Okay to use RCA adapter on a fully balanced amp?


Not a XLR is better or RCA is better question BUT if I have an amp (Digital Amplifier Co) that is fully balanced and only has XLR inputs, if you use a converter and go RCA from a Preamp, are you losing out in quality?

 

Here is something from audioholics and their review of one of their amps - 

"The MEGAschino is a true fully balanced differential amplifier from input to output. It is essentially two  amps for each channel, and one amp per phase. This means it really should be used in a fully balanced system.The manufacturer supplies an XLR to RCA adapter, but these should not be used. If a balanced connection cannot be used, note that the amp cannot be driven to full power from a 2-volt single-ended output, the limit of most receivers."

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Showing 2 responses by soix

 

@soix You are assuming there is an inherent benefit to balanced cables. Many, if not most, do not agree with that assumption. Having multiple inputs=good. Having ability to accomodate both xlr and rca=good.

@carlsbad No, I’m not assuming that at all, and you’re totally missing the point here. The OP’s amp is constructed in a dual mono and presumably in fully-balanced fashion, and if you feed it with single-ended cables that benefit largely goes away regardless of interconnects being used. It’s not about cables but more of system design. Dual mono and fully balanced is different from single-ended stereo, which you seem to totally disregard. Perhaps @atmasphere can interject here and describe it much more eloquently and completely than I can, but a truly fully-balanced design goes far beyond cable choice, and if you feed a fully-balanced amp with a single-ended preamp the benefit of a the fully-balanced amp is largely lost and negated.  You might’ve well just bought an amp with RCA inputs. Maybe Ralph can explain this better than me, but you’re absolutely wrong in your assertion that it’s just about cables. 

So, with your amp you paid a lot extra because the manufacturer had to create two independent channels instead of just one, which ups the parts count and price considerably and you basically lose that benefit by sending it an unbalanced signal.  Use a fully-balanced preamp would be my suggestion.