|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
92.221.73.93
In Reply to: RE: About differences between cables - RCAs vs. XLRs. posted by mitch2 on April 19, 2015 at 06:51:27
Hi and thank you sincerely for the very interesting story and the valuable advice.
I listened some years ago to a McCormack pre+amp and the sound was really excellent.
I decided for balanced because my best dac has only balanced outs but in a way i regret a little the choice. It has complicated my life.
There are so many unbalanced good equipment ...By the way i could be wrong but you did not really need the Jensen input transformers.
I have also a balanced power amp but in the recent past i was driving it with an unbalanced preamp and a rca to xlr adapter and I did not experience any particular issue. Maybe i was lucky.
I have checked now and the - pin at the balanced out is shorted to ground.
Instead connecting a balanced out with an unbalanced in is a real mess.
Bloody dac ... it is complicating my life, but dac is still a very open issue.
I have not find yet a very satisfying solution.
Thanks again for the extremely interesting story and very helpful advice.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 04/19/15Follow Ups:
My pleasure-bg.
For RCA cables look into Transparent or Audience.
Hi and thanks again.
I imagine that the suggestion is valid also for their XLR versions.
Kind regards,
bg
bg-
I read in your system profile, that you use a Primare pre-amp. Is there a reason for not using a Primare power amp?
About 10years ago I had a wonderful demo of Primare gear (pre, power cd spinner) on Vienna Acoustics speakers. DiMario cables were featured.
Hi and yes i have a very old primare pre30 that sadly has some issues with the volume pot.
I am looking for a service shop here around and it is out of the system now. Do you know the unit maybe ?
I have also a even older Electrocompaniet 4.5 but it is a little soft and too rounded ... not very precise.
I prefer a precise equipment and then make up the sound with the cables. I know that is weird.But my main nightmare is the dac. I have problem getting a good digital sound.
But this week will be interesting. I am waiting for a pair of Cardas Hexlink xlr to use at the dac out into a SAC headphone amp (an amp designed for the akg k1000).
I am using the headphones to test the sound out from the dac.
If i will be able to get a convincing sound in the headphones that will mean that the source is ok.
I believe that my heaphone set-up is much more revealing than my stereo system and also i have problems with the present neighbours (cannot raise the volume).
I really have hopes in the new cables. They should arrive soon.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 04/19/15 04/19/15
Two comments,
First, the Clayton amplifiers are fully balanced and will not work with an unbalanced input, even through adaptors. The hum resulting from that scenario was way too loud to even listen. I had those results with two different Clayton amplifiers and others have reported similar results so it must be an inherent design issue. However, on the bright side, the Clayton's 100K ohm input impedance is high enough that, from a moderately low output impedance source or preamp, the rca to XLR input transformers work well, sound good and result in zero hum.
Second, if you call the folks at Jensen Transformers they may have an XLR to rca input transformer that would work for your situation. Another option is the SMc Audio Flex-Connect interface. Call Steve at SMc to discuss that solution. It is more expensive than the Jensen's, but very high quality.
Hi and thanks again for the very helpful advice
I am not an expert but it seems clear that my amp is not really balanced but just with a balanced inputs.
The adapters actually came with the power amp provided by the manufacturer to be used with unbalanced preamps.
The fact that many power amps are not really balanced makes me wonder if this is really need in a home situation.
A balanced unit need 4 amp lines instead of 2 and the gain could be debatable. Some high class units are unbalanced.
As i said the dac is my present problem. I am waiting for the next generation of multibit.
I usually find the sound from dacs clean but flat, unexciting.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 04/19/15
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: