balanced source to unbalanced amp?

[bays_9a5tt]

A friend of mine promised nice gift for me: CD player with balanced outputs. My equipment have unbalanced inputs (BoZ and Zen v2).
I know there is dirty trick by shorting one of balanced outputs to the ground but I'm concerned about signal distortion and/or noise.
Quick search yielded this op-amp adaptor:
http://emusician.com/diy/emusic_build_em_level/
Can you please comment adding this adapter to my system in order to use full potential of new CD player.
If not, oh well. I'm going to build another amp with balanced inputs

[Zen Mod]

Originally posted by bays_9a5tt
A friend of mine promised nice gift for me: CD player with balanced outputs. My equipment have unbalanced inputs (BoZ and Zen v2).
I know there is dirty trick by shorting one of balanced outputs to the ground but I'm concerned about signal distortion and/or noise.
Quick search yielded this op-amp adaptor:
http://emusician.com/diy/emusic_build_em_level/
Can you please comment adding this adapter to my system in order to use full potential of new CD player.
If not, oh well. I'm going to build another amp with balanced inputs

just go and build another amp with balanced inputs ;

too many OPs ; frankly- even one is too much

[Steve Eddy]

Originally posted by Zen Mod
just go and build another amp with balanced inputs

Or simply add a good input transformer to his existing amp.

se

[dejanm]

must read:

http://www.jensentransformers.com/an/an003.pdf

[GRollins]

Originally posted by bays_9a5tt


I know there is dirty trick by shorting one of balanced outputs to the ground but I'm concerned about signal distortion and/or noise.

Using only one of the signal phases of a balanced line does not inherently generate distortion. Likewise, it does not generate noise.
You don't short one output to ground. You short the unused phase of the input to ground. Leave the unused output phase alone.
Avoid opamps. That particular cure is worse than the disease.
I'm neutral on transformers. I've used them in tube gear with good results, but avoid them in solid state because they're generally unnecessary. This is one such case.

Grey

[Nelson Pass]

If you build yourself a Balanced line stage (AKA BOSOZ) and
use it to drive bridged ZV2's, you'll probably think you've died
and gone to heaven.

[Steve Eddy]

Originally posted by Nelson Pass
If you build yourself a Balanced line stage (AKA BOSOZ) and
use it to drive bridged ZV2's, you'll probably think you've died
and gone to heaven.

Rather cold comfort if you're an atheist.

se

[Steve Eddy]

Originally posted by GRollins
I'm neutral on transformers. I've used them in tube gear with good results, but avoid them in solid state because they're generally unnecessary.

Could you expand on that a bit? I'm not seeing why they would be any more or less necessary for tubes vs. solid state.

se'

[GRollins]

Output transformers. Yes, it's possible to do without (e.g. Atma-Sphere), but at the time I was building "normal" amps.
And, yes, it's possible to use output transformers for solid state. The best known example being McIntosh (okay, an autoformer, if you want to be picky), but it's best to avoid them if it's possible. Like caps, they influence the sound. You do without if you can...if you must use one, pay whatever the going rate is for a really good one and go on to the next thing.

Grey

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I see Nelson (if you don't mind me referring to you like that) has beaten me to it.

Just choose another balanced Pass Product to suit your tastes.