2. analog
  3. 137629-115924

XLR out on a tuner?

I'm new to hifi and not an audiophile yet but learning a lot lately.

I'm following a Denon DN-300H tuner on the big auction site. It looks very clean and has a remote. I also noticed on the rear it has XLR cable outputs as well as RCA out. Is this sought after? Worth paying extra for? My pre-amp (Acoustic Research LS16) has two open XLR input ports marked Bal1 and Bal2. The price on the tuner is okay and if using XLR cables through the balanced input on the pre-amp is an advantage I might just buy it.

Any assistance much appreciated.
n80
brayeagle
362 posts
 
n80

I have an MD 105T with both balanced and RCA outputs. I've tried both, with no discernable difference, as the distance between the tuner and preamp is very short.  IMO, balanced lines are good over longer distances; however, since the 300H is meant for rack mounting, you could go with balanced interconnects throughout. 
n80 OP
2,100 posts
 
Thanks for that. In my case the distance will be no more than a foot or two. I've got some good quality RCA cables that I can use for this application. A good set of 3' World's Best Cables XLRs would add another $30 to the total if I felt like I needed them.

If I did go with the XLR cables then the whole system (other than CDP) would be balanced, if that matters. It would be XLR from tuner to pre-amp and it is already XLR from pre-amp to amp.
celander's avatar
celander
1,502 posts
 
@n80. Did you relocate your ARC pre and CDP away from your amp and speakers?  
n80 OP
2,100 posts
 
Not really. Got a 4 bay rack with spiked feet. Amp is on the bottom shelf and has plenty of room to breath.  The shelf above it does not get hot. It makes heat but it has huge open heat sinks. Pre-amp is on top shelf. It makes a lot of heat that goes straight up so I have it on the top shelf up on some walnut blocks with sorbothane pads underneath. It has great airlfow around it now. CD player is on sorbothane disks also.

So at least I got the pre-amp off of the CDP. This Sony CDP does not make nearly as much heat as the Arcam.

I know this isn't ideal but for now it is the best I can do. With the room configuration there is no good cheap way to get the components out from between the speakers but at least the speakers are well out in front of the components. When I build the bookshelves I'll be able to get the components separated much better.

In regard to this thread I did buy the Denon tuner. Like new for $120. I'll use the World's Best Cable RCA cables for now but might consider their XLRs when I have some extra cash ($30). 

None of this is pricey but I'm buying CDs now so there has been a constant stream of audio stuff coming to the door and my wife is starting to roll her eyes a bit.

Anyway, when this tuner gets here I'm pretty much set and will just be buying more CDs and hopefully nothing else.....but I know that isn't the audiophile way and I'm trying to avoid the feeling that I just need that something a little better........

I think digital/streaming/PC will have to wait a while.
More to discover