Balanced Pro to Unbalanced Consumer Adaptor vs. Other options

[MarkW]

I am new to Digital Recording and have learned a lot (and saved a lot of aggrevation, I think) following the discussions here and at rec.audio.pro. I am recording with a Darla24 card which has balanced 1/4 TRS ins and outs, and the outputs are selectable for pro or consumer line level. No mixer, just a couple of ART Tube MPs for acoustic guitar and vocals going into the card. The original sound card sucks and isn't an option for anything due to the hiss factor.

What I have available now for a monitor/headphone amp is a consumer Sony receiver with RCA jacks (unbalanced). What I am looking for is a reasonable solution (for the short-term) to connect the two (or an outboard consumer cassette deck to make tapes). Jensen Transformers makes a two channel 4:1 pro to consumer transformer set up to do just that for $199 which looks incredible, but it seems to me that if I was going to lay out that much, is seems like there must be a better way to go for the longer term. (More money always helps, right?)

Am I just SOL? The mic transformers for XLR to unbalanced probably can't handle line-level, I would think.

Thanks in advance.

 

[drstawl]

Since the output of the Darla24 is selectable for consumer line level why not just select it and leave it at that?
And be sure to read the article on mixdown to VHS tape at the main site.

 

[MarkW]

drstawl,

Thanks for the reply. I'm probably making more out of this than I should.

The Darla24 is only balanced output, but the output level is switchable from consumer or pro, which is confusing to me since I thought all consumer audio with RCA connectors was unbalanced. There's no balanced to unbalanced switch and talking with the Echo people, you can use it unbalanced with a degradation in signal. Since it doesn't void my warranty, I should probably just do it and see what happens.

For that sort of direct connection, does it matter if I ground the ring (cold) or just leave it unattached and let it float?

I will definitely look at the VHS for mixdown. Thanks again.

 

[Fishmed]

Connect a cable with Tip/Ring 1/4" unbalanced conector on one side and RCA connector on the other from your Darla's out to your Sony receiver's in. Switch the output of your Darla to consumer. If the cable you are using is less than 20 feet, than you really won't loose much signal quality. You will probably end up using a cable that is between 6 feet to 10 feet long, so it should not be a problem.

[This message has been edited by Fishmed (edited 03-07-2000).]

 

[MarkW]

Thanks, Fishmed. Will keep the cords short and get back to the music...