Truely balanced the better design?

My set-up consists of an EC 4.7 Preamp ran balanced to the AW 250 DMB power amp. I use Stealth silver speaker cables w/ silver spades to a pair of Talon Peregrines. Since I am currently using a Perpetual Technologies DD/DA rig, I have no choice but to run single ended to the preamp. However, I am looking to sell my current digital set-up in favor of the new Electrocompaniet 24/192 CD player. In my experience, it is the best digital player I have ever heard in my system, and I've played quite a few. When I do acquire that unit, I will without hesitation run balanced out to the appropiate input on the Preamp. It is simply how the manufacturer intended it in this case, and my experience is that it is also sonically the most beneficial connection for this particular rig. I also happen to think that every pair of speakers I've ever heard with EC amps and someone elses always sound better with EC's in the mix. This was evident at the Stereophile 99' show in Chicago where I had the opportunity to listen to a pair of Alon Circes with a pair of Herron Mono-Blocks and with a pair of EC Nemo's. It was no contest. The speakers were something else entirely with the Nemo's. At the latest show up in New York, it was the Nemo's again kicking butt with Talon Audio speakers. I was using a pair of Muse Model 300's with my new Peregrines and although it sounded very good, and the Muse mono's are not slouches, I coughed up the dough for the EC amp previously mentioned here and it was a tremendous improvement. Also, consider that the folks at Abbey Road studios who know a thing or two about sound quality are now running their B&W Nautilus 801's with the Nemo's and I think you begin to get the picture. No, they're not for everybody. You have Tube afficianados(God bless em') who will never consider anything but tubes. Especially the single-ended, 300 se folks. There are solid state fans who feel that the sun rises and sets on Krell, Levinson, YBA, Jeff Roland, Plinius, Threshhold and Pass. All very good manufacturers, by the way. I've listened to all of these and settled on the EC because that's what I happen to like. It's smooth, powerful, clean and most of all musical. It does not sound bad with one genre of music and great with another. It does not discriminate, and that's important to someone who listens to everything on compact disc as well as vinyl. I am also a firm believer in system synergy, and at this point again, my experience tells me that a rig from the same manufacturer ends up sounding better than the mix n' match way of doing things. True, you can get outstanding results doing it the other way, but it can be costly and frustrating as well. And granted, sometimes you have no choice. For instance, if you own a Wadia rig.....what else can you do? They don't make amps and preamps. Of course if money is no object, by all means get the power dac.

Good luck and sorry about the long-winded reply.

Pat M.

I have found many times that I prefer a single-ended connection on front end equipment to a balanced. The fully balanced connection from my preamp to the amp improves sound but the single-ended was considerbly beter from the CD to the preamp. Dale

Which EC amps and speakers do you own and which pre-amp of course?
I really like the Electrocompaniet stuff, I love their CDP and will consider it for a future upgrade.
Do you monoblock? I would like to learn more about their amps. Since I have the big Martin Logan ELS Prodigy, I need amps with have enough "juice" to drive my speakers. I cannot do with rather lean amps.
So some input about the Electrocompaniet amps would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Tekunda,

I think it depends on the design of your amplification. For instance, my amp and preamp are from Electrocompaniet. While they work well in single ended mode, they really shine when hooked up in a balanced configuration which is what the manufacturer intended.
Some manufacturers in the past have slapped on balanced in's and out's as afterthoughts to climb aboard the "Me too" wagon. Sometimes to the detriment of what was potentially very good gear. Personally, I think that neither design really means much to buyers as long as the design is excellent and results in great sound. I don't think I would run single ended interconnects from any preamp to a truly balanced amp if the preamp I had was fully balanced. Perhaps, if you really like your power amp and want to stick with it for awhile, purchase a preamp that can take full advantage of what the rest of your system has to offer. I've been learning that a preamp and amp from the same company usually results in the best each component has to offer. After all, who's components would you use when voicing your own product?
Good luck!