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Pass Labs XP-25 Outputs

I am currently trying out a Pass Labs XP-25 phono stage and enjoying what I am hearing, particularly with an MC Step Up Transformer feeding into it vice using the MC settings available.

I do have a question which I could not answer from reading the manual. As any XP-25 or 27 users will know it has a RCA and XLR output, with the RCA output being 6db less gain. The question Is, is it possible to have both outputs connected to a preamp RCA and XLR inputs accordingly and switch between them on your preamp (adjusting the volume of course) to see what you prefer?

128x128alan60
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alan60's avatar
alan60 OP
185 posts
 

@benjie what I said was that the 'RCA output being 6db less gain' as compared to the XLR.

lewm
13,222 posts
 

True balanced circuit vs single-ended circuit will if properly designed have 6db more gain than its equivalent SE circuit, all other things being equal.  Which is to say that if you ground one phase of a balanced circuit, you get an SE circuit with 6db less gain.

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alan60's avatar
alan60 OP
185 posts
 

@benjie sorry but gain is not the issue, my question was can l use the XLR and RCA outputs simultaneously connected to my preamp, and you definitely don't need to use XLR throughout the chain to get the the full gain from the XP-25, you only need phono stage to pre. I use a MFA TVC preamp which has 24 x 2db steps and when I use the RCA output I need 3 more steps on my preamp to get the same volume as XLR output.

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