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Balanced XLR to RCA Adapters: Good or Bad?

I’m thinking of buying a Clearaudio Ambient turntable with a Satisfy tonearm which has Balanced XLR cable plugs. My old NAD 3155 integrated amp (http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ramps&1027213706&openusid&zz02pete&4&5) does not have XLR inputs jacks. They make adapters ( http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=240-430) which would allow me to connect the TT to my amp. [The amp works fine; it has been recently serviced.] But is it worthwhile to do this? That is, on the assumption that Balanced XLR cables are superior to RCA cables, would I, by using such adapters, undo the good quality of the XLR cables?

Should I go to the expense of buying a preamp with XLR input jacks and RCA output jacks, like the PS Audio GCPH phono stage? I listen to classical music and jazz.
franz456

Showing 2 responses by tdaudio

tdaudio
201 posts
 
Al, good point. I have an ohm meeter and I should be able to test that in the next day or two.

Thinking about it an adapter should have a tiny effect.

Just before the Triplanar here is what I had. A VPI Aries 2 with JWM 10.5 with the standard RCA output block. Having the Ayre balanced P-5X phono pre I special ordered an Audioquest Cheeta half meter (I could go that short) cable that had RCA plug goiing to the VPI rig with XLR for the phono pre. That cable is a balanced cable and keept the +/- phase signals floating even in that confiiguration. This is nothing more than a long atapter! It worked great. So I have a hard time expaining what I experienced with the Triplanar continous cable from cart clips to RCA plugs and the RCA/XLR adapters. But taking them out made clear difference.

TD
tdaudio
201 posts
 
Franz456, my one experience with adapters is negative. In my case I just purchased a Triplanar VII arm terminated with RCAs and I had an Ayre P-5X which is a true balanced phono preamp (Cart was/is a ZYX Universe X .24mv). I had been using an XLR terminated phono cable with the JWM 10.5 (VPI Aries 2) before the Tri. I got the "Cardas" adapters the same time I got the Tri and in my case I needed an RCA female to XLR unit.

With the Tri and adapters in place I was disappointed. The P-5X has XLR and RCA inputs so I switched between adapters and the reg RCAs and after putting them in the adapters a second time it was clear to me the they were bad. Just as Doug and Atmosphere said, it zapped life from the sound. Yes I am being a bit dramatic but it was more than I would have thought and it was easy to tell the difference.

I do agree with the above post, if you want to go that way, try some cheap ones first.

TD
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