Nothing that I have, has XLR connections except for the preamp that I just bought and my amps. I run my speakers bi-amped. The Calypso pre has XLR connections and RCA's at every input and output and includes 2 outs for my amps. It seems the perfect set up for me. I have seen some ARC's that have this same arrangement, which seems nice to me. I just don't have anything else that has XLR's. My VPI TT has a nice MIT 330 cable, DIN to RCA. My SUT, which I don't always use, has RCA's only as does my Cary Phono preamp as does my Denon CD player. I don't stream and I don't have any other devices. Would using XLR from preamp to amps be defeated by the fact that I have nothing else that is XLR or would connecting my amps by XLR make for an improvement anyway?
More on XLR vs RCA considerations?
Have read much about the differences between balanced vs unbalanced circuitry and the interconnects that go with it. The consensus seems to be "mostly" in favor of balanced when it is available. There are at least a few who seem to prefer unbalanced. Perhaps if the circuitry (caps etc.) becomes equal between the two, there is not much advantage to XLR? Not sure, myself. I like to have the option even though I've never used it, just makes me feel good, knowing it's there if I ever decide to use it. Long wire runs seems to be the main reason. Are there others? I heard, lowers noise floor with higher gain. OK.
I've never seen a Conrad Johnson amp or preamp with XLR connections. Maybe they exist, don't know but I've never seen it. CJ is certainly respected in the high end audio world. I'm just curious as to why they would never build with balanced circuitry. Any thoughts on why not? I'm just curious.
Bill
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So I had an ARC preamp like that (Reference 6) and in fact used it with its RCA inputs (from a phono stage with only RCA outs) and XLR outputs to my amps - and though that sounded best (compared to RCA outputs). Try it both ways, but my "guess" would be that XLR between preamp to amp is likely to sound best. You’ll usually also get +6dB extra gain this way, so make sure to adjust volume accordingly. I also have VAC Master and Rogue Hera preamps with this arrangement too - RCA & XLR ins & outs. The Rogue and ARC are doing something to the RCA inputs so that it's a balanced signal before it hits the doubled (balanced) circuitry. I think the Master might actually be a SE circuit with full transformer-based I/O to facilitate the flexible I/O. |
It's a misnomer that balanced circuits "double up" the circuitry. Balanced components such as the OP's Aesthetix Calypso use differential circuitry (probably operational amplifiers) to get the balanced outputs. That is a very common approach in high end audio. |
What makes you think your thread will be different? Ralph, the BAT crew, and their follwers will swear you can’t have a good system without XLR. Many of the rest of us who swear by RCA, aren’t so married to it and we’ll likely say it doesn’t matter. I have a custom amp made well beyond the price of most high end amps, and I had RCA inputs installed. Jerry |
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