Balanced to unbalanced and vice-versa.

[3nity]

A client i have needs a rackmount Balanced to unbalanced box.
Im planning to use Cinemags transformers CMLI-15/15PCA  15K : 15K 1:1.
My question is will those work in reverse?
say i have an unbalanced output to plug into a balanced input?

Thanks

 

[plumsolly]

Check out what Jensen has to say on the subject with regards to their isomax line. They suggest you mount their 10k:10k transformers with a foot or less of cable between them and the input you are balancing. They recommend 600:150 transformers for output balancing. They have 600/150:600/150 for mounting anywhere, but then whatever you connect to it has to be able to drive 600 ohms, I guess.

Best,

Ben

 

[pucho812]

why not?

 

[sodderboy]

I just don't like the high impedance transformers.  I still have had occasional "zizz" type noise issues with them.  I always go with 600:600.  Is it a box with multiple channels?  There are many quality transformer solutions that are not Cinemag $C.
And yes, the same transformer, whatever you choose, works both ways.
Mike

 

[RuudNL]

There are many quality transformer solutions that are not Cinemag $C.

Do you have a good suggestion? Maybe a type you have experience with?

 

[Dr_J]

Hi,

if not a transformer is needed, JLM offers a un-/balance kit.

http://www.jlmaudio.com/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=118

 

[abbey road d enfer]

A client i have needs a rackmount Balanced to unbalanced box.

That's a typical requirement; it is meaningless if you don't know what it is gonna be connected to.

Im planning to use Cinemags transformers CMLI-15/15PCA  15K : 15K 1:1.
My question is will those work in reverse? say i have an unbalanced output to plug into a balanced input?

A transformer can be used with balanced or unbalanced sources, with balanced or unbalanced sources. It can hardly be qualified as "work in reverse".
Your choice of theses 15k:15k types is adequate as long as the actual input impedance of the apparatus they are connected to is equal or higher than 15k. However, as has been already mentioned, the leakage inductance and DCR put a constraint to the maximum capacitance of the cable.
However, I think active devices offer more flexibility, in particular when made adjustable, they help matching levels between pro (+4dBu) and semi (-10dBV), their performance is almost insensitive to the impedances they are connected to, their frequency response and THD figures are much better, and finally they end up being much cheaper tyhan copper and iron, particularly when multiple units share a common PSU.

 

[Tungstengruvsten]

Aphex 124a!!

 

[pucho812]

Aphex 124a!!

oh yeah. that box.  used you can get those for very inexpensive, new they are relatively inexpesive


.

 

[3nity]

The reason why he needs this is because his console sends are balanced and some are unbalanced and  his outboard is a mix of pro recording gear and guitar effects he uses as fx while mixing.

Im thinnking of making some fixed bal to unbal and another set of unbal to bal maybe.

He showed me an expensive rack he bought some years ago for the same purpose but he insists it doesnt sound good.

Thanks.

 

[sodderboy]

So you need level matching as well.  I always pimp this box.  5532 based it is better chipped than the semi-pro gear it integrates.  With a catalog code it can be as low as $35.  No one can DIY the same for 4x that price, and being through-hole it is a good platform for modding and replacing components.

A passive version is the Ebtech LLS series which uses 600:15000 transformers, but it cannot be used with any 600 ohm impedance equipment.

What multichannel box doesn't "sound good"?  Perhaps it is being over-driven on the balanced side.  People forget how screaming hot the outputs of a DAW can be into an insert, and maybe it is an interface issue instead of a "bad box".

I think that the best way to deal with this, as already mentioned, is to look at each piece of "outboard" and interface each accordingly because what works for a Phase 90 might not be best for a digitech reverb.
Mike

 

[3nity]

Seems like the best option.
however i think of it as the most expensive.
He has like 10-12 of those reverbs.
Thanks

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Seems like the best option.
however i think of it as the most expensive.

How can it be "the most expensive"? $50 wouldn't buy one one decent transformer...