Simple question - Am I "loosing" anything by coming out of my Tascam DA-38 thru the RCA outs? I use an RCA/XLR cable and go into a Soundcraft M board for mixdown. I am using the 25 pin balanced cable going in.
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Balanced Outs on the DA-38
- Thread starter Claude G
- Start date
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Phyl
Guest
The RCA out jack from the TASCAM is probably line level and it may overdrive the XLR input of your soundcraft board which is expecting a mic level input. Some mixer board XLR inputs can handle the higher level, you simply have to turn down the input gain or disable the pre-amp. A better way would be to go from your TASCAM RCA jack to a 1/4" jack on your board, assuming you have one.
As far as losing anything, their might be an impedance mismatch issue when connecting a line level output to a XLR input; I really don't know what the ramifications might be. If the mismatch is really bad, the usual results are distortion and/or an inability to get get enough volume.
As far as losing anything, their might be an impedance mismatch issue when connecting a line level output to a XLR input; I really don't know what the ramifications might be. If the mismatch is really bad, the usual results are distortion and/or an inability to get get enough volume.
P
Phyl
Guest
Should have added this to my last post...
My Aardvark Q10 uses a special input jack that can accept either XLR or 1/4" plugs. The connector is smart enough to turn off the pre-amp if a 1/4" plug is connected (it assumes the signal is line level) and turn it on if a XLR plug is connected (assumes a mic level signal).
The users manual warns against using a XLR cable to input a line level signal because the pre-amp will be turned on and could be damaged by trying to amplify a line level signal.
Long story short, it sounds like it's never a good idea to connect a line level signal to a XLR input on a mixer.
My Aardvark Q10 uses a special input jack that can accept either XLR or 1/4" plugs. The connector is smart enough to turn off the pre-amp if a 1/4" plug is connected (it assumes the signal is line level) and turn it on if a XLR plug is connected (assumes a mic level signal).
The users manual warns against using a XLR cable to input a line level signal because the pre-amp will be turned on and could be damaged by trying to amplify a line level signal.
Long story short, it sounds like it's never a good idea to connect a line level signal to a XLR input on a mixer.