[DerrO]

Looking at the specifications of some  DACs there is reference to the input or output levels using dBu.  I am totally new to digital audio and used to seeing output levels in terms of voltages!

How do I compare these against my old world voltages, if say an amplifier has  an input voltage of 1V, or 0.5v.  In otherwords, how do I know  what the output voltage of the DAc will be and therefore know  that I will not have too much or too little output voltage to feed my amplifier?

Behringer:
Output Level:  +16dBu @ 0 dBFS"
Input Level : -4dBu to +22dBu for 0dBFS

Tapco:
Max Input Level:  +4.5dBu
Max Output Level:  +4.2dBu

Edirol:
Input Level:   -36 to +4 dBu
Output Level :  -2dBu

E-Mu:
Input Level:  12dBV (14.2dBu)
Output Level:  +6dBV

Benchmark:
Output level:  -6dBu to +13.5dBu

Hope that someone can  shed some light on this matter for  me and educate me!!!

Thanks,

DerrO

[Crimson]

This should help. BTW, it's still all analog, just a different representation (similar to speaker efficiency represented by a 1 watt feed vs 2.83 volts).

[DerrO]

Thanks for the  rapid responce!  Yes,  that helps and now at least i can do easy conversions!

Thanks again.

Derro

[Quiet Earth]

All of the "articles" on this website are also very informative :

http://www.digido.com/bob-katz/level-practices-part-1.html

[DerrO]

,

[Panelman]

Derro,

what is your amp? I have driven my Rotel RB991 directly with a Benchmark DAC1 through the balanced and unbalanced outputs and the DAC1 has plenty of power.  I have Magnepan 1.6Qrs.  The DAC1 balanced outputs are also adjustable for gain by moving internal jumpers. Originally I fed the DAC1 through my preamp however the sound was much better directly to the amp.   I just received the Benchmark DAC1 Pre and the sound from the analog and digital sections is very very good. You might want to look at the DAC1 Pre which is only $300 more than the DAC1 USB.

Sean