30 foot long Balanced Cables to Balanced/RCA Adapters into Amp's Stereo RCA inputs?

Jensen's pi2XR seems to be the one

https://www.jensen-transformers.com/product/pi-2xx/

I was told ART CleanBoxPro is good for the conversion XLR to RCA

https://www.amazon.com/ART-CLEANBoxPro-2-channel-Unbalanced-Converter/dp/B003S7T49K/ref=sr_1_5?dchil...

the ART output level control seems a nice optional feature, but isn't it like adding a Pot in-line, unless one setting is a simple pass thru

I bet, after setting up these ’awesome’ flexible uses, it goes back to music only: Oppo rca/rca to Cayin amp. Need to set it up using TV/internet to see it’s menu: factory reset, update firmware, modify audio settings; them move it over there.

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Amazon delivers tomorrow:

xlr 35lf F into oppo, M end

that xlr M into cleanboxpro xlr F input

cleanboxpro rca F out

short rca M/M to amp.
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Oppo 105 has a volume control, to adjust prior to these comparisons:

a. existing Sony carousel into nearby Cayin A88T integrated amp, rca/rca (don’t laugh, it has matched some darn good stuff)

b. Oppo adjacent to Sony: rca/rca. Oppo better be better!
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IF it sounds better, then get the drill for 2 holes down to crawl space. Send Donna down there (she is 5’-0" tall on a warm day). Pull, curse loudly, Donna says she’s leaving if I keep cursing, mutter curses.
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c. Oppo in HT far away from amp: xlr/cleanboxpro/rca. still great? still beat Sony carousel? Listen particularly for reduced highs.
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That would leave me the convenience of Sony Carousel near amp for easy listening for parties; add the Oppo ’over there’ for ’real listening to CD/SACD. Always connected to video to see it’s menu; connected to ethernet for firmware updates

Oppo 2 channel audio to music system

Oppo built-in streaming/dac/usb/blu-ray to Sony AVR to Sony Smart TV, and/or direct to TV.

Existing HT Sony Blu-Ray down to garage for CDs there. Or give it to my son ...
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I was just playing Dire Straits two days ago, must have inspired my sub-conscious.

thanks everyone,

I finally understood a simple XLR/rca adapter defeats the advantage of using Balanced,

so, it's balanced for 35 lf

into this conversion box, which maintains the advantage of balanced for the long run.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003S7T49K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

last 5 lf rca out of the clearboxproto to amp's rca in

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I had to choose between 22 awg OFC

or 16 awg Pure Copper

considering the 35 ft length, I chose 16 awg pure copper.

I read somewhere that the % of purity between Pure and OFC is very slight, the difference in conductivity hard to measure actually; whereas I would think, the difference in conductivity 16 awg to 22 awg is definitely measurable at 35 lf.

interconnects; speaker wires (16 lf 13 awg/leg); speaker wire spades are all OFC

speakers are horns/15" woofers, 16 ohms from 1958, efficiency over 100; amp has 16 ohm taps.

cayin tube amp is 45 wpc, so volume should not be an issue, noise free and modification to frequency response the culprits to listen for.

under the floor there is no machinery, I will see if/how many electrical feeds to nearby wall outlets I cross. Original to 2 wall outlets BX; 1 new 15 amp sep ckt for the amp is ROMEX I presume

lewm,

IF I stay with the long run, I will probably upgrade to the Jensen.

IF, without a proper transfer box, it defeats the advantage of Balanced, why do they make and sell these? 

https://www.amazon.com/Cardas-Audio-Male-Adapters-MRCA-MXLR/dp/B00VMVJ6K6/ref=sr_1_19?dchild=1&k...

Ralph:

what choice would you have made, 22 awg or 16 awg?

clearthinker

Big Thinker.

1st, Two units? That is not in my DNA.

2nd, the lowest current price for BDP-105 is $950, that’s the one I bought for $900. The Darbee unit (even better video?) is another $100. typically.

https://www.hifishark.com/model/oppo-bdp-105

These things hold their price well, I missed a very good price, $700, however I suspect it’s laser had done a LOT of work, mine barely used. The lasers go bad, I just had to return a BDP-83 with a failed laser.

3rd: IF I get superior audio from 35 lt, and superior video and audio in HT, that’s an accomplishment I would have denied myself if I didn’t try. How clever/brilliant I am!! LOL.

4th. I want to try it, learn, fail? back to it’s primary audio near the amp.

Use with a shorter cable?

Use a cable you have laying around?

Ah, the best made plans of men and mice.

What I learned: How smart I am!

Huh? Yes, smart enough to know a whirlpool bath combined with a mixture of 2 Naproxen and 1 Aspirin helps relieve the pain from the worthless job of hunching over in the crawl space for this worthless attempt.

All went well: into Video system. factory reset, firmware update.

Watched James Taylor mentioned above, excellent video and audio.

Tried Blue Nile CD via 35 ft XLR to Music system. Whoopee, works!

OH NO, infrequent popping noises. I had read that some of the early firmware update(s) were to eliminate popping noises. Latest firmware incorporates all prior fixes. Yet, there they were, before, and infrequently/randomly within the music.

Out, into Music System, interconnects direct to Cayin Integrated Tube Amp. (both Oppo and Cayin have remote volume).

Blue Nile: great, subtly better than current Sony Carosel.

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How to describe the difference? You hear the same things, it's all there from both players, yet the Oppo is subtly more precise, not sterile, just like your ears are working a speck better. Perhaps it's the timing, and better coherence of fundamentals to their overtones, I need more time to listen.

The image that comes to mind is rays of light passing thru a Chinese finger Trap. (we loved these things as kids in the 1950's)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_finger_trap

Tight, no light gets thru. Loosen a speck, precise rays of light get thru (Oppo), loosen a speck more, the same light becomes less focused (lesser players).

More listening coming up today, some well known, some SACDs.
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Was the problem the clearboxpro? Would the problem be gone if I used the Jensen? Given the history of firmware to solve pops, I think not.

I'm glad I tried. Thanks to all for their knowledge and advice.

Elliott

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finally,_Betty_Carter

It sounds sooooo good on the Oppo 105. I love Jazz Bass as well as Betty, the rise and decay of the bass notes is the best I ever heard them.

I'm looking for this on Vinyl! The Oppo is gonna give my TT a real challenge.