"Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
Nikola Tesla
Its now a conspiracy theory to believe that the Immune system is capable of doing the job it was designed to do.
A fish is only as healthy as the water its swimming in ! [Dr Robert Young]
www.tubedistinctions.co.uk
Matthew 5:10
Location: NW London, UK
Posts: 218
I'm Christian.
I have a couple of questions for those with some technical knowledge in this area as I have to say mine is virtually none. XLR cables usually are balanced but not necessarily, is that correct? The reason I ask is because I quite fancy trying My Croft 25 in to a pair of actives which often seem to have XLR in only. My assumption on the XLR usually but not necessarily being balanced is the fact you can get RCA to XLR cables. So that would be one option, no problems I should be aware of? Second would it be plausible and cost effective to mod a pre to accommodated XLR out, or is that ridiculous? Thanks.
If your preamp is fitted with RCA outputs, then they are unbalanced and replacing them with XLR connectors won't make them balanced. If you want the output to be balanced then you will have to fit appropriate transformers, or replace your current preamp with one that has a balanced output.
However, I would check out the specification of your active speakers - although they may be fitted with XLR connectors, the input configuration may be unbalanced; in which case you can use a (long ?) pair of RCA to XLR cables.
Barry
Hi, All,
you can use a single ended output with some pieces of equipment that normally require a balanced input, however, for the balanced line equipment to work, it would have to have one of its normally floating signal wires reffrenced to signal earth, this would then configure the piece of equipment that was originally balanced line' into a single ended mode, as far as the front end signal circuitry is concerned.
However' as others have said, some equipment is fully differential, all the way through.
If you prefer XLR plugs over RCA/Phono plugs and sockets then you can use XLR plugs and sockets with single ended signal, you just don't use all three pins...
Hope this helps.
A...
"Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
Nikola Tesla
Its now a conspiracy theory to believe that the Immune system is capable of doing the job it was designed to do.
A fish is only as healthy as the water its swimming in ! [Dr Robert Young]
www.tubedistinctions.co.uk
Matthew 5:10
Location: East Anglia UK
Posts: 1,219
I'm Marc.
Some useful pointers on connecting balanced and unbalanced gear, as well as how to make a 'pseudo balanced' cable:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may1...nda-0513-3.htm