Techinal noobie question on my Rotels

Hello all!
I just got a new setup of a Rotel RC-1590 pre and RCD-1572 cd player. If I use the XLR balanced connections between them does that mean I am using that DAC in the 1590? Is that the way to do it here? I guess I’m a little confused between RCA or XLR. I had planned on using the XLRs when I get their power amp too.

Thanks!!

Jason

 

No. A balanced connection (XLR) means that the cables are less susceptible to noise and carry a better signal. With Balanced cables, you can have a longer cable run than RCA or unbalanced cables.

 

The RCA or XLR connection is analog, has nothing to do with the DACs. When you connect the CD player to the preamp with RCAs or XLRs, you're using the DAC in the CD Player. IF you were to connect the CD Player to the pre using a digital connection ... AH, I see maybe your confusion. The CD Player HAS an RCA type jack for DIGITAL OUT; the Preamp has THREE Digital Inputs using the RCA type connectors. If you connected the DIGITAL OUT on the CD Player to one of the RCA-type DIGITAL IN connections, then you'd be using the DAC in the preamp ... you'd likely want to get a 'digital' cable with the RCA type jacks on it if you wanted to do this.

I'd just stick with the XLR connections between the CD Player and Preamp! and yes, use XLR when you get the amp too. As a test, you could ALSO connect the RCA analog outputs from the CD Player to the "CD" input RCA jacks on the preamp ... and switch between them using the preamp remote control. I assume the preamp has a 'Balanced In' selection to select the Balanced Input (which in this case would be the CD Player).

Then you could hear the difference (if any) between using unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR connections.

 

Ah, that makes sense! Thank you Acapella48. I wasn’t sure what I doing exactly. Haha

 

Yeah I tried researching myself if XLR is digital or analog and a thread I found said they can be both so I wasn’t sure if the signal was staying digital into my preamp or what for sure. Figured I better come ask you guys.

 

I have the same preamp. The dac in the RC-1590 is uncommonly good sounding. Make sure you experiment with both the bal out from the CD player and the digital out to the preamp. I wouldn’t be surprised if the difference (if any) leaned in the direction of the pre. YMMV