I currently have Muzishare X7 and want to add a Okto dac8. Muzishare only excepts unballanced rca signal and Okto only outputs balance signal. Contacting Okto...they said to use a Lundahl audio transformer LL1584-3FXPHM. Link included. I am looking for opinions on whether the transformer will degrade the signal and/or sound? Okto hasnt given me a clear answer. Contacted Lundahl and they said it wouldn't degrade the signal/sound but may enhance it. When they said enhance it...it made me think...how can that be...if the dac is sending a clean/pure signal...I dont want it enhanced/changed. I am new here but figured there are people on this forum that may be better at answering my question than anybody else.
https://www.lundahltransformers.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheets/1584_x.pdf
https://www.lundahltransformers.com/product-highlight-ll1584-problem-solvers/
Thanks for any input
https://www.lundahltransformers.com/wp-content/uploads/datasheets/1584_x.pdf
https://www.lundahltransformers.com/product-highlight-ll1584-problem-solvers/
Thanks for any input
All transformers will degrade the signal, regardless of what a vendor might say.
Especially those selling transformers.
Especially those selling transformers.
I cant tell...what are those
This is from the owners manual
Warning: We strongly discourage the use of balanced-to-unbalanced cables and converters. Doing so will result in significantly decreased analog performance due to the short they present to the output of the dac8 Stereo's analog stage, potentially overloading it and risking damage after long-term use with high signal levels. Warranty does not apply to units with analog circuitry damaged by using XLR to RCA cables and converters.
Before that it says
If you need to interface the dac8 with a legacy pre-amplifier or a power amplifier that has single-ended inputs only, there are three methods to do so: 1) A solid-state conversion circuit, for example the Neurochrome Universal Buffer 2) Audio transformers like Lundahl LL1584-3FXPHM 3) A special adapter cable with floating pin 3, like “Benchmark XLRF to RCA cable for analog audio with pin 3 floating”. The cable does not perform actual signal conversion; instead, it only uses one half of the balanced output from the dac8 without shorting the other half to ground. This method will result in a loss of performance, but it is recommended as a cost-effective way to connect subwoofers.
Option 3 is the cable option.
Or
Expect 0.01% THD degradation with the transformer option.
Or
Expect 0.01% THD degradation with the transformer option.
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I'm in a similar situation with my Dac8, been using it into a balanced preamp but interested in trying it into single ended. I read the same guidance from the manufacturer that you quoted above, just seems extreme to me that using an ordinary XLR to RCA cable would create any noticiable degradation. Will likely try the Benchmark cables suggested. Will be interested to hear what your experiences are.
Using a floating Pin3(nothing connected to it) balanced to unbalanced cable is considered to be the safe option from an electronics engineering standpoint, this type of cable is in use daily all over the pro audio world with zero problem. The statement about it impacting sound quality is also complete nonsense, the signal path inside just about every piece of audio equipment ever made is totally single ended except for the input and output buffer stages that are sometimes balanced to take advantage of the environmental noise rejection properties that balanced interconnects provide.
When you make use of both phases of the DAC's output, your signal increases by 6dB but the noise (being uncorrelated) increases by only 3dB. So you gain 3dB in your SNR.