Where might I be able to buy RCA -> XLR adapters locally

[Icarium]

I need to buy a pair asap. I'm hoping to figure out where I might buy them in the California Bay Area on a Saturday (South Bay if that helps). Radioshack?

 

[Icarium]

Hrm checking Guitar Center's online website... looks like they might have some. Anyone got a better suggestion? Or that can confirm that Guitar Center has these? Not a big deal now, I can call tomorrow and confirm ;p

 

[sejarzo]

Be careful and make sure that what you buy is truly compatible and correct for your needs.

If you are trying to connect a balanced output to an unbalanced input, you must confirm with the manufacturer of the balanced piece of gear what should be done with pin 3 (the "cold" signal), and be certain that the adapter complies with that requirement.

Balanced outputs are not all the same, so there is no truly universal way to connect a balanced output to an unbalanced input.

 

[Voltron]

Guitar Center usually has them, but it is true that you should make sure they are wired the same way as the component.

 

[Icarium]

Yeah good points. Someone told me that there's a loose industry standard that most everything conforms to so I figure I'm reasonably safe. I was looking at how much these things were at guitar center (~6 bucks each) I figure I could just grab some and it might be okay.

Looks like guitar center it is then... geh 12 miles away.

 

[sejarzo]

These two pages:

http://www.rane.com/note110.html

and

http://www.rane.com/note151.html

taken together provide an excellent explanation of why there is no formal standard here.

There are various ways to construct custom cables that allow balanced outputs to drive unbalanced inputs (or vice versa, as shown in the first page linked above), but none are actually optimal or universal.

If the "loose standard" to which your "someone" referred is the one that ties pin 3 to signal ground (thus shorting the "cold" balanced side to ground) it may damage your balanced gear's output stage. That's why it is important to check with the manufacturer for a recommendation.

The type of gear that uses TRS jacks for balanced output often uses an output stage driver that works with pin 3 tied to ground, but I am unsure as to how often that driver design is used in gear with XLR outputs.

 

[Icarium]

Oh that's too bad. I already hooked it up :/ I hope damage didn't happen. I'm doing unbalanced DAC -> with rca -> xlr adapters -> xlr to xlr interconnect -> balanced amp.

What might be damaged? Things sound okay, but can't be sure there isn't out of polarity whackness or something.