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Is my Little Dot MK VII actually single ended? What's going on??

post #1 of 22
2/19/10 at 8:37am
Thread Starter 
I have a Little Dot MK VII which I bought from Worldwide Chinese Headphone Amplifier Dealer, who are an authorised retailer.

I believe I read somewhere that only 1/4" out is active when using input 2 (RCA in).

I hadn't done any direct comparisons between balanced and unbalanced input until just now.

I have found that 4-pin XLR out is enabled with RCA in.
When I switch between input 1 and 2, I don't believe I can hear a difference.
And what I mean by no difference is:
Same volume
Same soundstaging
Same tonality
Same detail level
Same bass

How can balanced and unbalanced sound the same, especially with my HD650s? Aren't they supposed to have a significant difference balanced/unbalanced?

Doesn't balancing double the power output?

Can someone please enlighten me here?

Is it possible that this amp is single ended?
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post #2 of 22
2/19/10 at 8:42am
Is your 650 balanced?
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post #3 of 22
2/19/10 at 8:50am
I have the same amp.
I've always used the balanced input, and I can tell you the DT880s sound really different using the two outputs, even the sound pressure level is different.
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post #4 of 22
2/19/10 at 8:53am
Thread Starter 
I'm pretty sure it's balanced.
The cable is from Double Helix Cables - Continuous-cast UPOCC copper cables for Sennheiser and AKG headphones and other audio connections...
It has 4 wires and a Neutrik 4-pin XLR plug.
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post #5 of 22
2/19/10 at 8:55am
Is your input balanced as well?
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post #6 of 22
2/19/10 at 8:56am
It could be that the single-ended input isn't converted to balanced in the amp. You might want to contact Little Dot and ask them about that.
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post #7 of 22
2/19/10 at 9:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nachkebia View Post
Is your input balanced as well?
Says DACMagic in the sig, that has balanced output right?

PZ4
Have you connected to the MK VII from the balanced outputs of the DAC?

Or is it all the same output, personally know jack about balanced set ups?
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post #8 of 22
2/19/10 at 9:14am
Thread Starter 
The unbalanced input is RCA out from the DACmagic.
The balanced input is 2x3-pin XLR from the DACmagic.

From the spec sheet for the DACmagic:
Output level (unbalanced): 2.1V rms
Output level (balanced): 4.2V rms (2.1V per phase)

There are only two outputs, XLR and RCA, so the RCA must be unbalanced.

I can't get to their website, www.little-tube.com anymore.

Oh I just googled it and there seems to be www.littledot.net
I will have to contact them.
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post #9 of 22
2/19/10 at 9:35am
There is a forum there where David from Little Dot answers questions directly too:

Little Dot Amplifiers • Index page
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post #10 of 22
2/19/10 at 9:44am
Strange... I am using LD DAC_I > MKVII+ > HD600 and I can certainly tell there's a difference between balanced and SE.
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post #11 of 22
2/19/10 at 12:50pm
Thread Starter 
Does anyone have their email?
I'm assuming they have a new one since they got a new website.
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post #12 of 22
2/19/10 at 12:57pm
little.tube@gmail.com

Don't think they have a new one
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post #13 of 22
2/19/10 at 2:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by P4Z View Post
The unbalanced input is RCA out from the DACmagic.
The balanced input is 2x3-pin XLR from the DACmagic.
Erm, so you used
DACMAGIC > RCA OUT > XLR IN > LD MK VII+ ?

You got it wrong.
Its a must to be like this
DACMAGIC > XLR OUT > XLR IN > LD MK VII+..

the rca output of the dacmagic is unbalanced..
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post #14 of 22
2/19/10 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Junliang View Post
Erm, so you used
DACMAGIC > RCA OUT > XLR IN > LD MK VII+ ?

You got it wrong.
Its a must to be like this
DACMAGIC > XLR OUT > XLR IN > LD MK VII+..

the rca output of the dacmagic is unbalanced..

No, I'm guessing he's using the DacMagic in balanced and unbalanced mode (both) with the MKVII.

There definitely is a difference between balanced and SE with the HD650s.

When using the balanced input (1) on the MKVII, both the SE and balanced headphone outs are active and you can listen in either mode. When using the RCAs, only the SE is active. I'll try and find the email David wrote me in reference to this, when I was setting it all up.
On the balanced inputs of the amp, I have the LD DAC_I, on the unbalanced (RCAs), I have a CDP. I can listen in balanced or SE mode with switch selector #1. The only time I switch to #2 is to listen to the CDP (RCAs) in SE mode only.

EDIT- Found the response from David-
Quote:
If your balanced input (input 1) is active, then yes both your balanced and single-ended outputs can be used without any switching of inputs. If however you want to listen to your CD Player, then you would have to change the input selector to Input 2. I hope this helps!
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post #15 of 22
2/19/10 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for that.
When I use input 2, the balanced out is active..what the hell.
Have they messed up and made it single ended? They can't have assumed nobody would notice...
I unplugged the XLR input, and I am sure the RCA is SE, and yet IN2 works with OUT1 (balanced 4-pin XLR).
I just tested something else.
I plugged in the right XLR cable while listening and the volume increased.

What the heck is going on?

Okay I'm going to test input 2 with XLRs in and RCAs removed.
Yep. I can still hear sound.
The switch does NOTHING.
They have wired both inputs to the same input inside the amp.

Is this thing even balanced?

I BET if I leave the RCAs in, and put the XLRS in the wrong side, I will hear everything mirrored. I don't want to risk damaging it though.

Something needs to be done about this.
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