• Registered: 2020-10-09
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Topic: Would a headphone or RCA splitter reduce quality or power?

Does a headphone splitter, or an RCA splitter going from a dac to an amp reduce the quality or power of the feed?

That is, I have a Nanoleaf LED setup that has an aux in. My equipment is an RME ADI-2 FS DAC paired with a Garage1217 Project Ember 2 Hybrid amp.

I’d like to a) use a splitter with the headphones so that the splitter also feeds the aux in of my setup, or (preferably) b) split the RCA out in the rear of my RME so that one side feeds the Ember amp and the other side feeds the aux input of my nanoleafs.

I don’t want to do any of that if it defeats the purpose of having nice equipment in the first place, however.

Thanks!!

https://imgur.com/a/DEbyBlF

2 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2020-10-26 00:22:24)

  • KaiS
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Re: Would a headphone or RCA splitter reduce quality or power?

If the splitter is done well, it does not affect the signal quality by itself.

What affects the signal quality is the load of a switched off device, the unpowered electronics causes distortions.

I suggest to use the RCAs for one and the XLRs with an fitting adapter cable XLR female to RCA for the other amplifier.

RCAs and XLRs are completely independent on the ADI-2 DAC.

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  • Registered: 2020-10-09
  • Posts: 34

Re: Would a headphone or RCA splitter reduce quality or power?

KaiS wrote:

If the splitter is done well, it does not affect the signal quality by itself.

What affects the signal quality is the load of a switched off device, the unpowered electronics causes distortions.

I suggest to use the RCAs for one and the XLRs with an fitting adapter cable XLR female to RCA for the other amplifier.

RCAs and XLRs are completely independent on the ADI-2 DAC.

Brilliant!! I was actually contemplating that as well. Something just like this should work perfectly, right? TISINO Dual XLR Female to 3.5mm TRS Stereo Y-Adapter Cable Unbalanced 2X XLR to 1/8 Inch Mini Jack Y-Splitter Breakout Lead Microphone Cable - 5 FT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMW8WXR/re … LFbG5DND8S

4 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2020-10-26 00:59:04)

  • KaiS
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Re: Would a headphone or RCA splitter reduce quality or power?

KillerQ wrote:
KaiS wrote:

If the splitter is done well, it does not affect the signal quality by itself.

What affects the signal quality is the load of a switched off device, the unpowered electronics causes distortions.

I suggest to use the RCAs for one and the XLRs with an fitting adapter cable XLR female to RCA for the other amplifier.

RCAs and XLRs are completely independent on the ADI-2 DAC.

Brilliant!! I was actually contemplating that as well. Something just like this should work perfectly, right? TISINO Dual XLR Female to 3.5mm TRS Stereo Y-Adapter Cable Unbalanced 2X XLR to 1/8 Inch Mini Jack Y-Splitter Breakout Lead Microphone Cable - 5 FT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMW8WXR/re … LFbG5DND8S

This one works.
I'd advice to cut the connection to XLR pin 3, as ADI-2 is not servo balanced and doesn't like its outputs to be shorted to ground.

Very easy to open the Neutrik style XLRs, they are just screwed together.

Nothing breaks if you don't, but the signal quality is better if you do.

KaiS's Website

  • Registered: 2020-10-09
  • Posts: 34

Re: Would a headphone or RCA splitter reduce quality or power?

KaiS wrote:
KillerQ wrote:
KaiS wrote:

If the splitter is done well, it does not affect the signal quality by itself.

What affects the signal quality is the load of a switched off device, the unpowered electronics causes distortions.

I suggest to use the RCAs for one and the XLRs with an fitting adapter cable XLR female to RCA for the other amplifier.

RCAs and XLRs are completely independent on the ADI-2 DAC.

Brilliant!! I was actually contemplating that as well. Something just like this should work perfectly, right? TISINO Dual XLR Female to 3.5mm TRS Stereo Y-Adapter Cable Unbalanced 2X XLR to 1/8 Inch Mini Jack Y-Splitter Breakout Lead Microphone Cable - 5 FT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMW8WXR/re … LFbG5DND8S

This one works.
I'd advice to cut the connection to XLR pin 3, as ADI-2 is not servo balanced and doesn't like its outputs to be shorted to ground.

Very easy to open the Neutrik style XLRs, they are just screwed together.

Nothing breaks if you don't, but the signal quality is better if you do.

Ok, since it’s just using using the signal to trigger LED lights, I’ll try it unmodified at first. I just found these though, they are even shorter which is great - and if you scroll through the pictures, they even show that you can unscrew them. Think these will suffice? NANYI XLR to 3.5mm Splitter Cables, 1/8Inch TRS Stereo Male to Two XLR Female Interconnect Audio Microphone Cable, Y Splitter Adapter Cable0.5M (1.6Feet) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2T37ST/re … LFbKSWD3MG

6 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2020-10-26 07:46:21)

  • KaiS
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Re: Would a headphone or RCA splitter reduce quality or power?

KillerQ wrote:
KaiS wrote:
KillerQ wrote:

Brilliant!! I was actually contemplating that as well. Something just like this should work perfectly, right? TISINO Dual XLR Female to 3.5mm TRS Stereo Y-Adapter Cable Unbalanced 2X XLR to 1/8 Inch Mini Jack Y-Splitter Breakout Lead Microphone Cable - 5 FT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMW8WXR/re … LFbG5DND8S

This one works.
I'd advice to cut the connection to XLR pin 3, as ADI-2 is not servo balanced and doesn't like its outputs to be shorted to ground.

Very easy to open the Neutrik style XLRs, they are just screwed together.

Nothing breaks if you don't, but the signal quality is better if you do.

Ok, since it’s just using using the signal to trigger LED lights, I’ll try it unmodified at first. I just found these though, they are even shorter which is great - and if you scroll through the pictures, they even show that you can unscrew them. Think these will suffice? NANYI XLR to 3.5mm Splitter Cables, 1/8Inch TRS Stereo Male to Two XLR Female Interconnect Audio Microphone Cable, Y Splitter Adapter Cable0.5M (1.6Feet) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2T37ST/re … LFbKSWD3MG

Yes, works, same like the other one.

Still suggest to cut the Pin 3 connection, takes a minute, the pins are marked with numbers on the plug.

Else one half of the balanced output amp is fully loaded with it's 100 Ohms internal resistor all the time, too low to be driven with higher levels, so the amp distorts then.

Even though the amp won't break, I don't like the idea, and I'm not sure the internals are that much independent that there is no signal degradation on the RCA at all.

Read manual page 53, the "!"-part.

KaiS's Website