Extron BUC 202 (part number 60-1370-01) — a stereo audio converter that sits between balanced and unbalanced equipment and fixes both the wiring mismatch and the level mismatch in one box.

Connect a balanced console output to an unbalanced consumer input and two problems appear at once: the ground reference is wrong, and the levels differ by roughly 12 dB. The BUC 202 handles both. Input and output are each one stereo pair on a 5-pole 3.5 mm captive screw connector, and either side can be wired balanced or unbalanced. Gain is adjustable from -21 dB to +21 dB in 3 dB steps, set independently per channel, with gain error held to 0.1 dB. Performance is quiet enough to disappear into a system: signal to noise better than 100 dB at unity, stereo separation above 80 dB at 1 kHz, and THD+N of 0.05 percent at maximum output.

Key Capabilities

• One stereo input and one stereo output, each balanced or unbalanced
• Gain adjustable -21 dB to +21 dB in 3 dB increments, per channel
• Signal to noise above 100 dB at 0 dB gain; stereo separation above 80 dB
• Accepts up to +25 dBu balanced input and delivers up to +25 dBu balanced output
• Internal 100-240 VAC power supply drawing just 2.9 watts
• Includes a ZipClip 200 mounting clip for furniture or rack installation

Where It Is Used

Boardrooms and classrooms joining professional balanced gear to consumer displays, streaming appliances and conferencing hardware. It also earns its place in broadcast and clinical AV racks where a long balanced run has to terminate into an unbalanced device without introducing hum from a ground loop.

Specifications at a Glance

• Input: 1 stereo balanced/unbalanced, 5-pole 3.5 mm captive screw, above 10k ohms
• Output: 1 stereo balanced/unbalanced, 50 ohms unbalanced / 100 ohms balanced
• Frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/-0.5 dB; CMRR 75 dB typical at 1 kHz
• Enclosure: 1.7 in. H x 4.3 in. W x 4.5 in. D high-impact plastic, 0.8 lb (0.4 kg)
• Power 2.9 W, 9.9 BTU/hr; CE, c-UL, UL, FCC Class B; 3 years parts and labor

Also referenced as Extron BUC202, BUC-202, part number 60137001.