[maxxevv]

Are you trying to connect a balanced output to a single ended input?

Sounds like it to me.

hello there ..hope this is the best thread for my problem! I bought a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable so I could use the "balanced" output of my Sabaj DA3 - supposedly optimised for the best sound - connecting it to my Topping NX1s, and the result was dreadful. Nothing but horrid disintegration of sound! (Yes, I pressed the buttons to switch outputs, and the readout indicated 2.5mm BAL). But dreadful resiult. And now, what's worse - reverting to the standard operation with DAC alone and UNBAL 3.5mm ouput, the device no longer woorks at all! NO audio will come through it, and it turns itself off in two seconds! Will NOT stay on... anybody experience anything like this? Somewhat reluctant to message the Sabaj people on Ali, as you only get second-hand messages from "R&D" filtered through whoever answers the message-box....

Don't quite understand what you're trying to do there.

Your Da3's 2.5mm output has R+, R- and L+, L-. So they are designed for your headphones / earphones left and right channels.

Your NX1 has a 3.5mm line in. Which has only 3 input signal lines. R+, L+ while the R- and L- share a line.
By plugging your 2.5mm TRRS into a 3.5mm line in, you are effectively shorting the R- and L- together.

I'm not the least surprised that it got burned / killed in the process.

Haha i have to tell you I don't know what that means ! I simply followed the directions given to me my other head-fiers on threads elsewhere, got the appropriate cable and plugged in ! And now my device no longer works!

You haven't understood correctly what others were saying before you made your leap of faith it seems.

 

[warbles]

Sounds like it to me.




Don't quite understand what you're trying to do there.

Your Da3's 2.5mm output has R+, R- and L+, L-. So they are designed for your headphones / earphones left and right channels.

Your NX1 has a 3.5mm line in. Which has only 3 input signal lines. R+, L+ while the R- and L- share a line.
By plugging your 2.5mm TRRS into a 3.5mm line in, you are effectively shorting the R- and L- together.

I'm not the least surprised that it got burned / killed in the process.



You haven't understood correctly what others were saying before you made your leap of faith it seems.

Ohhhh dear. Everything went fine.when I connected to amp from the UNbalanced output - I had no idea of why I shouldn't do the same from the balanced!

Do you think that an electronic engineer (my bro-in-law is one) would be able to repair this DAC?

 

[PlantsmanTX]

Ohhhh dear. Everything went fine.when I connected to amp from the UNbalanced output - I had no idea of why I shouldn't do the same from the balanced!

Do you think that an electronic engineer (my bro-in-law is one) would be able to repair this DAC?

That's bad luck, man. I hope he or someone else is able to fix it.

 

[warbles]

That's bad luck, man. I hope he or someone else is able to fix it.

Maybe it's why Sabaj didn't send me a 2.5mm plug with the unit ' so I wouldn't be tempted? But with that little beckoning hole, how could I not be curious? Would you not agree that some pretty specialized knowledge (which i certainly now have haha) is kind of entailed in the package?

 

[peter123]

Ohhhh dear. Everything went fine.when I connected to amp from the UNbalanced output - I had no idea of why I shouldn't do the same from the balanced!

Do you think that an electronic engineer (my bro-in-law is one) would be able to repair this DAC?

@maxevv explained it perfectly

Connecting a balanced output to a single ended (aka unbalanced by many manufacturers these days) input (or headphones) will not work and potentially short one or both of the devices. Unfortunately it sounds as if that's what happened in your case

 

[rendyG]

@maxevv explained it perfectly

Connecting a balanced output to a single ended (aka unbalanced by many manufacturers these days) input (or headphones) will not work and potentially short one or both of the devices. Unfortunately it sounds as if that's what happened in your case

Are you sure? I recently ordered 2.5mm male to 3.5mm female adapter just to connect my harder to drive headphones. I don't see why this should be a problem, as I often see people using XLR -> 3.5mm SE. I mean it makes sense to me, if you have amp which has only XLR output to be able to connect even headphones without balanced cable using this kind of adapter.

 

[maxxevv]

Are you sure? I recently ordered 2.5mm male to 3.5mm female adapter just to connect my harder to drive headphones. I don't see why this should be a problem, as I often see people using XLR -> 3.5mm SE. I mean it makes sense to me, if you have amp which has only XLR output to be able to connect even headphones without balanced cable using this kind of adapter.

You need to go read up a little bit on electric circuits.

If you had a 2.5mm TRRS terminated headphone cable and you want to use a 2.5mm TRRS FEMALE to 3.5mm MALE adaptor to plug it into a normal 3.5mm jack, it will then be correct. I do that myself.

But not what you are trying to do, which is wrong.

You mean 4 pin XLR terminated cable into a 3.5mm jack I presume?

Then its the same as what I just described with what I do.

In short, a shared earth 3-pin supply can be wired into a 4-pin output such as cables and speakers. But NOT the other way round with 4-pin balanced supplies.

 

[warbles]

That's bad luck, man. I hope he or someone else is able to fix it.

Oh boy. This is what my German brother-in-law wrote back to me when I explained what had happened to my DA3 (with excerpts from respondents here) and added a photo I found of what's "under the bonnet' of the unit:


"Optically one will hardly ever see the fault on an electronics board. This looks like a high tech multilayered board. There is very little chance to fault find and then repair it without having a circuit diagram and board layout. But even then then it would be difficult as in most cases the ICs used have a manufacturers stamp on it which only tells them what it is but keeps an outside engineer in the dark. Without a generic IC code one will not find data specific to that IC and without that there is no chance to find a problem. Should one somehow be able to pinpoint a faulty IC it is still dam hard to get a replacement and then, without damaging any more, to solder the replacement in its place. See the spacing of the pins. They are only 0.5mm. Without very special tools I would not even try. The only thing else to try is its power supply. Is that OK?'


Is he 100% correct there ? Is there really no hope of saving the most valuable part of my humble audio chain ?

 

[Matias]

He most likely is correct. These are very small surface mounted components on a tiny board. Very hard to diagnose and replace. Unfortunately it is one of those products that are not worth repairing: either replace on warranty, or else waste...

 

[warbles]

He most likely is correct. These are very small surface mounted components on a tiny board. Very hard to diagnose and replace. Unfortunately it is one of those products that are not worth repairing: either replace on warranty, or else waste...

Do you have any idea of what Sabaj Store on Ali mean us to understand by their one year warranty? I mean, criteria-wise and all? There is but one line (seven words) referring to warranty at the very bottom of the guff page on DA3, which says



1. One-year Store warranty (China Warranty Service).

2. We will issue full refund or resend new replacement upon receipt of the item in its original condition and packaging with all components and accessories included.

3. For any items,please send by EMS or your local post when send back.

 

[Zerohour88]

Do you have any idea of what Sabaj Store on Ali mean us to understand by their one year warranty? I mean, criteria-wise and all? There is but one line (seven words) referring to warranty at the very bottom of the guff page on DA3, which says



1. One-year Store warranty (China Warranty Service).

2. We will issue full refund or resend new replacement upon receipt of the item in its original condition and packaging with all components and accessories included.

3. For any items,please send by EMS or your local post when send back.

best bet is to just try contacting the seller and Sabaj for the warranty claim (if its still valid). The language barrier is a bit troublesome since they don't really speak english.

 

[Slazyel]

Anyone that has experience on both SMSL Idea and NX4 DSD can say to me if the NX4 DSD worth double the price?

 

[DjBobby]

Anyone that has experience on both SMSL Idea and NX4 DSD can say to me if the NX4 DSD worth double the price?

Besides the NX4 DSD being battery powered vs iDea's sucking the power through the USB, the power specs difference is huge:
iDea - 2 x 35.8 mW at 32 Ohms
NX4 DSD - 2 x 293 mW at 32 Ohms.
Almost 8 times more power.

 

[tiamor988]

Between SMSL Idea and Fiio Q1 MK2, which one have better audio quality? I don't mine about the battery or the balance output.

 

[Aibo]

Between SMSL Idea and Fiio Q1 MK2, which one have better audio quality? I don't mine about the battery or the balance output.

Idea if you like detailed but analytical sound and Q1 if you prefer something warmer, fuller and more fluid.