Balanced output

Answered

LD Williams

• September 16, 2023 04:13

Hi, 

Regarding the anolgued output of the Node X, is it a balanced Output?

Thanks

-1

• Official comment

  

  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • September 16, 2023 07:38

  No, balanced outputs are for TV / studio use where you need long runs of cable in a noisy environment.
• 

  LD Williams

  • September 16, 2023 07:45

  thanks.
  Been looking into external headphone amps, in case the Node X one can't drive whichever headphone I end up getting.
  
  The one I may go for has XLR or phono inputs - any thoughts there on which is the better?
  Or are they pretty much the same?

   

  0
• 

  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • September 16, 2023 07:55
  • Edited

  If you want to go the Planar route you will need an external head amp, they need a lot of power to make them sound good. They will work on lower outputs but just won’t sing, they often have a large drivers and some are even bigger than what’s fitted into small bookshelf speakers.

  Personally with the NODE X I would get headphones that work with it otherwise you would bypass its headline feature and additional cost.

  Head-fi.org is where you should go for recommendations, I bought a headphone amp made by a little British company called NVA and it’s basically a 15w personal amplifier and can drive any headphones but that’s sold and now use headphones by Grado that can be driven by an iPhone etc. so no need of vast amounts of power.

  1
• 

  LD Williams

  • September 16, 2023 08:02

  I'm looking at the SMSL SP400, which has 12w

  I thought that if i used the analogue out from the Node X then it would still use the internal DAC?

  -1
• 

  Seppi Evans

  Hi-Res

  • September 16, 2023 08:06
  • Edited

  Yes, analogue out uses internal DAC of the NODE, you had mentioned in another post a DAC that uses digital inputs.

  0
• 

  LD Williams

  • September 16, 2023 08:07

  Ah, no sorry!
  That was just me musing.
  The SP400 has XLR or Phono inputs

  -1

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