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Balanced XLR to RCA Adapters: Good or Bad?

I’m thinking of buying a Clearaudio Ambient turntable with a Satisfy tonearm which has Balanced XLR cable plugs. My old NAD 3155 integrated amp (http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ramps&1027213706&openusid&zz02pete&4&5) does not have XLR inputs jacks. They make adapters ( http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=240-430) which would allow me to connect the TT to my amp. [The amp works fine; it has been recently serviced.] But is it worthwhile to do this? That is, on the assumption that Balanced XLR cables are superior to RCA cables, would I, by using such adapters, undo the good quality of the XLR cables?

Should I go to the expense of buying a preamp with XLR input jacks and RCA output jacks, like the PS Audio GCPH phono stage? I listen to classical music and jazz.
franz456

Showing 5 responses by herman

herman
2,212 posts
 
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If you feel the table is a good deal go for it and get the adapters.

The seller is correct, any tonearm cable can be terminated either way but cheaper and easier to get the adapter unless you can do it yourself. I bet you any amount you want that you couldn't tell whether it was reterminated or had the adapter.

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herman
2,212 posts
 
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Come on Doug, you have more invested in a single cable than he has in his entire system. There is no way he can hear a change with an inch or so of metal between the end of a cable and the input to his old NAD integrated.

Not knocking his system, it just isn't in the same league as yours.

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herman
2,212 posts
 
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In the link you provided in the original post you list

Polk Monitor Jr 5
B&W DM 605 s2
Sony cd player
PC sound card

which is what I based my comment on

In any case, if it were me I would try some adapters you can get from a music store for around $10. I'm not going to get an argument with anybody about what they do and don't hear but my feeling is that people often hear what they want to hear, and if they believe the adapters degrade the sound they will no matter what is actually happening.

adapter

Good luck in your quest.
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herman
2,212 posts
 
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actually, a phono stage could use RCAs as balanced inputs if they float the ground. That assumes that it's not grounded at the turntable but I think that would be unusual.

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herman
2,212 posts
 
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The highly respected Aetshetix IO converts balanced to single ended at the input and then back to balanced after the equalization. I don't recall if it just grounds one leg or does some other conversion like a diff amp to SE but it is not balanced all the way through.

In fact for a phono stage it kind of makes sense as you don't have to spend the money to build 2 perfectly balanced RIAA equalization networks for each channel.

The Pass Xono uses number 3, SE inputs but creates an inverted output at the end of the chain to create a balanced output. It is not really "fake" in that it doesn't have the illusion of balanced in with XLR jacks, it has RCA inputs.

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