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Balanced or single ended phono cable to Aesthetix Io?

I wonder, what is the user experience - what sounds best, with this phono preamp, using balanced (xlr) or single ended (rca) cables from the tone arm to the preamp.

I know this has been debated before - in 2012 here: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/aesthetix-io-eclipse
but the conclusion was not quite clear. Since the first gain stage of the Io is unbalanced, there should not be much difference, some people argued. Yet several users reported that balanced sounded best. So what is the experience, today?


Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter
thekong
203 posts
 

As I don't have a tonearm with XLR termination, I can't attest to the difference in connection.


However, I have found a convenient use of the XLR input! Since the two connectors are connected in parallel internally, I am using the RCA as the main input and the XLR as the loading port, so I don’t need to fiddle with the tiny dip switches to change loading.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
o_holter OP
978 posts
 
Dear NKJ and thekong
NKJ - your observations line up with mine. +1 for the world best phono stage, or close to it.
I have worked with most of the other things you mention - tube choices, isolation , and I have dual power supplies. although not interconnect quality between the supplies and the Io.
thekong, agree the loading at the back is fiddly, didnt get it, how you adjust this with another cable.
thekong
203 posts
 

Hi o_holter, sorry that I wasn’t clear on my description! Actually, there was no cable needed, I just got a pair of male XLR plugs, soldered a resistor of the required value to pin 2 and 3, then simply plugged them into the XLR phono input for loading. With this, you set the loading of the internal dip switch to 47K ohm, and use the XLR plug to adjust loading.


I also have another pair of male XLR plugs, to which I soldered alligator clips to pin 2 and 3, so I can easily change resistors for testing.

 

I hope this helps!

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o_holter OP
978 posts
 
thekong - that was innovative! what load did you end up with (and for what cartridge)?
thekong
203 posts
 

o_holter, I just got the idea from the Wavestream Deluxe Phono, which had similar arrangement, only that both input and loading jacks are RCA.

 

In my system, I prefer 200 ohm with the Ortofon A90.

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