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Balanced vs unbalanced interconnects

I have a Wadia 830 feeding a Krell KAV-300i. This setup allows for the use of balanced and unbalanced connections simultaneously. I figured when I bought the Wadia I could finally run a balanced system. The dilemma is the single-ended connection always seems to sound better. The single-ended cable is a well worn SR Alpha Sterling. The balanced cables have been the SR Phase 2 Luminescence, Phase 2 Looking Glass, Alpha-core Micro Purl, and most recently a Kimber KCAG. Part of me says why fight it but… I have begun to wonder if the Krell is truly balanced throughout. Any ideas or suggestions out there? All cables are 1 meter in length.
lmb
carl_eber
1,425 posts
 
If you are wondering if a Krell product is truly balanced, you need to forget this hobby, and take up gardening or golf. My CD50 is much better balanced into my Krell, than single ended. Perhaps it is the Wadia that isn't truly balanced. Also, I tried SR Kaleidoscope Phase 2 XLR, and compared to my MIT 330 SG Proline, was like comparing a rustly nail to the perfect superconductor. And NO, I'm not biased against Synergistic Research, either. I love their Reference Coupler power cord...it has beaten all the Shunyata cords (haven't tried Viper or King Cobra yet, but will) with both my Rogue and Krell amps.
lmb OP
29 posts
 
Some additional info - all cables mentioned are used so I assumed they were broken-in. Also, all connections were thoroughly cleaned with Kontak. Back to the meat of the matter is balanced better than single-ended or is the KAV-300i not truly balanced throughout.
tom_nice
387 posts
 
Balanced offers a better connector: XLR is better than any RCA. But if KCAG is your most recent cable choice, let me share my experience of having this cable completely eclipsed by ALL of the Stealth models I've tried. AGSS, the wire used in KCAG is multistranded, with uninsulated wires all touching, a bad thing in itself, and the individual wires are too thick to avoid skin effect, another bad thing. The silver offers a sort of spurious excitement and illusion of good detail, but your opinion of balanced will go up if you try some real contender among balanced cables. I'd go with Stealth, with its 30-day money-back guarantee. The problem isn't with Wadia or Krell, IMHO.
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