TOPIC:

I just wondered if the fabulous Flex Eight will come with balanced TRS out?

This little box will probably fulfill my DSP dream for my studio.
Today my main monitors has coax 15" with passive crossover and two 21" for bass and a DDRC-24.
Next step is two Acoustic Elegance 8" and a Beyma TPL-150 in the middle, 6x JBL 2226 15" in an open baffle and the 21" in a sealed box. Per side.
For this I need eight channels. Preferably balanced.

So I look forward to have the Flex Eight with balanced out.

/Mathias

Was coming here to post the same question. 

Will there be a balanced version? Please say yes!

+1

When Flex was announced in Q4 2021 Newsletter, there was a clear statement 

“Initially, two I/O versions will ship: one with single-ended analog I/O (RCA) and one with balanced analog I/O (TRS)”

I made a request for this version:

www.minidsp.com/forum/flex-series/19625-...d-to-2x6-or-2x8-flex

And now it’s coming. So I’ve placed my pre-order!
Was I the first? Do I get a lollipop? 

Dear Devteam,
If there is an option for a TRS, please adjust my pre-order and send me an additional invoice for the price difference.

Great news! If a balanced or digital version comes out, i'll order right away!

Satefan

Yes, balanced version with Roon Ready.  

Would love to see a reply from minidsp on this, anyone out there?

Really, the balanced output is a nice-to-have feature, but not necessary, particularly in domestic cable runs (<10m)

You can have most of the benefits from a balanced connection, even when you have an unbalanced source/output.

see schematic for making your own.
reference:
https:/www.diyclassd.com/documenten/download/860


Or buy them eg.
benchmarkmedia.com/collections/all-produ...o-xlrm-adapter-cable

I’ve been using these types of cables for a decades; and ordered from Blue Jeans Cables, or your local friendly guitar/studio shop that makes patch cables.

Tk,

None of those are close to being a balanced interface, since the source resistance is not the same on +/- legs.
The best you can do with a typical unbalanced output is create a pseudo-balanced output on the source device.

See Section 2.4 here:
www.jensen-transformers.com/wp-content/u...ds/2014/08/an003.pdf

Unless more voltage is needed this is a perfectly valid way to create a balanced interface from an unbalanced output.

Dave.

Hi Dave,

I think we're all rallying for miniDSP to create a product with true balanced outputs.

But in the meantime, for the majority of use cases, the non-balanced version is fine for domestic use.
Sometimes I wonder whether we are giving ourselves "analysis paralysis", stopping us from making a decision moving forward. 

I didn't have any hum and buzz from my four FiiO D03K DAC (RCA ouput) to Hypex NCore amplifiers (balanced inputs). 
So I don't have a problem buying an 2V RCA output version.

Section 2.1 of your link has the same picture as my link. Highly recommended if you have amplifier with balanced only-input.

I agree with you a simple adapter cable should be perfectly fine.

The diagram in Section 2.1 is not a balanced interface though.  The diagram in Section 2.4 IS a balanced interface with all the advantages that entails.  (It just doesn't have active signal on one leg.)
This topic is still highly misunderstood by most audiophiles, unfortunately.  

For miniDSP to create a product like this would involve adding a bunch of active circuitry and switching to a full width chassis.  Costs go up, value goes down.  In my opinion.

Dave.

The current box probably isn't big enough to fix 8 XLR connectors.
But there's space on the back panel for 8 x TRS sockets. I think so!

Is there poll function on this forum?
​​​​​​

The answer I got from Devteam is that the back panel is not big enough for eight TRS...

But if I only know where I can connect directly on the card I would be able to connect a D-sub output.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature_(professional_audio)

Yeah, but you still wouldn't have differential signaling (which is what I assume you want) because the board doesn't have the necessary circuitry.

Finally, some of the references on this topic are starting to be clear regarding the difference between "balanced" interface and a "differential" interface.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio#Differential_signaling

Dave.

Mathias wrote:

The answer I got from Devteam is that the back panel is not big enough for eight TRS...

But if I only know where I can connect directly on the card I would be able to connect a D-sub output.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature_(professional_audio)Agr

There's surely room on the back for a subD breakout connector. That is the solution chosen by RME on for example their ADI-2 Pro Fs R. I've been using it and it works flawlessly.
But my vote would be for a FLEX 8 Digital

Jan Didden

dreite wrote:

Yeah, but you still wouldn't have differential signaling (which is what I assume you want) because the board doesn't have the necessary circuitry.

Finally, some of the references on this topic are starting to be clear regarding the difference between "balanced" interface and a "differential" interface.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio#Differential_signaling

Dave.

Oh well then that settles it! If the PCB doesn't support balanced outputs, there's no point, I agree.