Sex and the balanced interconnect.

What amps do you have? Are you sure they're truly balanced, and not just using internal conversion to single ended input?

check out www.A2Zcables.com

I have the power amps, CarverPro zr1600, and the manual and inspection of the hardware confirms that a male plug is necessary on the input cable. The connectors on the chassis accept XLR, TRS, or TS 1/4 phone plugs, all male. (TS are used for single ended operation). The circuit is truly a differential input for balanced interconnects, as one can check on the schematic available on the web site.

I do not physically have the crossover: an Ashley is what I am considering. However, I do have the manual which clearly states that the interconnect needs a male connector.

Industry standards don't seem to be universally followed. In reading the Ashley manual I learned that JBL drivers pull the cone IN for a positive input. OUT is standard for other brands. I discovered this for myself when I wired up my subwoofer systems. (Actually I thought I had mixed up the connections at the drivers and didn't unscrew them from the enclosure to check).

On most preamps all the RCA's are females. But industrial strength XLR's tell you at a glance which are the inputs and which the outputs. Otherwise, fault finding while in front of a bank of components with speaker arrays roaring could be disconcerting, pun intended. Could Ashley be stating the obvious, that you'll need a male at the other end of the interrconnect? Let us know once the suspect is in custody.

Unclejeff...Thanks for the A2Zcables.com info. Looks like good stuff.