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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
herman
2,216 posts
 
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actually, a phono stage could use RCAs as balanced inputs if they float the ground. That assumes that it's not grounded at the turntable but I think that would be unusual.

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almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg
9,670 posts
 
The manual for the Aesthetix IO indicates on page 8 that its front-end stage is single-ended, with the second stage converting to balanced, and the rest of the signal path, apparently including a passive equalization circuit, being balanced.

So a "fake" xlr input does not necessarily equate with low quality, and may be provided simply as a convenience feature.
A phono stage could use RCAs as balanced inputs if they float the ground.
True enough.

Best regards,
-- Al
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
I'm going to leave the part about whether balanced is better than single ended at the tonearm for those who enjoy mental masturbation.

As for using the adapters, Doug is right on. You will hear the degradation even if you use Rat Shack lamp cord. Even the good ones build for Doug have a sonic impact. Don't think so? Cut the connectors off your cables and direct wire them, then come back and tell me that short piece of metal can't possible make a difference.
lewm
12,566 posts
 
Right on, Dan_ed. The only good connector is no connector. But sometimes they are unavoidable. I for one wonder why the SE standard is not BNC instead of RCA. BNC would seem to have the potential to sound better.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
My experience is that adpators are not a good idea- they will rob the system of life and impact. So my vote is to change the connectors on the end of the cable.

The advantage of running balanced in the phono is (especially if you run LOMC) that the cable will have no audible effect on the sound (and also the Common Mode Rejection Ratio of noise that occurs at the input if the phono section is balanced). I've seen a lot of audiophile search for just the right-sounding cable in the phono rig; with balanced the only thing to do is make sure the cable is wired right. If so you will hear no difference between a cheap cable and an expensive one.

You would think that this is a major boon but I am constantly surprised at how many audiophiles would rather have the talking points of using a more expensive cable.
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