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You never know what today will bring

I introduced new XLR Discovery Essence Interconnect in between my CDP and Pre today, in place of an older pair of very short audioquests with RCA termination. My speakers now deliver the same number of dBs as before with the preamp set two clicks LOWER. I did not expect such a substantial change in SNR. My thought is that this is due to balanced circuitry, not to differences in cable.
judit

Showing 2 responses by zaikesman

zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Actually, the difference in output between single-ended and balanced connection will vary depending the gear in question, but the increase with balanced is more typically on the order of about 3dB or so (6db means twice as loud), which sounds more in line with Judit's experience of having to turn down two 'clicks'. It is true that the common-mode noise rejection will improve by up to about 6dB.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
From published measurements I have seen over the years, there is no 'exactly' or 'always' about these things. But we don't as yet know whether Judit's CDP is a true balanced design throughout, or just uses a splitter circuit to give a 'balanced' output. If it is truly balanced, than that will be the reference output level, and a single-ended output will be lower in level, maybe by closer to the 6dB figure than if it is not truly balanced (most CDP's are not). The common-mode noise rejection has mostly to do with the RFI/EMI picked up on the connecting cable. But I'm like you on these matters - definitely open to correction! The main thing is if Judit prefers the sound with the new connection.
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