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Thread: XLR balanced interconnects vs RCA/Phono

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  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Milton Keynes

    Posts: 3,577
    I'm Andrew.

    Default XLR balanced interconnects vs RCA/Phono

    So now I have a source with XLR outputs ( E sounds CD-5 signature edition) and my amp (Teac Distinction Ai3000) has XLR inputs should I go for it and buy some ? Bearing in mind I've just bought new Mark grant rca's to rca's !!
    Is it just marketing bollocks like some say ?

    BTW I've no idea what the balanced means anyway!!

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Witney Oxon

    Posts: 893
    I'm Martyn.

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    Quote Originally Posted by andyrlb View Post
    So now I have a source with XLR outputs ( E sounds CD-5 signature edition) and my amp (Teac Distinction Ai3000) has XLR inputs should I go for it and buy some ? Bearing in mind I've just bought new Mark grant rca's to rca's !!
    Is it just marketing bollocks like some say ?

    BTW I've no idea what the balanced means anyway!!

    Balanced cables are only really relevant in prof. audio on long
    microphone cables to avoid rf interference.

    Not really relevant with home audio.

    Another case of the Manufacturers of home audio kit jumping
    on the prof. audio way of doing things to sell their kit...

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Martyn Miles View Post
    Balanced cables are only really relevant in prof. audio on long
    microphone cables to avoid rf interference.

    Not really relevant with home audio.

    Another case of the Manufacturers of home audio kit jumping
    on the prof. audio way of doing things to sell their kit...
    If the kit is fully balanced, then IMO it sounds better when used in balanced mode, regardless of single ended vs. balanced arguments.
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Yomanze View Post
    If the kit is fully balanced, then IMO it sounds better when used in balanced mode, regardless of single ended vs. balanced arguments.
    + 1
    Regards Neil

  5. #5
    Join Date: Mar 2013

    Location: Wiltshire, U.K.

    Posts: 123
    I'm Jon.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Martyn Miles View Post
    Balanced cables are only really relevant in prof. audio on long
    microphone cables to avoid rf interference.

    Not really relevant with home audio.

    Another case of the Manufacturers of home audio kit jumping
    on the prof. audio way of doing things to sell their kit...
    T'was a time when I would have wholeheartedly agreed with points one and two, Martyn. Recently, however, I purchased a Yamaha A-S2100 to partner the CD-S2100 and was presented with the choice of continuing to use my existing RCA interconnects or of switching to the manufacturer/dealer recommended XLR format.

    As a long-standing user of DIY interconnects, and because I enjoy a challenge, I decided to make a pair of balanced XLRs using good quality cable and connectors for testing. Once ready the player was hooked up to the amp using both my preferred, pseudo-balanced configuration, RCA interconnects and the newly made balanced interconnects, using the remote to switch between them whilst playing a wide variety of music recorded in CD and SACD formats. In this set-up, and taking into account differences in level, across all musical genres and disc formats the balanced interconnects proved more open, dynamic and better able to reveal spatial cues and the acoustic ambience. The differences were maintained when different RCA interconnects from my 'collection' were used, suggesting that the cable/connector type was less important than the use of the fully balanced output/input configuration. I have subsequently repeated this experiment using the A-S2100 paired with a Marantz UD7007 and whilst the differences were far less marked, the use of the fully balanced configuration still gave a worthwhile improvement when listening to music recorded in both CD and SACD formats*.

    The obvious weakness in my investigations to date, not withstanding my earlier comment, is the use of different cable types for the RCA and balanced interconnects - something I intend to address in the not to distant future when I can afford to purchase some ETI Research or KLE Innovations RCA plugs to terminate the remaining lengths of the Neotech NEI-3004 UPOOC single crystal copper cable used in the construction of the balanced interconnects.

    Jon

    *For those who are interested, the superior performance (CD/SACD) and quality of construction of the Yamaha CD-S2100 when compared with the Marantz UD7007 amply justifies, IMHO, the additional outlay, although the latter does have the advantage of being compatible with DVD-A and HFPA (Blu-ray).

  6. #6
    Join Date: Sep 2009

    Location: west mids, UK

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    I'm Phil.

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    some kit is better with xlr , some with rca , it all depends . currently although i have xlr capability i mainly use rca and i prefer the sound on my current system .
    ou might slip, you might slide, you might
    Stumble and fall by the road side
    But don't you ever let nobody drag your spirit down
    Remember you're walking up to heaven

    Don't let nobody turn you around
    … Walk with the rich, walk with the poor
    Learn from everyone, that's what life is for
    And don't you let nobody drag your spirit down

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  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

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    Yep, go for it. RCA cables have more of a sound signature whereas XLR cables are transparent. I think this is because of a dedicated ground wire, which is impossible with RCA as you need ground and return to be connected.

    If your source and amp are balanced, then even better, because you will be making the most of the circuitry and it will only make things better through noise cancellation rather than making things worse.
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,861
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Yomanze View Post
    Yep, go for it. RCA cables have more of a sound signature whereas XLR cables are transparent. I think this is because of a dedicated ground wire, which is impossible with RCA as you need ground and return to be connected.

    If your source and amp are balanced, then even better, because you will be making the most of the circuitry and it will only make things better through noise cancellation rather than making things worse.
    Agreed - it's the arrangement I use in my system: CD -> preamp -> monoblock power amps
    Barry

  9. #9
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Milton Keynes

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    I'm Andrew.

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    Hmmm ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

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    Try for yourself, this is all the XLR cable you'd ever need: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Van-Damme-...-/282215887582 (you'd need to buy 2x, but under £30).

    Mark Grant does a Canare XLR cable too albeit more expensive.
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

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