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17' unbalanced cable v balanced with ISOMAX

I recently bought a pair of KEF 107/2s designed to be used with a 107/2 KUBE, an active crossover with equalization. The KUBE has only RCA connectors. I've been using 17' Blue Jeans balanced lines from a Cary 11a processor to a Proceed Amp 3, and can continue to do so if I use Jensen ISOMAX transformers at the amps to transition from XLR to RCA. Without the ISOMAX the XLR/RCA transition introduces an audible sizzle to an otherwise inaudible noise floor.

A 17' unbalanced Blue Jeans LC-1 cable would eliminate the need for ISOMAX transformers and be a neater setup, but I don't want to sacrifice audio quality or add noise.

Advice, comments, recommendations please.

db
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Showing 2 responses by dbphd

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dbphd OP
1,615 posts
 
Al & Clio,

Right now the 17' balanced cables run from the Cary 11a to the Proceed Amp 3. When I tried a KUBE 200, I ran the balanced cables from the 11a to the ISOMAX, unbalanced from the ISOMAX to the KUBE, and unbalanced from the KUBE to the Amp 3. That seems a bit of a kluge, but it to worked. I was wondering about running 17' unbalanced directly to the KUBE without ISOMAX units.

Clio's point is well taken. Pedal notes that were previously inaudible with the 104/2s became audible with the KUBE. Those pedal notes are very audible with the 107/2s even without a KUBE, but the 107/2 KUBE is said to provide a needed mid-frequency crossover function that yields more accurate sound.

db
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dbphd OP
1,615 posts
 
Al & Clio,

Perhaps I've made too big a deal about a kluge. Each ISOMAX box is only 3" square and 2" deep, so they are easy to tuck away and completely effective in restoring the noise floor to inaudible. If they distort the sound, I was unaware of it. OTOH, for $65 I can try unbalanced with the BJ tech-wrap (or $40 without the wrap). Not a big deal.

db
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