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Balanced or single ended phono stage?

I'm currently researching phono stages but may not have the opportunity to demo them at home. I've taken a look at the Parasound JC 3 and the Ayre P-5xe which both have balanced outputs. I've also read great feedback about the Manley Chinook and the Audio Research PH-6 which can be found used for similar pricing used but are single ended.

My question is whether the balanced option should tilt me in favor of one type vs. another. I'm not too familiar with how important it is to consider balanced outputs when it comes to phono stages.

Current system is running balanced currently with a McIntosh C220 tube preamp, MC 402 amplifier and Ayre C-5xeMP SACD player, all hooked up balanced. I'm most likely going with one of the VPI tables in the classic line but haven't decided yet. Any good advice as to whether a balanced phono stage should make or break the decision since all the stages I've mentioned have great reputations?
audioguy3107
pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,534 posts
 
The Liberty B2B-1 can do both, for balanced you'd need two of them for a truly differential amplifier, IMO Vastly superior performance to running them Single ended, if the rest of your system is balanced.

And yes I do make them, there reviews here on AG and on Stereophile and Positive feedback too.

Good Listening

Peter
john_tracy
341 posts
 
Not all units with balanced outputs have true differential circuits. Also, running two single ended units in bridged mode is not the same as true differential. With a bridged connection there will be two AC current loops per gain stage. A differential gain stage has only one. There is no reference to ground with a differential circuit as there is with the bridged connection. In my experience this does have sonic consequences.
pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,534 posts
 
John, there is no reference to ground when running the Liberty B2B-1 as a differential amplifier, Each end of the coil in the cartridge is connected its own amplifiers positive input, with their negative input tied to each other. The signal is fully differential from input to output.

Good Listening

Peter
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
I have an all Ayre system and am very happy...absolutely silent with great sound. They have wonderful customer support....I would buy Ayre again.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I do not think the type of output is nearly as important as the gain being apropriate for the cartridge.
Nor as important as the ability to alter the total impedance or capacitance.
Or if it has two inputs if that is needed...

Personally i go with how it sounds.. And do not even worry about if it is balanced or single ended.

The only reason I would waant a balanced over single ended is if for some reason I had to have a very long (20/30 feet long) interconnect wire between the phono box and the preamp.
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