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Balanced Digital Out needed for a balanced rig?

post #1 of 2
12/19/10 at 10:14am
Thread Starter 

I've been wondering for a while if one needs a balanced soundcard as well in a balanced rig. I'm currently using a Auzen Bravura 7.1 connected to my Yulong D100 balanced DAC via Toslink. Would there be any advantage by going for AES?

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post #2 of 2
12/19/10 at 10:35am

Depends on how well the Yulong implements the Toslink and viceversa. Generally AES and SPDIF are considered better choices due to better control of jitter.

 

If you're looking for a completely balanced setup, then the digital signal does not need to be balanced, only during the D/A conversion the analog output needs to be balanced, so you would need either a soundcard with XLR balanced outputs, or a balanced DAC.

 

So it would either be Balanced SoundCard -> XLR Cable -> Balanced Amp -> Balanced headphone cable -> Headphone

 

or

 

USB/Digital Signal -> Balanced DAC -> XLR Cable -> Balanced Amp -> Balanced Headphone Cable -> headphone

 

Sometimes you can get away with having balanced drive (i.e. an amp that accepts RCA inputs but still outputs a balanced signal), but this wouldn't be considered true/completely balanced setup

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