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KARP Odyssey balanced XLR output

 
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LosAngeles



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:27 am    Post subject: KARP Odyssey balanced XLR output Reply with quote

I’ve read the “high” output via XLR is a balanced output @ 4dBu. As such, id assume its a differentially balanced output (rather than impedance balanced). Can anyone confirm this, please?
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voip
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have an oscilloscope (hardware of software scope), whilst playing a constant unmodulated note, look at the outputs on each of the XLR connector pins 2 and 3 with respect to pin 1 (ground). It should be obvious, because the signal amplitude will be equal in magnitude and opposite polarity if the output is differential.

In most Korg devices that have balanced signal outs, the outputs are differential with equal value reistors to ground, so balanced in both senses.

Does it really matter?
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LosAngeles



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see; I guess I don’t have the equipment to test but could try to find a software version. The reason I ask is because it does matter if I’m feeding an unbalanced input, as the nominal input level would be 6dB lower than what would be normally expected.
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voip
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Input trim, or gain adjustment, on a mixer or audio interface, should be able to compensate for a reduction in the input signal arising from using single ended mode. Just looking, for example, at the Tascam DP-008 spec, standard input level is -10dBu, maximum input level is +6dBu, whilst for balanced inputs, the standard input level is -8dBu, and maximum is +8dBu, so only a 4dB difference in practice.

The specified output levels would typically only be attained using specific conditions. The amplitude of real audio signals varies by quite a bit. What needs to be of more concern is having sufficient input headroom to cope with overload.

As for visualising signals on a scope type display, there qre quite a few software programs out there that will do this using the computer's L & R audio inputs e.g. TrueRTA.

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LosAngeles



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much for the replies and help. This is actually at more of the heart of what I was trying to get at in the broader context (what you write about regarding the mixer’s headroom and normal levels/ i.e. meters reading “0”).
So to use your example mixer in the case with running the Odyssey balanced out into an unbalanced input there (silly here, I know, since it has both, but just for sake of argument), then I’d expect 6dB less voltage from the Ody, resulting in a 2dBu input voltage from it into the mixer, which I’d then need to trim down using the channel gain if I wanted a “0” reading on the channel input meter (and with, say, the channel fader in the unity gain position). Do I have that correct?
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voip
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sending one half of a balanced signal whose amplitude is +4dBu, into an unbalanced input, will result in an input level that is half the voltage (since only one half is used), and therefore a quarter of the "power" i.e. -6dB, so the unbalanced input will be "seeing" the signal at a level of -2dBu. If the channel input meter is set to read 0dB at +4dBu, then it will read -6dB with a signal having an amplitude of -2dBu. This is assuming that going from balanced to single ended makes no changes to the signal path. In the case of the Tascam DP-008 example, this is clearly not the case, since it appears to add 2dB of gain when the single ended input is used, if that makes sense.
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LosAngeles



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Right, I agree with your explanation and values!
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LosAngeles



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So essentially, since the amplifier on the Odyssey is putting out a fixed S:N on either/both lines of the balanced output, it really doesn’t matter if you compensate for the loss of half the signal via gain (in terms of S:N remaining fixed and assuming there is no noise picked up via the output cable)?
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