[dreamwhisper]

Is the EMU 1212m true balanced output?
Could you use a 1/4 to XLR adapter and with a balanced amp have a balanced setup?

Also, what about the ESI Juli@ as far as this is concerned?

 

[Zaubertuba]

Yes, the daughter card (you get two with your 1212m--the PCI digital in-out/processing section and and a separate card for analog ins/outs) has two honest-to-goodness balanced outputs. They're 1/4-inch Tip-Ring-Sleeve (Same type of 1/4" plug as on your headphones--only wired differently), though, so you'd need two TRS to XLR adapters to plug into standard balanced XLR inputs.

If you *don't* have a balanced amp, they will still work unbalanced (I'm going 1/4" to RCA right now) and work fine. But the card leaves you a nice upgrade path...I'm already contemplating going down that road myself...

...darned headfi--where's my wallet?