XLR VS RCA

[tigerwoodKhorns]

From an Absolute Sound review:

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/cambridge-audio-azur-840c-cd-player/

"It had a resolution, refinement, ease, grace, and musicality that were instantly recognizable..."

"had a delicacy, refinement, and sophistication..."

"had an organic “rightness” and fundamental musicality that’s hard to describe...

If you can get a resolution, refinement, ease, grace, musicality, delicacy, refinement, sophistication, an organic “rightness” and fundamental musicality that’s hard to describe, I say by all means go for it!!

I think the only thing he got right is that it is hard to describe.

At the audio shows in Las Vegas they give away copies of Stereophile and the Absolute Sound. I have stopped grabbing copies.

Those were just lead up quotes to the reviewer "noticing" the 840C sounded better(to him) through the balanced connections.

Bill

Nothing directed at you. I just think the stereo rags are funny. FWIW, a few years ago I had the same preamp that Micheal Framer used, a Musical Fidelity KWP, and it only had RCAs. This was just before everyone decided that you have to have XLRs because they see them in the pictures. (I sold the KWP because the A308 that it replaced sounded just as good. I bought another A308. So much for the reviews)

I make all of my cables and I use shielded Mogami mic wire, so it is just as easy to solder on an XLR or an RCA for me.

My current preamp and power amp have RCA's. In a second system, I have RCA's on the preamp and XLR on the power amp (Pro QSC PLX amp) so I made up adapter wires.

FWIW, if I had XLR's on my pre and power amp, I would make up a set of XLR cables. Give them a try.

Edited December 30, 2013 by tigerwoodKhorns

[JJkizak]

The XLR's do have a better feel to them. If you have the bread what the h---. Some of the RCA's fit so tight that they bust loose the connectors on the amps/preamps. I hate that when it happens.

JJK

[babadono]

Balanced connections are better at rejecting noise than unbalanced if the equipment is designed properly. If there is no noise to reject there will be no sonic difference.

[Don Richard]

The highest quality active crossovers are pro sound units, and they have XLR connectors. To get in and out of these boxes one must use XLRs, Nearly all XLR equipped units can run either balanced or unbalanced in and outs. Same for pro sound amps.

XLRs are more robust than RCAs and most have locking features standard.

XLRs can be hot swapped while RCAs break the shield connection first and will cause a loud and possibly damaging buzz upon accidental disconnect if the equipment is on.

XLRs are commonly used with balanced lines which are much better with noise rejection than unbalanced lines.

RCAs are ubiquitous on consumer audio equipment and they must be used when connecting to that equipment.

In case of emergency one can run to the nearest WalMart or Radio Shack and buy interconnects that use RCAs, and cheap too.

[LarryC]

Some extremely good and picky preamp manufacturers like CAT and Joule Electra use only RCA's, and disdain the more complicated XLR.

I have used 25' Siltech well-shielded interconnects with RCA's at both preamp and monobloc ends without picking up any noise.

There doesn't seem to be a solid consensus on one being better.

[mustang guy]

Last week, I took apart an XLR end, and found that the shielding (ground) and the neutral wires were soldered together. No way that can be balanced! XLR needs 3 discreet connections to work. Suffice it to say, I won't be buying any more CA House Music brand cables.

[babadono]

Last week, I took apart an XLR end, and found that the shielding (ground) and the neutral wires were soldered together. No way that can be balanced! XLR needs 3 discreet connections to work. Suffice it to say, I won't be buying any more CA House Music brand cables.

Neutral wire? I am assuming you mean pin 1 (shield) was tied to either 2 or 3? What was at the other end of this cable?

babadono

[mustang guy]

Last week, I took apart an XLR end, and found that the shielding (ground) and the neutral wires were soldered together. No way that can be balanced! XLR needs 3 discreet connections to work. Suffice it to say, I won't be buying any more CA House Music brand cables.

Neutral wire? I am assuming you mean pin 1 (shield) was tied to either 2 or 3? What was at the other end of this cable?

babadono

Beats me. I was cutting an XLR in two to install an RCA at the other end. RCA only requires 2 wires, XLR balanced requires 3.

[holtrp]

I will likely be making the switch to XLR at some point, as the pre pro's I have my eyes on all have XLR outputs and all my amps have XLR inputs. I seriously doubt there is any benefit as far as SQ goes. The only real benefit I see is a locking XLR is much more beefy than a RCA connector, which I have had come loose and not plug in fully or actually seen damaged female connectors. Good riddance I say, RCA plugs are annoying in my opinion.

[John Chi-town]

After reading everyone's input I do have a question. My pre-amp & amp allow for balanced connections although I am currently using Monster unbalanced 550i interconnects. My pre-amp also has a balanced input for CD. Although my vintage CD player has only unbalanced.

I understand the benifit of running balanced between my pre-amp and amp, but would there be any gain in an interonnect that is unbalanced from CD to balanced CD In on my pre-amp? In other words an unbalanced/balanced connector?

Thanks.

John

[mustang guy]

After reading everyone's input I do have a question. My pre-amp & amp allow for balanced connections although I am currently using Monster unbalanced 550i interconnects. My pre-amp also has a balanced input for CD. Although my vintage CD player has only unbalanced.

I understand the benifit of running balanced between my pre-amp and amp, but would there be any gain in an interonnect that is unbalanced from CD to balanced CD In on my pre-amp? In other words an unbalanced/balanced connector?

Thanks.

John

You cannot adapt an RCA to balanced, since you are missing a wire. There would be no benefit whatsoever in buying an XLR to RCA patch cord. FYI, there are devices other than preamps and amps that use XLR balanced I/O. The Oppo BDP-105 comes to mind. The reason it does is that the DAC or Digital Analog Converter in the 105 is top notch, and very likely better than your AVR or preamp's. You might be able to improve sound by connecting the CD player to your preamp using a digital TOSlink or SP-DIF, if your CD player supports it.

What CD player and preamp do you have?

[John Chi-town]

Mustang Guy;

I have an Adcom GFP-750 Preamp, Adcom GFA-565SE Amplifier & Adcom GCD 600 CD.

[mustang guy]

You have a digital out on the CD player, but not an input for it on the preamp. The only way you could improve this would be to either buy a new player with XLR out, or a DAC with digital coax in and balanced XLR out. That could cost as much as a new player if you go with something like this: http://www.accusticarts.com/pages/en_tube-dac_ii.html

This CD player looks cool: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shanling-CD3-1-Vacuum-Tube-Full-Balanced-CD-Player-New-/270639693645?pt=US_CD_Players_Recorders&hash=item3f0361ff4d, but its very pricey.

[Guest " "]

noise can be radiated..thats where the cable architecture would help, but noise can also be transmitted....such as within power supplies and from within the signal from upstream devices. In the later case, having an inverted/non inverted signal architecture (such as XLR) along with split rail power supplies can help lower the noise floor.

[John Chi-town]

Mustang Guy

Yes, I have a digital out on the CD for an outboard DAC, etc. The Preamp has Balanced XLR connections for CD as well as analog.

[LarryC]

XLRs can be hot swapped while RCAs break the shield connection first and will cause a loud and possibly damaging buzz upon accidental disconnect if the equipment is on.

Some RCA pins break the hot pin first and then the ground. But you gotta know what does what. I play it safe like you anyway

[John Chi-town]

Well, I pulled the trigger and purchased a 1M pair of M-Series M1000i ultimate XLR / XLR Interconnect Cable on Ebay this evening. This will be for a balanced connection between my preamp and amp. NOS, retail MSRP was $275.00 picked up for $80.00, figured it would be worth a try. Will report back in a week or so with my impressions.

[John Chi-town]

Well I received the XLR Interconnects today, and have been listening for the past hour or so. I definitely noticed an improvemnt in overall imaging as well as an increase in volume whether in a passive or active mode on my pre-amp. Nelson Pass who designed my pre and amp stated in an interview that the "action" on this particular pre is in the "Balanced" mode, and I have to agree. Perhaps different equipment different results, but I am certainly happy!

[beeker]

In my home/pro solid state 2 ch system i prefer in order from least to most preferred and can hear the difference in a huge way. Least imo is hdmi, optical, rca, xlr...Balanced xlr results in best sound quality. Xlr provides such strong signals i can sit directly in front of my left speaker and hear my right speaker and vice versa at high and low volume levels. With rca i can a bit at high volumes although not near as clearly

[DrWho]

For short cable runs, unbalanced will have equal noise immunity.

For any cable run, unbalanced will typically be lower distortion.

The unbalanced circuit is also simpler and requires fewer parts, which means you can double your component quality versus balanced.

If you're having issues that are fixed with a true balanced interconnect, then I would suggest something more important needs fixing.

There's a million caveats to my very brief writing here, but my point is that sometimes unbalanced can sound better....I had never even considered the thought until I started measuring equipment at work...