas, have you heard this unit yourself? Very curious for more info on this. I haven't. I own a different model from the same company. https://www.shenzhenaudio.com/tempotec-serenade-dsd-dxd-32bit-384khz-high-resolution-music-workstation-usb-sound-card.html A very fine DAC, especially being powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1.2. Link to comment
jabbr Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 1 hour ago, mansr said: Why would there not be bad DACs? I have several right here. One even has balanced outputs. Which do you consider bad? — just curious — and on SQ basis or technical basis or cost etc? 1 hour ago, mansr said: The best DAC within a specific budget may well have only single-ended outputs. It also depends a lot on how it will be used. Sure. Trade offs in real world. The OP wants balanced which is fine. I have no issue with RCA in low noise environments. Custom room treatments for headphone users. Link to comment
jabbr Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 10 hours ago, plissken said: The Topping DX7 will work. The new DX7s looks nice but not cheap enough for me to add to my collection of ESS devices on a whim ... ASR likes it though! Custom room treatments for headphone users. Link to comment
Popular Post mansr Posted May 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2018 7 minutes ago, jabbr said: Which do you consider bad? — just curious — and on SQ basis or technical basis or cost etc? I'd consider bad anything with noise or distortion significantly worse than one would expect at a given price point. 7 minutes ago, jabbr said: Sure. Trade offs in real world. The OP wants balanced which is fine. I have no issue with RCA in low noise environments. The OP didn't articulate why he desires balanced outputs. Perhaps he doesn't actually need them and would be better served with a quality single-ended design. ElviaCaprice and semente 2 Link to comment
Speedskater Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 14 hours ago, One and a half said: The cost of the balance out varies by design, sometimes the output is a resistor, sometimes lengthy true balanced setup which isn’t cheap. The THAT Corp. input and output chips (which are the best available) cost less than $5 US each in lots of one. A resistor/capacitor output or aka passive/impedance output is a true balanced output. Link to comment
Popular Post Speedskater Posted May 11, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted May 11, 2018 13 hours ago, Bones13 said: I’m sure there are “pro” level DAC, and ADC, units that use the XLR connections. True balanced circuitry involves double the electronics (there are DAC paths for both the positive and negative currents). A XLR balanced interconnect system is one thing and a hi-fi component with completely balanced internal circuitry is a very different thing. Superdad and 4est 1 1 Link to comment
Speedskater Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 5 hours ago, mansr said: Yes, but that only matters if external noise is a problem to begin with. That isn't always the case. True, but like we tell the grand-kids to buckle their seatbelts. It's easier to do before the problem arises. Very now item that comes into your house has the potental to add noise/interference to your hi-fi system. Link to comment
Speedskater Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 47 minutes ago, mansr said: The OP didn't articulate why he desires balanced outputs. Perhaps he doesn't actually need them and would be better served with a quality single-ended design. Actually he did. He wants to was balanced interconnects to his power amplifier. Only way he would be better served is if his only inputs were RCA. Link to comment
audiobomber Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Korg DS-DAC-100 has balanced outputs. https://www.amazon.com/Korg-DSDAC100-Channel-Portable-Playback/dp/B00GGHHG8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526005904&sr=8-1&keywords=korg+ds-dac-100 Main System: QNAP TS-451+ NAS > Silent Angel Bonn N8 > Sonore opticalModule Deluxe v2 > Corning SMF with Finisar FTLF1318P3BTL SFPs > Uptone EtherREGEN > exaSound PlayPoint and e32 Mk-II DAC > Meitner MTR-101 Plus monoblocks > Bamberg S5-MTM sealed standmount speakers. Crown XLi 1500 powering AV123 Rocket UFW10 stereo subwoofers Upgraded power on all switches, renderer and DAC. Link to comment
mansr Posted May 11, 2018 Share Posted May 11, 2018 10 hours ago, Speedskater said: Actually he did. He wants to was balanced interconnects to his power amplifier. Yes, but the only reason he gave for this was a GUTB-like "RCA sucks," which is oversimplifying things. But if he's happy with any old crap as long as it has balanced outputs, that's fine with me. semente 1 Link to comment
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