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XLR or SE cable?

After reading the current posts relating to the volumne differences between XLR and SE cables and the recommendation of ARC (to use balanced) I find myself in a quandry as to an avenue of selection for a possibile change and could use some help. I have an ARC CD 3 Mk2 using with a Classe CAP 151 integrated amp. Currently I have them tied with SE Ridge Street Poeima ICs (1 mtr), I must add that listening is nicely relaxed and not fatiuging at all but, I was looking to warm up the presentation a little more and get a bit more bottom end extention as well. ARC recommends using balanced for optimum results (which I could do), after contenplating a change I was wondering if this would be the right route to go? Also after seeing the posting about volumne differences between using the two this additionally leaves me questioning it as well becuse I'm used to the settings I currently use for listening. I have settled on a new pair of ICs from Grover Huffman and before I invest I would like to make the right decision to do so and could use some advise as to XLR or SE being the better or best selection and benefits for optimation? Speakers are Apogee Slant 6s and I listen to soft rock, blues, new age, and jazz.
rsjm80
herman
2,267 posts
 
The manual for your integrated says the preamp out is SE only. That leads me to suspect that if you do use the balanced inputs it is going to be converted to SE inside the integrated anyway. If that is the case I see no reason to use a balanced IC.
lak's avatar
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lak
4,681 posts
 
Technically speaking there should be a lower floor noise using XLR vs. SE, however if you are using a 1/m pair of interconnects I'm not sure you will be able to hear a difference in sonics. If you leave the volume at the same level the XLR will definitely sound louder then the SE, but in my opinion you won’t hear improvement unless you have a need to run long interconnects.
I use the ARC Reference CD 7, ARC Reference 3 Preamp and Plinius Reference amp. I had to switch out some XLR interconnects to SE interconnects because even with the volume control set at the lowest level the volume was still louder then I wanted it, for example if I was listening to music and had a phone call or was talking to someone next to me.
mcfarland
356 posts
 
Why don't you just try inexpensive XLR cables and see what the result is compared to the high priced RCA's that you are using? All that you have to loose is a few bucks, and I'm willing to bet that if you don't like them, you will be able to return them to wherever you purchased them. Likely you will want to keep them, however. Just my 2 cents worth. Happy Listening.
rsjm80 OP
207 posts
 
Herman, I checked the Classe manual and it states that "the Balanced input is a true differential high level input wired as follows: Pin 1 Ground, Pin 2 Positive (Non Inverted) Signal, Pin 3 Negitive (Inverted) Signal. It may be used with CD players that have a Balanced output, or any other high level balanced sources."
Lak, I kinda agree with you and have been confused by the recomendation from ARC that I have been missing getting the utmost from the CD 3 by NOT using Balanced ICs, I do know that Balanced ICs are supposed to have a lower noise floor but to change would I be spending money on diminishing returns? I've seen in the fourms prior that Balanced Ics are better for long runs especially when you are running longer than 1 mtr. I also am very comfortable with knowing where my volumne setting should be when I play my cds as well and additionally have been confused with the recent reporting in the foum of the output differences. So far both of your responces point to staying with SE cables though. Thank you both for your opinions so far, it does help me.
herman
2,267 posts
 
Just because the input is balanced doesn't mean that it isn't converted to SE at that point and remain SE throughout. The manual doesn't say so I have no idea which is correct, but it just seems strange to me that if the whole signal chain is balanced that they would only have SE output from the preamp.

I agree with the suggestion to just try it. Even if you buy expensive cables you can get them used for about 1/2 here and resell for the same if the experiment doesn't turn out for the better. That's 1/2 the fun anyway!
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