Preamp outputs - balanced vs unbalanced

[Face]

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

When I first saw this photo I had no clue what I was looking at...

Okay see the four banks of resistors surrounded in red/orange? That's a volume control for left and right for unbalanced AND balanced! That's redundancy and comes at a great cost.

No, that volume control is for a fully balanced signal, not balanced and unbalanced. Here's some more info: Balanced audio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And an ugly mock-up up a balanced tube pre that I built. Notice the 4 gang attenuator too.

[Rayooo]

Nothing ugly about it at all! put the components behind a fancy front panel and you've got a high-end preamp!

Originally Posted by Face

No, that volume control is for a fully balanced signal, not balanced and unbalanced. Here's some more info: Balanced audio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And an ugly mock-up up a balanced tube pre that I built. Notice the 4 gang attenuator too.

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

Nothing ugly about it at all! put the components behind a fancy front panel and you've got a high-end preamp!

One more thing, put it in a large, very heavy case and you can charge five figures.

[o0OBillO0o]

Okay I still have no clue. I thought it was a single shaft with 4 sets of volume control. 2 bal (L/R)2 un bal(L/R)... .???

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

[Rayooo]

Originally Posted by o0OBillO0o

Okay I still have no clue. I thought it was a single shaft with 4 sets of volume control. 2 bal (L/R)2 un bal(L/R)... .???

Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

one way to think of a true fully balanced in-to-out preamp would be...

thank of a 4 channel single ended preamp...with a single volume control knob.

In order to adjust the volume on each of the 4 channels, you'd need 4 separate single ended volume Pots..or better yet 4 highly accurate stepped attenuators...and it's much easier if the 4 attenuators are connected on the same volume control shaft.

If you then take each pair of single ended inputs and mark them "Balanced Left" and the other pair, "Balanced right".... yeeeehaaaa

[Face]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

Nothing ugly about it at all! put the components behind a fancy front panel and you've got a high-end preamp!

[o0OBillO0o]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

one way to think of a true fully balanced in-to-out preamp would be...

thank of a 4 channel single ended preamp...with a single volume control knob.

In order to adjust the volume on each of the 4 channels, you'd need 4 separate single ended volume Pots..or better yet 4 highly accurate stepped attenuators...and it's much easier if the 4 attenuators are connected on the same volume control shaft.

If you then take each pair of single ended inputs and mark them "Balanced Left" and the other pair, "Balanced right".... yeeeehaaaa

[Pider]

Originally Posted by randyalavasg

do you still reap the benefits in a mixed configuration, eg:

1) connection between dac and preamp is balanced (assuming both are fully balanced design)
2) connection between preamp and active speakers is single ended (no balance inputs on the speakers)

i imagine life would have been easier if i were running a power amp to passive speakers, then i would have the option to change to a balanced power amp

randyalavasg...... I am not sure, but have you signed up yet to enter the Free Subscriber giveaway? You can find it by following the link below. Just enter a post in that thread and you will be part of the drawing. Good luck!

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[randyalavasg]

Pider: yeah already signed up, thanks!

[randyalavasg]

Originally Posted by Rayooo

In my opinion....
From a purely technical point of view, if your preamp has a true differential input buffer, it would in fact right there cancel any noise picked up between your DAC's output and preamp's input. The question would be "how much noise is picked up in that short run?".

From an Audiophile-Nervosa point of view, if you've got'em, use 'em...If I had a balanced DAC output, and Preamp inputs, I'd use the balanced connection...just because.

In actuality, the run from preamp to active speakers, assuming a longer cable run, might just benefit from balanced vs unbalanced, IF of course the speakers had true differential inputs.

thanks for that Rayooo! unfortunately, the dynaudio focus 110 only comes with single-ended inputs. maybe a new model will come with both balanced/unbalanced inputs (their pro studio monitor comes with both)