Quote:
Originally Posted by robert_kc
(Post 770334)
How do you make a balanced connection between the ZBit (DAC?) and your Inspire amp?
My McIntosh MC275 amp has balanced and unbalanced input connectors, but my Inspire amp only has the RCA (unbalanced) inputs. Therefore I can connect my Oppo BDP-105 to my MC275 via balanced cables or RCA cables, but the Inspire amp is limited to the RCA connectors.
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The ZBit was especially designed to take the balanced output from your DAC or receiver (or CD Player with balanced outputs) and control its total output voltage from Zero to the Max output voltage from your device (in my case you can adjust the balanced voltage out of my Yggrasil from 0 to the nominal max of 4 Volts). Then, it transfers this balanced signal into the RCA single-ended output in the ZBit, which in turn connects to the RCA inputs in your Inspire.
The best sound comes dialing the ZBit to the max (or close to) of the 0-Max voltage range (4 volts in my case), where the bulk of the balanced output voltage is preserved. Then, you just need to adjust the Inspire amp's volume to your SPL of preference using the Inspire's DACT (in my case) or volume pot (in the more general case).
The sound difference is very palpable and welcome in terms of sound quality. It is the best sounding effect I've gotten since getting the Inspire amp. Of course, as I said before, even if you now get the ZBit's 4 volts instead of the usual 2-2.5 volts in the single-ended input into your amp, which means the amp receives a larger gain signal, the advantages of the Preamp are evident over this when you need headroom galore and more body to the sound. You can get this with the ZBit, but not with the slam/oomph potential you get with the Preamp. The great thing is, Dennis's preamps preserve sound quality while achieving this, with no coloration or sound degradation due to the additional stage involved, just as with the ZBit.
Given the above, the best sound for acoustic jazz and vocals are ensured by the use of the ZBit in my case (balanced inputs to the Inspire amp) whereas when I'm in need to hear for example Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony in all its glory, I need to resource to the Preamp instead. Both sound great, mind you, it is just that the balanced signal is so depurate and textured it is amazing.
I hope this answers your question. I had never been a believer (or even considered) the balanced mode in my DACs until now. The difference is worth it in my book (no affiliation with Decware's products). It is a shame it did not worked earlier on, when my Inspire amp was still in the ropes and not yet settled, as all things were in the burn-in context at the time, including the ZBit.
The ZBit uses Jensen transformers (one per channel) to achieve the voltage regulation required in this transition from the original balanced output to the single-ended input, preserving the balanced advantages ... The concept is quite right, in my view.