Unbalanced to balanced adaptor

Did you ever resolve this, Jayboard? My impression is that it's not like converting unblanced to balanced interconnects because you are taking one standard (S/PDIF, here implemented as coax but it can also be done as Toslink) and converting it to a different standard (AES/EBU). But maybe that doesn't matter.

My question had to do with my DAC, but I came across this helpful info in an FAQ for the DEQ2496 at Behringer.com.

>>SPDIF (consumer format, unbalanced, normally characterised by the RCA co-axial connectors) is digitally simpler, whose basic information id unit utilises 4 bytes, (each byte being 8-bit).

AES/EBU (professional format, balanced, normally characterised by the XLR-type connectors) is digitally more complex, the basic information id unit being a differently structured 6 byte format (again each byte has 8 bit). The differences in impedance are not critical, but the fact the AES/EBU is both digitally more complicated and generally of a higher operating voltage means that AES/EBU signals will not be recognised by SPDIF (consumer) equipment.

It is however possible, although not guaranteed, that an SPDIF signal may be recognised by AES/EBU (professional) equipment. You can always test this on your own equipment by constructing an adapter cable (RCA - XLR). Because of the lower operating voltage of the SPDIF signal, this will not distort the signal or damage your equipment. (good reason for not trying it the other way around!) <<

i tried a bat balanced connector and a rca digital cable and it degraded the sound....

the whole idea behind a balanced signal is the dual differentail with cancelling......