Good Universal Player with Balanced Outs


I have been looking around for a while but I haven't seen any Universal players in the 2-5K range (roughly) that have balanced outs, at least one firewire port and are currently available. Can you suggest anything that would?

I tend to keep my equipment for a long time and I would like to get a player that I can be happy with for a number of years. Are the universal players at that stage yet or do they need a few more generations to improve their handling of the high-res formats and get most of what is possible out of SACD and DVD-Audio?
gpalmer

Showing 1 response by senickols

Hi Gpalmer. I know Steve Huntley at Great Northern Sound makes something called a PASI, it will let you input a single ended source then output a "true" balanced signal, positive, negative, and ground.

This may work with you Mod Pioneer universal unit.

I do not know all the details but the main component is a 1 to 1 balanced transformer. It is my understanding this transformer coupling to the output of your source is a component in Great Northerns Reference level CD player upgrades, with this outboard unit, you can use these transformers with smaller boxed sources that a transformer will not fit inside.

Other manufacturer's may make something like this also. I think Audio Note's high end balanced DACS and others designers use transformer coupling at their outputs with their digital sources.

The only draw back is you may need another cable and a little shelf space for placement. I had a friend who set/coupled the PASI to the top of his player. Then used a short half meter cable from the source to the PASI unit.

Great Northern's website notes they have demo units to try out and Steve very easy to work with. Could be worth a try in your system. Give him a call.

Good Luck.