audio aero capitol reference - XLR or RCA ?

I spoke with one of the designers at last year's Festival du Son in Montréal, Canada and asked him which one is better. He told me that the machine is single-ended, the balanced output is generated through a device. So, for short runs, RCA should be better, but if you use it also as a preamp and run a long interconnect (as I do), he told me the XLR would be better. In the end why don't you listen to both and choose the one you prefer, trust your ears.

Through a device? I wonder what that curtails? So is it truely balanced or not?

thanx

my amp has only rca inputs. i just ordered a xlr to rca adaptor ( new cardas clear - xlr to rca from dedicated audio)

Hi Masilu
The factory rep information is correct. The Capitole's single-ended outputs are converted to a balanced signal by going through a Burr Brown special line driver that splits the signal into positive phase and negative phase (pins 2 an 3 of the XLR connector).

I suggest that you use the RCA outputs of the Capitole, unless your cables are very long.
In your system, because your amp has RCA inputs, the RCA to RCA connection is the shorter signal path.
A XLR to RCA adapter will certainly degrade the sound quality.

Those with amps that have a direct XLR input will get better sound from the Capitole's XLR output, again because it is a shorter signal path.