I know these are probably a dumb questions, but....

[admin_exported]

I keep reading about balanced outputs and using DAC's for multiple inputs. I haven't got a clue what balanced outputs are or how you use them. Is there anything someone can point me to that might explain? I don't even know how to go about asking the right questions! For example, if your CD player has balanced outputs does your amp have to have balanced inputs? What are the advantages of balanced outputs?

I also understand what a DAC is (I have one in my study) but I see lot's of posts saying they want to use a DAC with multipe digital inputs such as SKY, DAB, digital music collections etc. What I don't get is how you wire this up. If you have multiple inputs to a DAC is there just one output to the amplifier and if so how do you change the source? Normally you'd use the amplifiers remote to select the input. If you have a separate AV receiver connected to your amp how do you route SKY through a DAC but still connect it to the AV receiver whilst connecting everything else through the DAC to the amp? I hope these questions make some sort of sense!

 

[Anonymous]

Balanced outputs on a source are high quality outputs, that are mainly used for professional and high-end equipment. You need a balanced output on your source and a balanced input on your amp for it to work properly. Also on the cables the connectors used are different than the tulip ones on mainstream cables.

A dac can upgrade as many sources as the inputs it has. If you have a quality dac you'd want as many devices as you can to connect to it, to benefit from the better digital to analogue conversion.
The source you select manually on the dac itself (or it automatically detects an incoming signal).
For example if you run a digital audio out from a sky box to a dac, the dac connects to the amp with an analogue cable, and the amp runs your speakers. Simple as that.

 

[Anonymous]

Solomon1:Balanced outputs on a source are high quality outputs, that are mainly used for professional and high-end equipment. You need a balanced output on your source and a balanced input on your amp for it to work properly. Also on the cables the connectors used are different than the tulip ones on mainstream cables.

A dac can upgrade as many sources as the inputs it has. If you have a quality dac you'd want as many devices as you can to connect to it, to benefit from the better digital to analogue conversion.
The source you select manually on the dac itself (or it automatically detects an incoming signal).
For example if you run a digital audio out from a sky box to a dac, the dac connects to the amp with an analogue cable, and the amp runs your speakers. Simple as that.
Solomon1, thanks for the reply. I understand your answer on the balanced outputs, but I don't get why I would want them. I assume they sound better than phono's (is that right?) but won't I just be limiting my options when upgrading? Why are they called balanced? What is the significance of the word balanced? Are they the same connections as Naim uses?

I get the DAC bit as I already have a DAC in my study between the computer and hifi. The question I'm trying to ask is a little more complicated. As I have an Onkyo AV receiver connected to my amps, I don't get how I would use a DAC to connect between say my Squeezebox and my amp and also between my SKY box and the Onkyo. Are there DAC's that have multiple outputs, and can I select both the input and output via remote control? I have a Logitech remote that powers up everything for different activities. If the DAC autosenses the input then that would be good, but how do I connect it to the amps and the Onkyo? Do I need two separate DAC's? Also would I notice any difference in using a DAC on something like SKY?

 

[professorhat]

Personally, I don't think you would want to use a traditional external DAC on something like Sky as Sky is more likely to outputting a format that your AV amp will understand e.g. Dolby Pro Logic or Dolby Digital. A traditional external DAC will convert this to a stereo signal and send it to your amp which is great for musical sources, but with Sky, you're more likely to want the AV amp to decode the Dolby Pro Logic / Dolby Digital signal and then send the correct sounds to the correct speakers in your AV set up.

 

[Anonymous]

More on balanced interconnects here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio