[Scott Dorsey]

geoff wrote:

Look at the picture in the OP link. RCA unbal outputs.

I have no graphics here. So RCA on one end, what is on the other end?

If the RCA connector is run to pins 2 and 3 of an XLR on the other end
with pin 1 lifted (as is a common and reasonable configuration), then
the case of the powered speaker won't be connected to the case of the
DAC until power is applied. So in that case the thing would hum in the
configuration the original poster describes.

But without knowing what the cable is, you don't know for sure.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."