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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: jlykos on October 30, 2008, 06:00:55 AM

Title: Balanced or unbalanced outputs on PSP-2 > PCMD50?
Post by: jlykos on October 30, 2008, 06:00:55 AM

I am wondering what the consensus is around here with how to manage the outputs from an E.A.A. PSP-2 to a Sony PCMD50 (or any other recorder that has a 1/8" input).  The PSP-2 has an 1/8" unbalanced output and a XLR balanced output.  Will it matter if I use the 1/8" unbalanced output because the signal will go into the (presumably) unbalanced input of the D50?  Or should I use the balanced outputs?  I am more interested in issues of sound quality; tightness of the connection is not really a concern to me because I am careful with how I use my gear.

Title: Re: Balanced or unbalanced outputs on PSP-2 > PCMD50?
Post by: Todd R on October 30, 2008, 11:29:32 AM

I would go 1/8" to 1/8".  The 1/8" we're talking about (on the D50, R09, etc) is unbalanced by definition, so you are not having balanced going into them, even if you use an XLR output (since you'd be unbalancing that output to use it).

There are a number of ways to properly unbalance a balanced signal depending on the equipment involved, so if you choose to unbalance the XLR outputs, you might do it improperly.  Plus, the PSP2 will need additional electronics in the signal path to create the balanced output after the gain stage.  Presumably the unbalanced output doesn't go thru these electronics (ie, it is straight to unbalanced out, not unbalanced post gain stage > balanced > unbalanced out).  So from a sound standpoint, I'd say 1/8 to 1/8 would be better.