Seems like we keep going in circles on this. Factors here are 1 level which AH has addressed along with us. Most synths are between mic and line level. That is not -50 or +4 but usually around -20 to -10 So could be considered either way. I have owned at least one with XLR +4 and 1/4" TS -20. But most don’t have XLR.
So we’re talking about level but also impedance matching and basic connections. You can do TS to XLR by either dropping one leg which drops the level or shorting pins 1&3. The later is the concern for phantom. Phantom is 1 0vdc. 2&3 equal +9-52vdc. So obviously shortly the - or pin 3 to 1 is a big no no.
Does that help you understand? All of these things are eliminated using a good DI. Period.
That’s fine, thanks. I didn’t realise it was as simple as a sliding scale of levels (as well as impedance), I thought it was much more binary than that. It looks like I will end up getting DI boxes, even if it’s at a later date. At least I know it should work without, for now. Thanks again
I bought an SQ-5 and am using it as a fully recallable line mixer for all my synths, sampler etc. As for interconnecting with the SQ-5…
First off, many synths etc these days are equipped with ”imoedance balanced” TRS 1/4” outputs. You can plug these directly into the SQ with the appropriate cables (TRS into XLR male for mic inputs, or TRS-TRS for the ST1 / ST2 inputs).
If your synth/sound source does not have impedance balanced outputs, You have at least three options on how to interconnect to the SQ:
DI boxes are the most commonly used solution, but can be very expensive if you need several channels. Multichannel line level shifters can be a more cost effective solution for large channel counts.
As stated above, only DI boxes will protect your equipment if you accidentally engage 48V phantom on an input. Thankfully however, the SQ series UI makes accidental phantom powering quite hard…
