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Does the Twin-Iso require power to work?

No. The Twin-Iso is completely passive. In other words, it does not employ any chips or ICs that require power to make it work. It uses passive components such as transformers and resistors to perform its tasks. Just plug in and you are set to go.

Will I notice less output when I use the Twin-Iso?

Because the Twin-Iso is completely passive you may notice a very slight drop in level. This is easily compensated with line-level equipment as there is usually plenty of headroom.

Can I use the Twin-Iso between a keyboard and a mixer?

Yes. The Twin-Iso will reduce hum and noise caused by ground loops and provide a good clean signal to the mixer. Just keep in mind that the Twin-Iso is a balanced device and both source and destination should really be balanced to get the most out of your unit.

Will 48 volt phantom power hurt the Twin-Iso?

No. 48 volt phantom power will simply not pass.

What causes ground loops?

What engineers refer to as ‘ground loops’ are caused by several factors. A ‘ground loop’ is a noise that is often created when two pieces of electrically charged equipment are connected together and their differing ground reference voltages interact. Another source of noise is created when the electrical ground and the audio ground interact. This is often unpredictable, whereby the system noise may be ‘acceptable’ in one venue and be absolutely horrendous in another. Transformers isolate the two devices by converting the electrical current into a magnetic field and then back to current. A good transformer passes the signal and eliminates the noise without introducing artefact.

I heard that some transformers can sound bad?

This is true. Cheap transformers tend to use low-quality core materials that will saturate when subjected to a hot signal and this will cause distortion. The Radial Twin-Iso employs premium Jensen® transformers that have been designed to handle line-level signals without choking. Alas, good transformers are more expensive!

Can I use the Radial JS2™ to stop buzz and hum between two consoles?

The JS2 is designed to handle -50dB mic levels while the output of a console is +4dB (nominal). Therefore you could easily overload the JS2 which would cause distortion. The Twin-Iso is designed for much hotter signals and thus would be a better choice.

Can I rack mount the Twin-Iso?

Yes, Radial produces a variety of J-Raks™ that allows several units to be rack-mounted. You can also use the J-Clamp™ to securely bolt the Twin-Iso inside a rack.

Will the Twin-Iso accept an unbalanced signal and convert it to balanced while still providing isolation?

Yes, you can connect an unbalanced source to the input of the Twin-Iso and it will be converted by the transformer to a balanced and isolated output. For best noise rejection, it is best to keep the unbalanced cable as short as possible.