Are Expensive Balanced Interconnects Necessary?

Clearly, single ended interconnects yield sound benefits as you move up a manufacturers product line, but do balanced cables yield the same improvement?

vonhelmholtz08-05-2022 3:35pm

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petg60 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,486 posts 08-06-2022 at 12:05pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Cables do sound different, even in xlr configuration, it is up to you and the system if necessary.
tweak1 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,645 posts 08-06-2022 at 12:38pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Differentially Balanced kit means 2 totally independent channels (not touching each other), including 2 separate power supplies (one for each channel/L/R), but often a single PS is substituted. How critical 2 v 1 is I don't know, BUT,.... Doesn't it make sense that totally isolating the channels (no cross talk, or other potential compromises) would provide 2 pristine channels? And if you understand that, THEN... how can ANY SE kit be true hi-end?
cleeds Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 5,932 posts 08-06-2022 at 01:17pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete tweak1 Differentially Balanced kit means 2 totally independent channels (not touching each other), including 2 separate power supplies (one for each channel/L/R), but often a single PS is substituted ... That's not at all how a differentially balanced circuit works. A differentially balanced circuit uses both an inverting and non-inverting signal at its input, then amplifies the voltage difference between the two signals to produce the output. Depending on the design of the balanced circuit, there can be substantial benefits to using it in balanced mode, rather than SE. For example, with ARC balanced preamps, you'll get 6 dB more level using it in balanced mode. That means 6 dB improved s/n.
overthemoon Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 417 posts 08-06-2022 at 02:33pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Many folks have said what I've experienced: It depends; the equipment must have differentially balanced circuitry to have significant benefit from balanced cable There is 6 db more level Experiment - we all are people with biases. I've first started Mogami and experimented with Kimber Kables - which I decided to buy because I thought there was an improvement in the dynamics especially at high and low frequencies. My view is cables can compliment your system - I'd be deliberate on when you decide to invest in cables especially if you are considering upgrading other components.
cleeds Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 5,932 posts 08-06-2022 at 03:49pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete overthemoon ... the equipment must have differentially balanced circuitry to have significant benefit from balanced cable ... There is 6 db more level ... That depends on the particular differential circuit. For example, the AES48-compliant Atma-Sphere amps don’t seem to have higher gain on the balanced outs.

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