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Tube pre-amps: balanced a big deal?

In the market for a low priced ($2,000) tube pre-amp to match up Krell sav 300il and Thiel CS 2.3s, looking at jolida fusion, schitt Freya, dehavilland ultraverve, or similar, wondering how important it is to have balanced (xlr) connections?  When I went to balanced it really opened up the soundstage, what might I lose by moving back to rca?
128x128thosb
jond's avatar
jond
3,400 posts
 
Hi why are you paring a tubed preamp with an integrated amp? Also at the price range your looking I would say forget about balanced. Of the three preamps you list I would personally choose the Dehavilland.
thosb's avatar
thosb OP
76 posts
 
Interested in hearing tubes, this seems like the best way considering what I am starting with.  Balanced connections are available on the Jolida and Schitt, not on the deHavilland, but the reviews would indicate the deHavilland is the more popular.
nitewulf
277 posts
 
You won't really lose anything. The soundstage that opened up was due to balanced being 6db louder than single ended, you'd just have to turn the single ended preamp louder to match. We perceive louder as better, always.

Balanced is great for long, long runs, otherwise for typical in home usage you wont notice anything else besides the free 6db gain. 

I had the DeHavilland Ultraverve, it's fantastic.
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