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Balanced and Unbalanced outputs simultaneously

I have a question regarding balanced and unbalanced outputs. I have a Benchmark DAC 1 that has both unbalanced and balanced outputs. Currently I am using the unbalanced (RCA) outputs to my trusty tubed pre amp and then from there to the RCA inputs on my Bryston 4B ST. It sounds great and I love the fact that I can roll in different old tubes to change the character of the sound. However I want the best of both worlds on the pre amp side and was wondering if I could use the balanced outputs of the Benchmark to a solid state pre amp and then balanced outputs from the pre amp to the Bryston. Then all I would need to do is switch the input mode on the Bryton to go from balanced to unbalanced and thus from a tubed pre amp world to solid state. My questions are does the Benchmark provide a single to both outputs simultaneously or does plugging in a balanced cable disengage the unbalanced outs? Also can anyone see a problem with hooking things up this way? (I don't want to blow anything out but can't really see how that could happen since I suspect that the toggle switch on the Bryston would prevent that.

Any thoughts?? Doug
dougwhitesell

Showing 2 responses by kijanki

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,452 posts
 
Dougwhitesell, This is excerpt from Steven Stone Benchmark DAC1 October 2007 review in "Enjoy the Music".

"Since it has both XLR balanced and RCA single-ended outputs, the DAC1 can be hooked up to a stereo amp through the XLR connections and to a subwoofer through the unbalanced RCA connections. That's just how I used it in my desktop system."
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,452 posts
 
Dougwhitesell, I have Benchmark DAC1 and don't know of any switches. From what I can see signal splits after D/A chip and goes to separate op-amps for XLR and RCA outputs. RCA outputs can be calibrated with multiturn trimpots while XLR outputs are set by internal jumpers. I find sound at 0dB position most vivid in spite of very short (0.5m) and very low capacitance (5pF/ft) IC. It was also noticed in few reviews.
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