Balanced vs. Single Ended Interconnects
From your experience, would you expect a higher quality single ended interconnect or an entry level balanced interconnect to sound better when connecting two balanced components?
More specifically, I will be connecting a Denafrips Ares ii to a Pathos Classic One Mkiii and I currently have Audioquest Sydney RCA interconnects. Is it worth getting some cheap Monoprice XLR cables or should I just wait until I can justify purchasing something from Audioquest (probably Red River or Belden BAV) in the future.
- robot
They are not the same configuration. For starters on have 3 wires and the other has 2,
Maybe SNR not gain?
When did CMRR become a minor consideration? |
My experience has been that I've noticed only a modicum of difference between XLR and RCA, though the bulk of my system is unbalanced, thus RCAs have always been the most prevalent. The most significant differences between interconnects that I've heard is in the quality level and architectural differences in the cables between brands, type of copper or copper vs. silver, gauge, connectors, and dielectrics. I'd place the connection type as a lower priority and give higher priority to the quality of cable that is a good match in your system. |
I was able to borrow a pair of monoprice premium XLR cables from a friend and hooked them up yesterday. My initial response was positive, but after a little longer listening I felt like some of the smoothness was missing. I currently have the Audioquest Sydney RCA cables back in the system for another round of comparision. @chrken - While it is possible that at the lengths of cables that are generally used in home audio the difference between balanced and unbalanced could be negligible, a quality balanced cable connecting two balanced components should always be superior (all other things being equal).
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