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Preamps with Dual XLR Outputs

I am looking for preamps with dual XLR outputs to drive 2 separate stereo amps which are connected to 2 different speakers sets. My understanding is the Mola Mola Makua w/DAC and streaming board that is ROON READY can do this. It costs $20K and is my leading contender for my next preamp + DAC + streamer. I am going to output the signal to a Benchmark AHB2 amp + KEF LS50 speakers for one path. The other path is Luxman m900u amp + Yamaha NS 5000 speakers. My understanding is that turning off one of the amps stops the preamp from using that signal path. Perfect. I have heard all the components except the Mola Mola Makua so I will likely do a home trial on that.

My question is what other brands have an analog preamp with dual XLR outputs to do what I describe above? The preamp does not need to support an internal DAC. I could go for an external DAC like a LUMIN X1 or Denafrips Terminator.

BTW - if the Mola Mola Makua or any other brand cannot support my use case (I have been told it can). I will buy 1 preamp, such as the Benchmark LA4 to go to the AHB2 + LS50 system and also buy a DAC, such as Lumin X1,  to go direct to the Luxman + Yamaha system. Both speakers will be in the same room.
yyzsantabarbara
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,404 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara  If supporting the balanced standard is important to you (it results in better sound...) one thing you can look for on any balanced preamp is whether it has RCA outputs as well. If there is no switch to go between the balanced operation or single-ended, then you can conclude that the preamp does not support the standard.


The switch would be used to sort out the ground issue. If there is no switch that means that all the outputs of the preamp reference ground and so ground is used to complete the signal circuit.
yyzsantabarbara OP
5,556 posts
 
The balanced standard is important to me for the reasons you have pointed out in many A'gon threads.

That switch is an nice thing to know about. My old Bryston amps had that switch in their amps.

Thanks for the sharing of knowledge.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,487 posts
 
One exception to atmasphere's comment directly above is a pre-amp using a transformer to create the balanced output(s). That's exactly how Tim de Paravicini does it in his EAR-Yoshino pre's. There is an EAR 868PL (phono and line stages) listed on Audiogon at the moment, and it has two pair of both XLR and RCA outputs.
bundy
127 posts
 
My McIntosh c2300 has three sets of outputs. 3 balanced and 3 unbalanced. You can control 2&3 on/off by remote. 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,404 posts
 
One exception to atmasphere's comment directly above is a pre-amp using a transformer to create the balanced output(s). That's exactly how Tim de Paravicini does it in his EAR-Yoshino pre's. There is an EAR 868PL (phono and line stages) listed on Audiogon at the moment, and it has two pair of both XLR and RCA outputs.
Actually if a transformer is used, it has to have a switch so one side of its secondary can be tied to ground in case the output is to be single-ended. So a switch is required.

The only way to do balanced otherwise using a transformer and no switch is a a transformer with a center-tap. But this would sacrifice a lot of common mode rejection performance since the center tap can't be exactly placed at the center of the transformer windings. which is why no-one does it that way (as far as I know).
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