Home Amp/Preamp Asylum

Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Amp/Preamp Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

RE: "differential bridged output " balanced or not?

> > I didn't even mention any circuit topology. < <

You are right - the marrow definition of "balanced" you used was extremely limited and defined only one aspect of true differential balanced circuitry.

There have been some low-cost products made with a circuit topology that provide only that one aspect of true differential balanced circuitry, but unsurprisingly they only provides that one advantage of true differential balanced circuitry.

The cheap trick they will use in this case is to connect a unbalanced circuit to pin 2 (hot) of an XLR out connector. Instead of driving pin 3 (cold) with an inverted version of the same signal, with a circuit that has the same output impedance, they will simply add a resistor and capacitor between pin 3 (cold) and ground that mimics the output impedance of the amplifier connected to pin 2 (hot). Like I said, a cheap trick, only used to make the very lowest priced equipment that wants to call it "balanced".

Even worse was some unbalanced "high-end" equipment from 20 years ago that provided an XLR input connector, but pin 3 (cold) wasn't even connected to anything. It was just like building the adapter into the box...

Hope this helps,
Charles Hansen

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Schiit Audio  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
FAQ

Post a Message!

 Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]