How to go from RCA to XLR?


I've got an Aragon Stage One processor with RCA outputs and two Aragon Palladium 1K monoblocks with XLR inputs. I know there are a lot of RCA-XLR cables available, but a fabricator told me you have to know which XLR pins are "hot" and these have to match the amps' input circuitry or you will damage the amp.
So how do you know which pins to make hot when you order the cables? When you buy these cables "off the shelf" are you just hoping you get lucky and they match up with your equipment?
Thanks
noslop

Showing 3 responses by noslop

Great answer, Al. Thank you very much.
Could I use the "ground prong" (the round "3rd" prong) on the power cord's plug to check for continuity with the ground pin on the XLR input?
Scott
Got some really bad news from Aragon tech support. Changing the XLR to XLR cable to an RCA to XLR cable, will cause the amp to run at only half power. Said half the input signal is grounded out so the amp, so the amp only puts out half power. Great.
Man you guys really get into it. Its great. I'm an M.D. so my knowledge of electronic design and theory is quite limited. I'll have to read it all again a few times to even begin to understand all that's been said. But in medicine and all science, empiric evidence trumps all. So here's what I found empirically. When I hooked up a balanced Aragon Aurum pre amp to the Palladiums, I couldn't turn the volume to half before my Martin Logans were so loud, it hurt. With the Stage One's gain at max (there's a gain control in the advanced settings), and the volume at max, the speakers were loud,(sort of), but nowhere near as loud or impressive as when the balanced Aurum was hooked up.So I'd have to conclude that the amps were, indeed, being hobbled by the RCA to XLR conversion.
That being said, anyone want to buy a slightly used Stage One, cheap?