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Any advantage in doing it this way?


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Case in study:

A Mixer has 2 Main PHONO Outputs (Left & Right)...and no XLR output.

If I want to send out the Mixer's PHONO signals out into 2 Active Speakers (the active speakers have XLR inputs)....I should use 2 x d.i Boxes ya...to  reduce hum and to balance the signal.

Question: DO I use Passive D.I boxes or Active D.i boxes ? Any advantage if I were to use Active D.i boxes?

 

 

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stunningbabe wrote:

 

Case in study:

 

A Mixer has 2 Main PHONO Outputs (Left & Right)...and no XLR output.

 

If I want to send out the Mixer's PHONO signals out into 2 Active Speakers (the active speakers have XLR inputs)....I should use 2 x d.i Boxes ya...to  reduce hum and to balance the signal.

 

Question: DO I use Passive D.I boxes or Active D.i boxes ? Any advantage if I were to use Active D.i boxes?

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, DI's would be a good idea. Passive should be fine, but there's nothing stopping you from experimenting.

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Louis Schwartz wrote:

 

This is more a question for my understanding than anything else, but if the 1/4" or "phono" outputs on the mixer are balanced, no DI is necessary, and you can just use a 1/4" TRS to XLR cable. Is that right?

 

 

 

Louis

 

 Correct.

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Use the right tool for the job. Either a mixer with XLR balanced outs, a 1:1 line level balancing transformer or (if the powered speaker has mic level inputs) a passive DI.

 

Shifting did. To mic level is the last choice.

 

Looks like the mixer being used is too cheap to include the proper connections? So you have to add a solution that likely costs more than doing it right?

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stunningbabe wrote:

 

 

Case in study:

 

A Mixer has 2 Main PHONO Outputs (Left & Right)...and no XLR output.

 

If I want to send out the Mixer's PHONO signals out into 2 Active Speakers (the active speakers have XLR inputs)....I should use 2 x d.i Boxes ya...to  reduce hum and to balance the signal.

 

Question: DO I use Passive D.I boxes or Active D.i boxes ? Any advantage if I were to use Active D.i boxes?

 

 

 

 

 

Tanya,

 

What model mixer do you have?

 

Greg

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stunningbabe wrote:

 

 

 

 

Question: DO I use Passive D.I boxes or Active D.i boxes ? Any advantage if I were to use Active D.i boxes?

 

You would need to decide on a case by case basis but there is probably not a big difference between comperably priced units in this application.

 

In big general terms it is my experience that comparably moderately priced units, active devices have more extended frequency range and can handle higher signal levels without distortion ... BUT ... do not provide as much isolation.  But it's not a big difference.

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Often, active devices have a significantly lower maximum input level. It depends entirely on the device and the choices the designer made. Many passive di's can handle +16dBu with increasing distortion at the low end but most active di's can not without clipping throughout the entire spectrum.

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JV90 wrote:

 

And what about using some adapters to convey the rca connectors to 1/4 or xlr? They would work too

 

Not if you want to maintain a balanced signal path. In the case of the suggestion you make, it's a poor choice IMO.

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"Often, active devices have a significantly lower maximum input level. It depends entirely on the device and the choices the designer made. Many passive di's can handle +16dBu with increasing distortion at the low end but most active di's can not without clipping throughout the entire spectrum."

 

I agree when you are up in the above $100 price range. But if you are at $ 30-40 I find the opposite.

 

It is an important spec to be aware of. I think most people should investigate to make certain their DI is suitable for their intended application.

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agedhorse wrote:

 

Often, active devices have a significantly lower maximum input level. It depends entirely on the device and the choices the designer made. Many passive di's can handle +16dBu with increasing distortion at the low end but most active di's can not without clipping throughout the entire spectrum.

 

Good point, but some active DI's include a pad you can switch in for hot signals, like the Radial J48's I use. They wouldn't work for this particular application though, since they need pahntom power. A battery-powered active DI with a pad could work, but it seems unecessarily complex when a passive DI would do the job. 

On the other hand... I wonder if just a straight non-balanced cable run from mixer "phono" outs to the inputs of the powered speakers wouldn't work just as well. With a healthy line level signal, it's not always essential (IMO) to use balanced cables, unless the cable run is fairly long or you're in a hot RF environment. 

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I looked at galvonic isolation and the method of using a 1:1 transformer.

Not having common ground is the issue here?  What about using the ground lift?

If you use the ground lift this does not isolate the op amp/circuitry from sharing a common ground?

 

I looked at the device Roadster posted and it does have galvonic isolation but +/- 5db freq response?

Doesnt that kind of suck for circuitry? Also, the insertion loss of 5db@600ohms.

I am just questioning the sonics of this passive device.

Im just learning here

:D

 

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