balanced components

if you hook up your pre to your power amp and one of the two is fully balanced and the other is not (just xlr inputs/outputs)
is this a problem ?

mboldda108-20-2018 4:48am

Post removed Aug 20, 2018
mboldda1 OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 575 posts 08-20-2018 at 06:25am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete either way, the amp can be truly balanced and the pre not only that it has xlr plugs, or the pre is truly balanced and the amp is not only has xlr plugs. can you still hook them up using xlr cables?
shadorne Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 7,467 posts 08-20-2018 at 07:42am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Yes you can. The only issue could be gain matching. Professional grade XLR runs +24Dbu with lots of headroom and usually on at least 18 volt rails. This can be too hot for consumer grade equipment running on 5 volt rails. In this case some attenuation might be necessary and/or gain adjustment. Keeping signal levels as high as possible throughout the audio chain is the best way to preserve SNR.