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Transformer for Balanced to Unbalanced Audio?

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Hi

Thanks for your AWESOME website! I have a tech question.

I have a piece of audio gear with balanced outputs, and i need to send it to gear with UNbalanced inputs.

I want to build the balanced to unbalanced adapter from:
**broken link removed**
(scroll down to "The Next Best Right Way To Do It")



Here's my question. Would any of the transformers below work for this purpose?

https://r.ebay.com/CWd0TA
https://r.ebay.com/yRsln2
https://r.ebay.com/Ga5xaI
https://r.ebay.com/k9tGkA
https://r.ebay.com/L0xB4e
https://r.ebay.com/TWNtAW
https://r.ebay.com/BmtLRp
https://r.ebay.com/JAlJO0
https://r.ebay.com/SgrWzs

-Thx for helping a noob!
 
I would suggest you first try scrolling down to "The Last Best Right Way To Do It", which is perfect almost all the time.

I've NEVER had occasion to need an isolation transformer to conect items, and don't even possess one in my 'bag of goodies' for gigs.

What two items are you trying to connect?.
 
so you think the Rane guys are off the mark, when they say transformers are the quietest option? in the past i've used off-the-shelf canon to 1/4" TS unbalanced adapters (which contain a transformer). But they are pricey, so i just thought diy would be cheaper.

i do like the special cable assembly, as that is even simpler (and cheaper) than a transformer. do you find you lose any benefit of the balanced line with the special cable assembly?

do you think balanced outputs in general are over-hyped?

in this case, my output is a balanced microphone xlr; my input is a mic mixer.

thx
 
so you think the Rane guys are off the mark, when they say transformers are the quietest option? in the past i've used off-the-shelf canon to 1/4" TS unbalanced adapters (which contain a transformer). But they are pricey, so i just thought diy would be cheaper.

They better reject interference on the cable, but if there is no interference then they offer no advantage, and add an extra frequency limiting component in the signal chain.

I've got a couple of active dual-channel Behringer DI boxes, now those are VERY, VERY useful :D

i do like the special cable assembly, as that is even simpler (and cheaper) than a transformer. do you find you lose any benefit of the balanced line with the special cable assembly?

If you're running extremely long cables, at low levels, then balanced signals offer significant advantages - for normal length runs, none at all.

do you think balanced outputs in general are over-hyped?

Very much so.

in this case, my output is a balanced microphone xlr; my input is a mic mixer.

As long as the mixer input is low impedance, and the mike lead isn't too long, then just a lead is fine - if the mike input is high impedance you need a mike transformer - so it depends entirely on your mixer (although anything remotely modern should be low impedance and balanced anyway).
 
They better reject interference on the cable, but if there is no interference then they offer no advantage
plz define "interference". You mean the noise that balanced outputs are intended to prevent? Or you mean RF or something?

I've got a couple of active dual-channel Behringer DI boxes, now those are VERY, VERY useful :D
op amp-based, i assume?

As long as the mixer input is low impedance, and the mike lead isn't too long, then just a lead is fine
plz define "lead". You mean one of the special cable assemblies?

if the mike input is high impedance you need a mike transformer
so there is a case where you recommend a transformer. Why not an op amp in that case?

In my case, i am dealing with an unbalanced input (cheap powered pc speakers).

thx!
 
plz define "interference". You mean the noise that balanced outputs are intended to prevent? Or you mean RF or something?

RF, hum, and any local interference that impacts equally on BOTH conductors.

op amp-based, i assume?

Presumably so, although I've never taken them to pieces.

It's this one:



plz define "lead". You mean one of the special cable assemblies?

Not particularly, a standard unbalanced mike lead would be more likely - balanced mikes usually have an XLR on their base, and you use a lead from that to the input of the mixer. If the mixer is balanced you use an XLR to XLR lead, if the amp isn't balanced you use an XLR to Jack lead.

so there is a case where you recommend a transformer. Why not an op amp in that case?

As I said before, using a low impedance mike to feed a high impedance input, it makes more sense to use a transformer than an opamp - and high impedance mikes have transformers built-in to make them high impedance.

In my case, i am dealing with an unbalanced input (cheap powered pc speakers).

Sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to do?, what have PC speakers got to do with anything?.
 
Some of those very cheap transformers have NO SPECS or WRONG specs (0.5 ohm impedance??).
 
Here's one designed for this purpose, but pricey...~$60

eT
 

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Hi

Thanks for your AWESOME website! I have a tech question.

I have a piece of audio gear with balanced outputs, and i need to send it to gear with UNbalanced inputs.
Why the transformer? (I would not use a transformer unless you hear 50/60hz hum)
1)Many modern audio units do not have transformers. They use two op-amps to drive (out) and (not out). There may be three wires. Ground, Out and /Out. Connect ground to ground. Connect Out1 to in. Do not connect out2.
2)If the output is really made by a transformer then connect out to in, and /out to ground. Many of the transformers have a center tap that goes to ground so the connection in 1) will work. But with out a C.T. you will have to do 2).

It should not take you long to connect and see what happens.
 
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