-10dB to +4 dB and back again

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Blue Jinn

Blue Jinn

Rider of the ARPocalypse
Opinions please regarding:

Most of my gear is "pro-sumer" and runs w/ -10 dB rca. I have a few pieces of gear (Dolby/dbx & a creamware interface) designed for balanced +4dB, and then an Otari two track that is happy either way. I'd like to use the Dolby SR with the Otari, but it is a struggle to get it to align sending it a -10 nominal signal. So, I have a couple of line amplifiers. but then I have the quandary that the line amps are just one more device in the signal chain potentially adding noise and distortion. So, is that trade off worth it?

Should I get some magic box with discrete opamps and all that? Or is the balanced amp on the M-520 (or Fostex/Tascam boxes) or should I stick with -10 dbx units and....
 
I have two LA 40s I use. They've made quite a difference with the different boxes I have hooked up. It's also just easier this way for me and takes the guess work out of it.
 
I'd say you are better off bumping the level than trying to squeeze it in and make it work forcing a piece of gear to operate at relatively one extreme or the the other.

I've forgotten...you have a Tascam M-500 series board?

I have 3 LA-40mkII's and I have no qualms about having them in the chain. Very quiet...seen, not heard and simply do what they are supposed to do. No hesitation here recommending that you use the line amp.
 
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