Conrad Johnson ACT2 against Audio Research Ref 3

Please note that in the previous post I should have been more specific: instead of 'sound' I should have specified 'Ref 3 sound signature'. The reason of course is that the actual sound is a function of all components. As such, we can't make a categorical statement about how best to run the Ref 3--single ended or balanced. It will all depend on the rest of the system.

Guido: Thanks for the update. Sounds very much like my scenario 2 on the input except the "-" phase is deactivated rather than simply grounding the input which results in the same .... and scenario 1 on the output. Good to know as both of these are the "purist" approach. Any word on work done here to trickle down to a new LS model?

Guido

Perhaps I am too simple a person here or are you just missing the point?

To me it is very simple. If your system uses balanced interconnects that is the option you select on the remote control and if you are using SE interconnects, this is what you select on the remote. Of course there will be a 6 Db dropoff from XLR to SE.

You seem to be complicating what in my mind is something very simple.

Yes, I guess it is simple OneObgin. If you run Ref 3 single ended you are utilizing 50% of its output stage. This may not maximize the Ref 3's potential contribution to a system's overall sound, however the rest of a system configuration may very Wele make up for this inherent shortcoming.