2. amps-preamps
  3. 1275225612

Balanced vs Unbalanced?

I am vaguely aware of the scientific merits of "Balanced wiring". I am only interested in the "Audio" merits.
CJ, a company that makes some of the best equipment on the planet, has no "Balanced" equipment that I know of. This puts some doubt on the audio merits of this circuitry. What is your opinion.
orpheus10
Post removed 
bjpd57a1's avatar
bjpd57a1
97 posts
 
Sorry, I have not followed each post;

I hope I am not repeating what has been said.

I tried both ways, Balanced, Hands down, sounded superior in

the configurations I have tried.

Different gear, obviously really is Truly, "Balanced", and

the Sound, is the result.

Although,there are some electronics that have "XLR"

connections, and they sound "terrible" using the

"XLR's" so it is not true, in ALL cases.

Listening, is the only way to be sure.

That is why I say, the "TRULY" Balanced,

electronics, sound phenomenal. IMHO.

Not to say that great sound can't be achieved with RCA's,

some equipment, is made for them.

Like early Krell's, and Levinson's, and they sold a

a Boat-Load, of each Brand.

The equipment that has "Balanced" connections, usually

sound better, if that is how they are made to be used.

My ears will tell me instantly.

I Love Music!
herman
2,273 posts
 
Bob, I was talking about the output voltages having different amplitudes because they get amplified by different amounts. Isn't Whitlock saying that it will still reject noise even if the signals aren't balanced? I don't think that is the same as saying it will reject noise if the two inputs aren't amplified by the same amount.
Post removed 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,967 posts
 
Herman, look at it this way: a differential amplifier does not care if it is getting a single-ended or balanced input signal. It will act exactly the same in either case. So if the input signal has two opposing inputs that have slightly different amplitudes, the differential amplifier will still not care.

IOW, 1 volt at one input while the other is at ground is the same as two 0.5V at both inputs. Or 0.25V and one input and 0.75 at the other. The differential amp does not care- it just amplifies what is different between its two inputs, regardless of differing amplitudes.

In the meantime, the CMRR is not dependent on the signal, its dependent on the differential amplifier, and it gets an awful lot of that from how effective its Constant Current Source (CCS) is.

The bottom line is you can have an imbalance and it will work out fine, so you don't need loop feedback in the circuit to insure perfect balance.

BTW in general this issue is really poorly understood, so that was an excellent question!
More to discover