Using both balanced and single ended outputs at the same time?

Honestly we don’t need balanced cables in the home very often, but in areas where you have a lot of Ethernet and HDMI cables running around they add some additional noise rejection.

Unless you have a long run, I’d be surprised if anyone ever heard a difference.

I was once at a show in a high rise in NY, with Coda gear and boy could we have used it then.

erik_squires

... we don’t need balanced cables in the home very often, but in areas where you have a lot of Ethernet and HDMI cables running around they add some additional noise rejection ...

There's more to it than just that. If you're using components with truly balanced circuitry, you often get 6 dB greater output when using the balanced XLR connectors. Another way of looking at that gain is that for a given output level, you'll get 6 dB greater S/N when using balanced connections. That's a big deal.

I do this with my Schitt Mjolnir v3 preamp into a CODA #16 in my office and also into a Schitt Aegir v1 amp (headhones). I have also done the same connections using my Benchmark HPA4 preamp.

I have another Schitt Aegir amp (for headphones) sitting in a box and I would like to hook it up to my Livingroom system that has a Holo Audio Serene preamp and Schitt Wotan amp. There is a bit more danger in doing this one since I was told my the USA distributor not to do this because having both amps on at the same time (accidently) would damage the preamp.

In all 3 cases I am am referring to RCA and XLR outputs connected at the same time. I have accidently left both amps on with the Mjolnir v3 and HPA4 preamps (for and those 2 preamps did not get damaged.

@boonaroo , I have done what you described (balanced outs from preamp to amp and RCA outs to subwoofer) with a couple of preamps, and although I am currently not using my subwoofer, when I did it seemed to work fine.

If you’re using components with truly balanced circuitry, you often get 6 dB greater output when using the balanced XLR connectors. Another way of looking at that gain is that for a given output level, you’ll get 6 dB greater S/N when using balanced connections. That’s a big deal.

Gain which you can’t use... and at the levels we are typically talking about, 90 dB signal to noise, sure, I can measure 90 vs. 96, but I can't hear it.