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XLR or SE cable?

After reading the current posts relating to the volumne differences between XLR and SE cables and the recommendation of ARC (to use balanced) I find myself in a quandry as to an avenue of selection for a possibile change and could use some help. I have an ARC CD 3 Mk2 using with a Classe CAP 151 integrated amp. Currently I have them tied with SE Ridge Street Poeima ICs (1 mtr), I must add that listening is nicely relaxed and not fatiuging at all but, I was looking to warm up the presentation a little more and get a bit more bottom end extention as well. ARC recommends using balanced for optimum results (which I could do), after contenplating a change I was wondering if this would be the right route to go? Also after seeing the posting about volumne differences between using the two this additionally leaves me questioning it as well becuse I'm used to the settings I currently use for listening. I have settled on a new pair of ICs from Grover Huffman and before I invest I would like to make the right decision to do so and could use some advise as to XLR or SE being the better or best selection and benefits for optimation? Speakers are Apogee Slant 6s and I listen to soft rock, blues, new age, and jazz.
rsjm80
herman
1,974 posts
 
Just because the input is balanced doesn't mean that it isn't converted to SE at that point and remain SE throughout. The manual doesn't say so I have no idea which is correct, but it just seems strange to me that if the whole signal chain is balanced that they would only have SE output from the preamp.

I agree with the suggestion to just try it. Even if you buy expensive cables you can get them used for about 1/2 here and resell for the same if the experiment doesn't turn out for the better. That's 1/2 the fun anyway!
konis
13 posts
 
DEFINITLY GO SINGLE ENDED! They will sound more natural with better texture and decay. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
cpk
190 posts
 
a lot depends on the gear and what it was optimized for. Both my Ayre and Parasound gear sounds much better using balanced connections; the Ayre esp.

If ARC says that is how it will sound best I would go with that advice. A mfg. only wants its gear to perform well. It also sounds, from your description of the Classe's balanced input that it to will sound better run that way too.
timrhu
2,778 posts
 
I owned that amp a few years ago and ran it both ways. Can't say I remember hearing a difference. That being said, you still ought to try it and see for yourself.
Shoot man, I have a set of balanced Mogami cables that are looking for work. Happy to lend them to you for your experiment.
mordante
511 posts
 
The only times XLR is usefull is when you use extremly long IC's. Or if you equipment is build for XLR. By that I mean that all the signal processing is balanced. Most of the time this is NOT the case since you need double the amount of components to do that. I think in 90%+ of all XLR ìn and outputs there is a circuit behind/before it that takes a SE signal and converts it.
Even Bryston is not build for XLR use they convert the XLR signal to SE and then amplify it.
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