ARC XLR pin s question

I have owned lots and lots of ARC gear, (and still own several pieces). I have always used the XLR, (balanced) inputs and outputs when available. I have never had to order any "special" configuration of balanced cables. I would assume that ARC uses the standard pinouts for XLR, which is the way you have them listed above.

I would give Leonard at ARC a call to confirm, but I'm pretty sure that they use the standard.

Mofi, Gotta call ARC on Monday just to confirm this if I get time. Also have you been able to make a comparision between the benefits (or rather the differences) of Balanced vs SE in your listening? The reason I ask this is when I had Proceed Transport/Dac combo and used a SE between it sounded fantastic! Then I changed the existing cable I had been using to a Balanced AES/EBU and I lost some of the inner resolution and detail I had and it made me wonder if it could have been due to pin wiring and has made me a bit shy of the extra expense of Balanced cables by comparision so I've stuck with SE. Also cable length I'm looking at is 1 mtr. Thanks

On the digital side, I have an ARC CDT-1 transport that has all (4) digital outputs: coax (via BNC), toslink, ATT/ST glass fiber and AES/EBU. I have found that no matter what DAC I have connected that the AES/EBU sounds the best. I have also read that 1.5 meter length AES/EBU cable is optimum. I do not know if absolute phase and/or relative phase matters in the "digital domain", since the data bitstream is just zeros and ones?

On the analog side, unless the piece of gear if "fully balanced" from input to output, there should be little to no sonic difference between balanced and single ended. I really do like the XLR connectors better because they snap and lock in. Balanced makes a BIG difference on LONG cables runs because of it's ability to reduce and reject outside RF and EMI.

The several ARC products I've owned all have pin 2 non-inverted, pin 3 inverted convention-- which is typical of manufacturers in this hemisphere. I believe Accuphase and some Sony reverse this convention. In any case, you can always reverse phase at your speaker binding posts.

You haven't heard the CD-3mkII at its best until you run it with balanced cables. In fact, ARC recommends that you run the CD-3 in balanced mode. In my setup the difference was like night and day.

Dgarretson & Eee3, Thanks very much for your helpful information, it looks like the pin placements are industry standard. Eee3 Thank you, that's what I've been trying to find out and that which was suggested by ARC as well! OK looks like when I get get some blood from the stone it's gonna be following the Blanaced route to the yellow brick road.