Would Balanced XLR Cables Make Much Of A Difference On My System?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by DennisF, Aug 27, 2016.

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  1. DennisF

    DennisF Forum Resident Thread Starter

    The threads I have read here have definite mixed opinions. Just wondering if anyone with a similar system has tried them. I use a Parasound P5 Preamp and Parasound A21 Amp, Bryston Middle T speakers, Cardas speaker cable and Audioquest Black Mamba II for my interconnects. Thanks.
     
  2. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Probably not if your runs are short. But it can't hurt to use it wherever possible. If you can go balanced from preamp to amp then at least do that. Better yet if any of your source components have balanced outputs.
     
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  3. DennisF

    DennisF Forum Resident Thread Starter

    The runs are short, and nothing but preamp and amp use XLR.
     
  4. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Innocent Bystander

    Unlikely to make a difference. The chief benefit of balanced cables is hum rejection in long runs. As stated above, it couldn't hurt...but unlikely to make an audible improvement unless you have a hum problem.

    Cheers,
    Larry B.
     
  5. DennisF

    DennisF Forum Resident Thread Starter

    No hum problem.
     
  6. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    The way I see it, audiophiles spend hundreds if not thousands on products that offer little to no sonic benefit, with more basis in perception than science or reality. But you have the option to use a standard that is proven to be more robust and reliable. Even if it's only a short run, it could be a fun (if somewhat dangerous) experiment - go get some cheap cables and compare to the high grade rca! :righton:
     
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  7. Lester Best

    Lester Best Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Bklyn NY
    Short & shielded is my mantra. Unless the gear is differentially designed, there is no benefit & no "blacker backgrounds." Conrad Johnson only designs single ended gear. There are probably a few more mfgs doing the same.
     
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  8. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    XLR from passive preamp to speakers. Then again they're actives so it's either that or unbalanced 1/4" jacks. I've used both however but the benefits of the passive preamp let me run two setups at once, so I have the flexibility too. Soundwise, I like what comes out either way, but the XLRs are my preference.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2016
  9. Alan1074

    Alan1074 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Why do XLR cables cost so much more than RCAs? I never got this. Chord, who I use on all my systems around the house charge way more for XLR.
     
  10. Standingstones

    Standingstones Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Central PA
    Some of the best quackery is found in the audio cable business.
     
  11. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Mine are regular pro audio XLRs. Well built, about £16 each I think.
     
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  12. laughalot

    laughalot Forum Resident

    I use balanced from my Turntable to Phono Stage and from Phono stage to Pre Amp. Made a big difference. Much quieter than the RCA cables.
     
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  13. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    You'll get common mode noise cancellation with a balanced connection between balanced inputs and output that you won't get with unbalanced connections. Assuming those pieces have fully balanced circuitry, or transformer balanced circuits, its certainly worth a try. Even if you don't hear the noise as audible hum or hiss, when you lower the noise floor you might well hear more inner detail, deeper into fade outs, etc.

    As to why balanced cables cost more than unbalanced -- any difference probable shouldn't be enormous. Balanced cables have an extra run of conductor vs twin ax unbalanced, and two extra runs of conductor vs. coax unbalanced, so that's a higher input cost; and maybe some XLR connectors cost more than some RCA connectors, that could be a higher input cost. But you can find plenty of well-made balanced audio cables at relatively low prices.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2016
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  14. Alan1074

    Alan1074 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Thank you. The difference in Chord prices though is hundreds of pounds sometimes. A bit OTT by the sound of it.
     
  15. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    Well, I dunno about Chord. If they're using silver wire, or some kind of more expensive esoteric wire, and they've got three runs of conductor in the balanced cables and one run in the coax, it may be costing 'em a lot more for the wire. But, you know, it's the high end home audio cable business, there's often not a close connection between input cost and retail price.
     
  16. Lester Best

    Lester Best Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Bklyn NY
    "Why do XLR cables cost so much more than RCAs?"

    You're dealing with cable cos & their bottom line with mucho markup. Why? Because they can.
     
  17. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I use XLR cables from my Emotiva XMC-1 to my Wyred 4 Sound amps. With RCA cables I had an audible hum that the XLR cables silenced. The cables are at the longest 1m long. So I found audible benefits even with very short runs. I also find the the locking XLR connectors make a better connection than RCAs. I'm using Signal Cable and Wyred 4 Sound XLRs that I got used so the cost was very affordable :)!

    Bill
     
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  18. RiCat

    RiCat Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I am not one who touts the benefits of expensive cables. When I recently upgraded to a Bryston 4b2 and a "used" BP-25P I elected to use balanced between the two pieces. All my inter-connects are Belden 8402 cable. The run between the amp and pre is under 36". I compared connecting the two pieces using the same cable but with RCA-RCA vrs the XLR-XLR. I was surprised in that contrary to my expectations and from all I read, the balanced cables sound to me superior. In both instances there is no hum or electrical noise. The balanced sounds to both my wife and myself to be more open, better stage presentation and more dimensional. Also there is a quality of "quiet depth" to the music (sorry it is just how I describe it). This is my experience and clearly experiential.
     
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  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Personally, I think with your XLR in place your system just got louder, therefore better. In my opinion, of course.
     
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  20. DennisF

    DennisF Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Steve, any opinion on using them with my system?
     
  21. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    They certainly feel more satisfying when they make that reassuring "click". I actually use the XLR inputs on my Lamm amps (not a balanced input, but an optional single-ended input in parallel to the RCA input) just because they feel better and (in my opinion) better suit the industrial look of the Lamms.
     
  22. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    I wouldn't bother.

    I use them with my Audio Note UK Ginrei monoblocks only because they only have XLR ins, no RCA. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't use them at all for non pro gear. It's a drag because it means the amps will only work with preamps that have XLRs as well (which my Audio Note M9 does.)

    If I didn't have the M9, I would have to put XLR/RCA converters on the preamp end thereby defeating the entire purpose!
     
  23. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Would that be XLR ins?
     
  24. RiCat

    RiCat Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Thanks for that idea Steve. As you know there is a gain select on the Bryston amp inputs. This is in the 23db setting for the balanced cables. As I said totally subjective response. We have been living with 2 new pieces together for about 3 months. I agree level matching is critical as well as several other factors when trying to evaluate something like a "cable effect"or any gear preference. Our "testing" involved nothing more than some back to back trials of listening to several songs we are familiar with. Not even A-B as there was no "instant" switch. I never informed my wife of what connection was in use. We did this on 3 different occasions and the preferences were the same. Level matching was nothing more than setting it to what we were comfortable with. My cousin is a Dr. Psychology who is a well know researcher in "Psycho Acoustics". We are both audiophiles and have shared our love of music all our lives. He assure me that the preference in this case is subjective and likely induced by some variations in the comparison method. I agree with him. At the end of the day we had both types of connectors available, tried each, made a choice and went back to enjoying the music.
     
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  25. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Possible that your gear is optimized for XLR. Most of the audiophile gear I've heard (with a few exceptions) isn't and the balanced ins and outs were just put there as basically show and not a true balanced circuit. I hate that!
     
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