I want to buy btr5, which uses the both dacs only in balanced mode. Can I connect the 2.5mm balanced to RCA input of my amp?
There are cables for this on Amazon. If it’s possible, what does happen to the signal? Does it still have the benefits of balanced? Can it damage the amp in any way?
Balanced to unbalanced is fine but vice versa is not, i believe. So a 2.5 to rca would be fine. But i dont think taking a balanced audio signal and converting it into a balanced signal should have any effect as far as quality. But I could be wrong.
Other way 'round. However, in this case it may actually be okay since the grounds are not being combined (at least not externally). It may depend on if the amp is configured internally as a dual mono from the single ended RCA jacks, or if it merges the grounds to a true single ended. If the latter is the case, you should probably avoid trying to go 2.5mm TRRS balanced out to RCA single ended in.
If it’s a 4 pole 2.5 mm, it’s not safe.
Most amps wire the grounds from the input together, so you’d be shorting L-/R- together, unless it’s more than just a cable.
4.5mm petacon should be OK, because it has a common ground.
Yep, that’s what I was thinking, but wasn’t sure if it’d still apply in a dual mono configuration.
It’s safe on a few amps, but they are generally expensive and I’d want to be damn sure before I tried it.
Some amps (mostly higher end tube amps) have input transformers, that make it safe.
It’s also possible for a fully balanced amp to make it safe, but most are going to connect all the grounds in the system together to minimize ground noise, and the few I’ve looked at here all wire the grounds for the SE inputs together right at the connectors.
Meaning use the BTR5’s 2.5 out as as a “line in” to another amp?
As others said, when your target device (the one with RCA inputs) has no resistance between the grounds of each RCA, then this is not safe.
If you have a multimeter, check resistance like this:
If it comes out as greater than 150k Ohm, then it is fine.
In case the above test comes out as low resistance, I would recommend you get something like the ART CleanBoxPro or run a passive DI-Box in “reverse” (plugging into the output and taking from the input).
Thanks everyone for helping me.
Yeah. To use btr5 as a dac.
The main reason for me to do it is because if I use the 3.5mm jack, one of the dual dacs would be usesless and although shanling up4 has a boost mode, the sound signature seems to be different.
You’re alrdy sacrificing some “fidelity” by using the BTR5 as a dac in the first place. You aren’t supposed to double amp but it shouldn’t hurt the components physically iirc. Using a 3.5mm unbalanced to dual rca adapter should suit your needs unless you go for a standalone balanced dac, like an SDAC, SU-8, or similar offerings.
Personally I wouldn’t double amp. You could get much better performance imo from using a dedicated dac for cheaper than the btr5.
Will you be using the btr5 predominantly as a Bluetooth device on the go or at your desk?
I don’t think I will use the bluetooth function.
Then personally I would buy something like the Topping E30 as my main DAC.
What are you planning to use as your amp?
Or do you specifically want to send a balance signal to your amp?
No I don’t care about balance because my amp has only RCA.
I’m just struggling to find a good dac that can be used as a portable player. I’m thinking about M11 too but the measurements seem off compare to BTR5.
What about the Xduoo XD-05 plus? It has a line out that you can connect to you your amp at home and then connect to a phone while out and about?