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Balanced Outputs.


DizRotus

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What is addicting? Noticeably better sound?

 

I have a mix of balanced and SE connections between components. I'd like to get them all to be balanced....but not a lot of tube gear out there is.

 

My preamp has both

My Xilica has both

My Crown amps have both

 

All above are using balanced connections with the exception of the preamp in from my TT's phono stage

 

Xilica out to tube amps are SE

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You should have a lower noise floor with balanced and be able to have longer cable runs.

 

While my Crowns have balanced inputs, I am using unbalanced on both as my tube preamp only has unbalanced outs. It still drives both amps in a satisfactory manner.

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6 hours ago, rplace said:

What is addicting? Noticeably better sound?

 

Everyone who listens to my balanced Sennheiser cans prefers the balanced.  The choices are made blind.  The test subjects control the volume, but do not know whether balanced or single ended.  The objectively preferred way is balanced.  The subjective comments describe a wider stereo sound stage, greater depth and, dead silence between notes and tracks.

 

When played through speakers, the difference is not so clear.  Although not consistently unanimous like with headphones, the majority of the time test subjects prefer balanced.   I do not want to return to unbalanced.

 

Using the balanced outputs enables the Pono player to drive the class-D chip amps more easily, thus providing headroom.  IMO, my preferences go beyond the ability of balanced cables to be used over long runs, such as microphone cables on a large stage.  The runs are not long in my situation.

 

I prefer balanced and I want to have a successor to my orphaned Pono players when they give up the ghost.  Yes, to me balanced presents "noticeably better sound."  Others may disagree, but I still want a balanced digital player.

 

My embryonic research has unearthed players with balanced output that use a fragile 2.5 mm 4-pole TRS plug, that makes the Pono's dual 1/8 3.4 mm TRS outputs seem relatively robust.   I don't require portability. I do require something that can replace a Pono player that functions as my pre-amp, DAC, and  digital player.  Something larger with a remote and XLR outputs would be great.

 

 

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5 minutes ago, DizRotus said:

I don't require portability. I do require something that can replace a Pono player that functions as my pre-amp, DAC, and  digital player.  Something larger with a remote and XLR outputs would be great

 

I don't know, but I would guess Schiit has something to fit the bill for you.

 

I've looked at the Pono players many times since reading your many gushing posts. I would like to give on a go, but knowing they are a dead end keeps me from pulling the trigger. I wish it had "stuck"

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What is addicting? Noticeably better sound?

 

I have a mix of balanced and SE connections between components. I'd like to get them all to be balanced....but not a lot of tube gear out there is.

 

My preamp has both

My Xilica has both

My Crown amps have both

 

All above are using balanced connections with the exception of the preamp in from my TT's phono stage

 

Xilica out to tube amps are SE

Which Xilica do you have... mine only has balanced XLRs.

 

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, Ron E said:

Which Xilica do you have... I e only has balanced XLRs.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
 

 

I have the 8080 XP, yes it only has balanced. There is a way to make the balanced out go to SE in. I have a post in Technical section somewhere. If you can't find it let me know and I'll dig it up. Just the HF section of my 2-way set up uses a SE amp. The LF is balanced.

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I believe that going from balanced to un- requires an additional stage (like a differential opamp) which may in this case just be too-economically implemented.  When well done, unless specific program content or environmental conditions like long cable runs and/or electrically noisy venue, I should think the difference wouldn't be so repeatably detected.

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11 hours ago, rplace said:

 

I have the 8080 XP, yes it only has balanced. There is a way to make the balanced out go to SE in. I have a post in Technical section somewhere. If you can't find it let me know and I'll dig it up. Just the HF section of my 2-way set up uses a SE amp. The LF is balanced.

Is it a simple connector?

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36 minutes ago, Schu said:

Is it a simple connector?

 

You can buy balanced to SE cables, and adaptors. I bought some Belkin wire and soldered up my own...just for the learning experience. Ugly and sloppy but they work ;) You just have to know which wires go where because balanced have 3 and SE have 2.

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12 hours ago, glens said:

I believe that going from balanced to un- requires an additional stage (like a differential opamp) which may in this case just be too-economically implemented.  When well done, unless specific program content or environmental conditions like long cable runs and/or electrically noisy venue, I should think the difference wouldn't be so repeatably detected.

Not necessarily, it depends on the balanced output's circuit topology.

19 hours ago, Ron E said:

Which Xilica do you have... mine only has balanced XLRs.

 

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

The Xilica's outputs whether on XLRs or Euroblock connectors(the 8in/8out units has euroblocks to save space) have a balanced impedance topology. This means there is no active signal on the minus output pin. Only an impedance that matches the impedance to ground on the positive pin. This allows the user to ground the minus output pin at the input to their unbalaned equipment without damaging the Xilica.

7 hours ago, rplace said:

 

You can buy balanced to SE cables, and adaptors. I bought some Belkin wire and soldered up my own...just for the learning experience. Ugly and sloppy but they work ;) You just have to know which wires go where because balanced have 3 and SE have 2.

And because you were dealing with a Xilica you had no problems(finally) with your cables that grounded the minus output.

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20 hours ago, DizRotus said:

I don't require portability. I do require something that can replace a Pono player that functions as my pre-amp, DAC, and  digital player.  Something larger with a remote and XLR outputs would be great.

 

How about a Raspberry Pi / HiFiBerry DAC+ PRO XLR combo?  

 

Mike

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30 minutes ago, babadono said:

And because you were dealing with a Xilica you had no problems(finally) with your cables that grounded the minus output

 

Because I was so new to all that, after you and I had a million posts I actually wrote Xilica and got it straight from the horses mouth how to solder up my SE ends. That is why I posted up above something about "if you can't find the post in technical section" ask me.

 

It has been a while but I think it is simply....and I won't have the technical terms right.....signal to signal as you would expect, and then solder both the shield and the "other" one to the case/base/negative/housing whatever that is called on a SE/RCA connection. You know the one NOT in the middle. How is that for precise? :blink:

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On 1/10/2020 at 9:19 AM, kevinmi said:

That is exactly what I use BUT for a different reason.

 

With a mix of consumer and pro in the same line I needed something to increase the line voltage/signal, this works perfectly.

 

.

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