Does anyone have experience with adapters like this for getting the Qutest to feed into an XLR input for their amp?
Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread
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I think adapters run the RCA to hot and ground but leave the 3rd pin open so you wouldn’t be taking advantage of the balanced circuitry. There are converters or transformers that actually output a true balanced signal. You could get a Schiit Lokius and also have the option of EQ as well as converting SE to true balanced when active.
dnnaudio
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I don’t think that adapter will even fit the Qutest the pair of RCA plugs too close together.
The adapter goes to the amp side, and the Qutest will still be an RCA cable. Qutest > RCA cable > adapter > amp.
I have used those a few times and they work fine. They send the negative pin to ground, if you want to go to truly balanced you need a transformer or active components.Does anyone have experience with adapters like this for getting the Qutest to feed into an XLR input for their amp?
Anyways, it should work fine with most amps.
Going from single ended to balanced is impossible. Balanced means you have a ‘-‘ signal and ‘+’ signal, both audio signals opossite of each other, the measurement between that is the audio signal, ground is not used for the audio signal transfer.
With single ended , you have ground and a ‘+’ audio signal. That’s why with single ended there is a bigger change of noise, unless the amp or dac is build decently.
Be carefull using those converters between preamp and opamps, going single ended to balanced etc… not all amps like that, like Burson.
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Is that a coming thought? To me the Qutest and chord products are resolving and offer great details however they’re anything but fatiguing.
GuiltyRocker
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I can listen for hours and hours with my Chord stuff, zero ear fatigue.
dnnaudio
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I see so I guess preamp does not have single ended inputs. I use Qutest w/ Jeff Rowland integrated w/c is fully differentially balanced design would be interesting if this approach performs better than simple RCA connection.
In the amp I was specifically using this for, it performed better as it bypasses an internal unbalanced to balanced connection which adds noise. Unsure for other cases however...
dnnaudio
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Now I am curious to try.. just little worried this might damage the amp. What RCA-XLR adapter did you use would appreciate link.
I bought from local Australian retailer, it was a Neutrik RCA to XLR.
https://www.rs-online.vn/p/xlr-male-to-phono-socket-adaptor/
dnnaudio
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Thanks
blueninjasix
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I use a pseudo set of cables from designacable from Amazon.uk
Pseudo Balanced RCA Phono to Male XLR Lead (PAIR). Van Damme Starquad Cable to connect Qutest to my balanced preamp. Works well for me
For those interested in a little bit of a look at Chord's backstory, DMS, Andrew, Taron and I visited Chord in Maidstone shortly before heading to Munich this year and a video is up with some interviews and a bit of a look inside their factory.
Their location has easily got to be the most characterful production location I've visited. Thanks to Chord for inviting us!
Their location has easily got to be the most characterful production location I've visited. Thanks to Chord for inviting us!
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