2. amps-preamps
  3. 1292357548

RCA to XLR adapters?

I currently have a complete single end (RCA) input system but was possibly looking at other amps that are fully balanced and accept only balanced or XLR connections. My question is will these adaptors give you the full benefit of a balanced amp or preamp? Or will it simply was work ok? I have expensive cable that I will not replace but is terminated with RCA's.
bobheinatz
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
Almarg ... I'm aware of where the discussion went , I just don't think we helped out the poster much , probably confused him as much as I .
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Ralph,

The protection circuit issue with the ARC amp may be weird, but it doesn't mean the amp needds to be fixed, either. I learned of the issue not because I had a problem, but because I called ARC before I even tried the approach. They explained the issue to me as an inevitable result of the amp's design. Now, it may not be broken, but that doesn't mean you have to like the design.

Of course, it is possible that I "misremembered" the explanation, but I don't think so.

Marty
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,116 posts
 
Martykl, its my guess its the latter rather than the former. I really doubt ARC would make an amplifier that could not manage a single-ended input!
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Ralph,

I can only tell you what ARC told me.

They said that RCA to XLR adaptors would cause the VT-130SE to suffer "serious" (or words to that effect) performance deterioration including loss of more than half of the power output capability. They weren't talking about my amp, specifically, but rather every example of the VT 130SE. And ARC said that it wouldn't work properly for - as best as I can recall - the reason I cited, lack of noise rejection tripping the protection.

As a non-technical guy, it would be hard for (and silly of) me to try to defend their design decisions (much less try to justify the consequences of those decisions). I take it from your post (and several of the posts preceding yours) that the technically informed/design community types out there do not approve of this approach. I would never argue with you guys.

All I can say is that the amp sounds great - although I've never tried to use it with RCA to XLRs ;-}

Marty
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Ralph,

Isn't ARC in your 'hood? Don't you Minnesota high end manufacturing types huddle over hot cocoa when the winter sets in?

Seriously, if you do cross paths with any of their tech folks, put the question to them. I might have somehow mangled the "why", but I'm just about 100% certain that they told me that the design will put out less than half the rated power when used with a single ended input signal via RCA to XLR adaptors.

Marty
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