XDA-1 Output levels

[peter460]

The Handbook of the XDA -1 output specifications are confusing:
Nominal Output Voltage: 1V RMS
• Peak Output Voltage: > 12VRMS (balanced)
Firstly what is nominal : I understand this to be a sine output whose peak is the maximum possible ie fully coded to 0xFFFF. This is however in conflict with a peak output voltage of 12 VRMS balanced as usually the balanced output is double the unbalanced output.

Why I'm being so pedantic is that I have a Krell power amp ( only 26 db Gain ) and this needs a minimum of 2.5 V rms unbalanced to drive it fully. Furthur you will need at least another 6 db of headroom for those CD/DVD that are recorded just below maximum possible levels

I have been caught out with two previous preamps with confusing specs ( Parasound and Yamaha ) so I don't want to be caught out again

Peter

[jlafrenz]

You should be fine with the XDA-1 driving that Krell since it is designed to act as a pre-amp as well. If I remember correctly, the output voltage on the RCA out can hit around 7V. I have used one to drive amps directly through a passive and it has worked just fine.