Electrocompaniet ECD-1 Impression/Appreciation thread! - Page 4

 

Not all transports have a balanced digital output.  S/PDIF is not a balanced digital signal.  AES/EBU, AES-3 is.

Edited by IPodPJ - 8/13/10 at 9:07pm

Oh,  I guess I can forget going balanced then.  But can't some DACs (and the ECD 1, in particular) take that unbalanced signal, and balance it?

Ok, then consider me corrected.

I honestly believed that all digital audio signals are balanced, and that they first became single ended in the DAC stage.

There is no difference in data between AES and SPDIF.
The only difference between the two would be the transmission method and signal level.
Balanced analog output depends on the dac topology, and has nothing to do with AES or SPDIF.

Well, thanks to everyone for sharing their two cents though.  I guess it would be okay to plan ahead then?

Right, but the signals are not interchangeable because of voltage levels.  You can get S/PDIF to AES converters, and 90% of the time they will work but on some gear they will not.  S/PDIF is 75 ohm (coaxial) and AES is 110 ohm (twisted pair).  Twisted pair will reduce the susceptibility to magnetic interference.  You can also use XLR or TRS for balanced connections, and RCA or BNC for unbalanced digital.

This is true, but misleading.  I'm sure that wasn't your intention, but if I read gooky's response correctly, it seems something has been lost.

 

SPDIF is not a balanced signal because it's not carried by a balanced cable (traditionally).  Same goes for AES3 -- it IS a balanced digital signal, because it is carried by a balanced digital cable.  There are other differences in the signals, related to both impedance and subcode, but you mentioned this above. There are of course exceptions to this, and it poses something of chicken and egg problem.  It should hardly concern anyone, though.

 

Regardless of which signal you feed the Electrcompaniet, balanced or unbalanced digital, you end up with a balanced analog output. 

Edited by Sherwood - 8/20/10 at 1:43am

Now I am even more confused! 

I contacted Electrocompaniet USA, and they told me the same as Sherwood; the  ECD-1 will put out balanced.  Now I just need a balanced amp and cables to verify...  We need a smiley of someone getting their wallet emptied.

Does anyone already compare ECD-1 and Audio GD Reference-7? Which is the difference?

I haven't heard the ECD-1 but I have heard the EMC-1 which is a cd player with the same dac. I have also heard the Ref 7. IMO the Electrocompaniet is warmer sounding.

Computerparts, thank you

 

And what about other features, such as sound-staging, transparency, tonal balance etc?

 

IMO the Electrocompaniet had a wider and deeper sound stage. Transparency I'd have to give to the Ref 7, the Electrocompaniet was a bit veiled in that regard. Tonal balance, I preferred the warmer presentation of the Electrocompaniet over the drier and more sterile presentation of the Ref 7. The Electrocompaniet had nice lively dynamics which I preferred over the restrained Ref 7. Take this for what you will, I'm only going off of memory. The Electrocompaniet I had in my system a while back. The Ref 7 I heard just the other day in a different system.

@computerparts: did you have any chance to compare the ECD-1 to the Abrahamsen v6? Do they share a common signature?

Thanks

Sorry, no I'm not familiar with the Abrahamsen.