2. amps-preamps
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balanced/xlr vs. unbalanced/ single ended

would a true balanced pre/processor to amplifer (Meridian) sound measurably better than single ended/ unbalanced. all the interconnect cables are 1 meter. the speaker cables are 14 ft. for the fronts and 42 ft. to the rears. all high end/expensive cables.
Does anyone have a fully/true balanced Meridian processor/amp combo into passive speakers?
jwt
s7horton
1,065 posts
 
Depends on the manufacturer. Meridian believes in balanced, so they put more research into balanced systems, so their system will sound better balanaced. Musical Fidelity, however, does not believe in balanaced, and don't even offer anything besides single ended.
perfectionist
197 posts
 
I just went from a SE ARC preamp to a balanced ARC preamp
to utilize the balanced inputs on my JC-1 monoblocks.

The difference is night and day-go balanced.
darrylhifi
498 posts
 
To my ears I am also pro , true balanced.
cytocycle
1,034 posts
 
My friend has a Meridian 565, 508.24 and yes running fully balanced was a huge difference into the ARC D400 MkII amp to power passive speakers. If the manufactures actually designs a fully balanced piece of equipment (most are not, but the Meridian is) use it!
tonyptony
500 posts
 
I have another thread in this forum about this sort of thing. But there are no answers yet so I'll hop on to this one! In general, does delivering a signal to a preamp over balanced connections wind up delivering twice the voltage to the gain stage as using RCA? I ask because I'm worried that if I go balanced with my Pass X1 I will then lose that much more usable range from my volume control.
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