Why is there no solution for 'the Best sound quality dac' from my Mac to connect to consoles on outdoor stages?

[type4]

Hi,
I'm a keyboard player with a great interest in audio products. (I have bought topping Ex5 based on the review on this site!)

Now, I'm looking for a product :

1. that runs without AC power.
2. usb c type connection, portable, easy to carry
3. L/R balanced 6.35'' outs.

Is there any reason that there is no product that meets the options?

Is it due to ohm difference? (as the console has 600 ohm input on each channels)
Or the noise issue? I currently have this product for reducing any eletrical noise. https://www.radialeng.com/product/twin-iso

I want to give the best live sound experience to the listeners, any where at any time - the product/system should be portable.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I am a bit unclear. Do you want something with XLR outputs or TRS?

Is the twin-iso something you want to use or have to use? Are the inputs to mixers usually 600 ohm input impedance or are you referring only to the isolator?

A MOTU M2 or M4 are usb C bus powered and have balanced XLR outputs. A RME Babyface is USB 2 bus powered, but will work with an adapter going from USB C to USB 2. It also has XLR outputs. I'd think either works without the isolator in use.

 

[type4]

Thank you for the message, Blumlein

Do you want something with XLR outputs or TRS?
-> I want two outs(L, R), both should be XLR balanced outs. Just like any synthesizer has.

Is the twin-iso something you want to use or have to use?
-> No. If there are no electrical noises, twin-iso is not in use.

Are the inputs to mixers usually 600 ohm input impedance
-> Yes, originally. For example, yamaha mg console line up has 600 ohm input.

are you referring only to the isolator?
-> twin-iso isolator has two functions,
1. changing any impedance to 600ohm out.
2. changning from unblanced to balanced out

MOTU M2 /M4
RME Babyface

Are great options thank you so much for consideration .


And Now I got why the question was unclear.
The main point of this thread is :

Is there a DAC that has
"only" balanced XLR outputs( with best sound quality chips in it)
with out any AC power input (like any portable DACs)

As i dont need any inputs. -> This will help carry more easily than the audio interface due to smaller (compact ) size.

I tried to find any, but there seemed none, that is why I questioned Is there any reason that there is no product that meets the options

I am a bit unclear. Do you want something with XLR outputs or TRS?

Is the twin-iso something you want to use or have to use? Are the inputs to mixers usually 600 ohm input impedance or are you referring only to the isolator?

A MOTU M2 or M4 are usb C bus powered and have balanced XLR outputs. A RME Babyface is USB 2 bus powered, but will work with an adapter going from USB C to USB 2. It also has XLR outputs.

 

[Blumlein 88]

So looking at those specs, next to 600 ohm line impedance it says actual impedance is 10 k ohms which is what I expected from modern solid state gear. 600 ohm was an old spec from long ago.

So the gear I mentioned would all work.

Cheapest I know of would be the Topping D10 Balanced. It has TRS outputs. Either some TRS to XLR adapters or some short TRS to XLR cables would do what you want. (I would go with the short TRS to XLR cables). It too is bus powered over USB 2.0, but will function fine with a USB C to USB 2.0 cable. It also has a nice subdued orange display which is static so it won't draw attention to itself.

Topping D10 Balanced Review (USB DAC)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the new Topping D10 Balanced. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $139. The D10 Balanced as the name implies, comes in my favorite USB DAC package with the same cute orange display: Back panel is where the difference is: Balanced...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[type4]

That is Perfect.

I was away from the audio world for over a year, that I got mis-thought that TRS was a TS line that i said i need XLR ports.

To clearly correct, I was looking for not XLR, but TRS outs - which means D10 Balanced is the perfect gear that I was looking for!

Usb bus power is brilliant, too. It's huge.

This is the Best recommendation that i had this year so far!

Many thanks again, Blumlein!


- P. S
For the impedances, I tried my best to understand the mechanism - since 3 or 4 years ago, however, I still cannot figure out the exact number the in/out impedances should be, how the gears affect each other, and above all, how to match the impedance to listen to the best sound.

What impedances of gear should I pursue for, for the amp and listening device(earphone, speakers, so on) for the perfect sound.

How to match the impedances for the perfect sound?

Could you give any guidence for studying this? I'm totally lost in impedance.

So looking at those specs, next to 600 ohm line impedance it says actual impedance is 10 k ohms which is what I expected from modern solid state gear. 600 ohm was an old spec from long ago.

So the gear I mentioned would all work.

Cheapest I know of would be the Topping D10 Balanced. It has TRS outputs. Either some TRS to XLR adapters or some short TRS to XLR cables would do what you want. (I would go with the short TRS to XLR cables). It too is bus powered over USB 2.0, but will function fine with a USB C to USB 2.0 cable. It also has a nice subdued orange display which is static so it won't draw attention to itself.

Topping D10 Balanced Review (USB DAC)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the new Topping D10 Balanced. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $139. The D10 Balanced as the name implies, comes in my favorite USB DAC package with the same cute orange display: Back panel is where the difference is: Balanced...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[voodooless]

I still cannot figure out the exact number the in/out impedances should be, how the gears affect each other, and above all, how to match the impedance to listen to the best sound.

In general, impedance matching for line-level audio is not a thing. impedance matching is needed for high-frequency stuff and RF, not for audio. The idea here is to have a low output impedance and a high input impedance. Something like at least a factor of 10 difference should be fine, and that is also what your specs show, except ist's a little lower for the MIC inputs. So there is no need to convert to 600 Ohm, you can just connect any modern equipment directly (unless you have hum).

 

[Blumlein 88]

What voodooless said.

The old 600 ohm standard called for inputs and outputs to be the same. Now days, low output impedance into high input impedances is how it works. As said, 10 times the output impedance or higher. So with 10 k ohm input impedances any output impedance of 1 k ohm or less should work. Most devices now are less than 300 ohm output impedance. So no worries.

 

[type4]

All settled.

My money on twin-iso... but still, unexpected hum noise issue on stage can be easily resolved by using this unit! (hope someday I use it, or.. maybe not)

low out -> high in
Got it fully. If a DAC or such amp that has 300ohm out, it means that I can use 3K ohm or higher speaker or head/earphones.

Many thanks to you all!

Thank you so much!!!!!

In general, impedance matching for line-level audio is not a thing. impedance matching is needed for high-frequency stuff and RF, not for audio. The idea here is to have a low output impedance and a high input impedance. Something like at least a factor of 10 difference should be fine, and that is also what your specs show, except ist's a little lower for the MIC inputs. So there is no need to convert to 600 Ohm, you can just connect any modern equipment directly (unless you have hum).

 

[voodooless]

Got it fully. If a DAC or such amp that has 300ohm out, it means that I can use 3K ohm or higher speaker or head/earphones.

Eh, no..! A normal DAC cannot drive a headphone or speaker, only line inputs. Some DACs offer a headphone amp though. Those, you can use to drive them, but a 3k impedance speaker or headphones would be exceedingly rare. Usually, the impedances of headphones are between 32 and 600 Ohm, with very few exceptions. Speaker impedances are way lower.

Both the Motu and RME interfaces @Blumlein 88 mentioned do have a headphones output, I don't know the quality of those though. There is a Google Sheets out there in the wild with a nice comparison of lots of interfaces. I can't find it at the moment. Some other member probably knows

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Is there a DAC that has
"only" balanced XLR outputs( with best sound quality chips in it)
with out any AC power input (like any portable DACs)

As i dont need any inputs. -> This will help carry more easily than the audio interface due to smaller (compact ) size.

Topping D10 Balanced. Connect to your Mac using a USB-C to USB-A adapter or small USB-C dock (e.g., Satechi).

The D10 Balanced includes TRS>XLR adapters. Though you can quite easily get a TRS > XLR cable as well.

 

[Multicore]

A MOTU M2 or M4 are usb C bus powered and have balanced XLR outputs.

Outputs are TRS. The only XLR connectors on my M4 is for the mic inputs.

It has a nice volume knob and another smaller one for the headphone amp. And the meters are a useful.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Outputs are TRS. The only XLR connectors on my M4 is for the mic inputs.

It has a nice volume knob and another smaller one for the headphone amp. And the meters are a useful.

Yes I forgot about these Motu units being trs out.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Outputs are TRS. The only XLR connectors on my M4 is for the mic inputs.

TRS outputs will match your goal of a small, compact, portable device. XLR outputs, by definition, will require a larger package size.

 

[Multicore]

TRS outputs will match your goal of a small, compact, portable device. XLR outputs, by definition, will require a larger package size.

Yes. Plus OP revised the reqs in #5 saying TRS was preferred. So everybody happy!