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Thread: Balanced outputs? |
    
Silver Member Username: Magfan
USA
Post Number: 142
Registered: Oct-07
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| Posted on Friday, March 07, 2008 - 11:55 am: |
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Are there any advantages to Balanced outputs on a CD player? I see these on the CA 840, but none other, at least in the sub-stratospheric price range.
Going forward, does this unit have a good enough D/A section to be considered a long term keeper? Will it take the input from an I-pod? (reach!) |
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Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 9872
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Friday, March 07, 2008 - 09:58 pm: |
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Sure, Leo, the benefits of properly balanced stages are the same from componant to componant. Lowered noise floor, seperation of channels and earths, and a boost of about 6db in signal. |
Gold Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 2523
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 10:17 am: |
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If they're done correctly and not just for show Nuck.
The iPod doesn't have a digital output, therefore making the DAC in the Cambridge a non-issue in this case. Is it good enough as a long term keeper? I don't think anyone can really answer that. |
Silver Member Username: Jaw
Post Number: 189
Registered: Mar-06
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| Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 12:24 pm: |
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http://www.soundstageav.com/onhifi/20070801.htm |
Gold Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 2527
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 09:26 pm: |
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I think Red Wine Audio, MBL, and Krell modify iPods in a similar manner.
For the money, I think the CD players with internal hard discs will be better. I can't recall who makes them. McIntosh has had one for a while now. |
Bronze Member Username: Jazzman71
Phoenix,
AZ
USA
Post Number: 70
Registered: Dec-07
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| Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 11:48 pm: |
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Some more info on music servers FWIW:
http://www.garrett-smarthome.com/articles/audio-video/musicservers.htm
http://www.avrev.com/equip/musicservers.html
http://www.audioclassics.com/cat.php3?cat=CD+DVD+LV+LD+Players&p=1
Several different types and mfrs. Stu, Mac makes 300-gig and 750-gig versions (possibly more now). |
Gold Member Username: Frank_abela
Berkshire
UK
Post Number: 2772
Registered: Sep-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - 06:56 am: |
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I cannot understand the domestic HiFi scene's steadfast refusal to adopt balanced connections more widely. Every time I have listened to properly balanced components they appear to improve significantly over similarly priced single-ended brethren. It's unfair to compare a unit's balanced and unbalanced outputs of course, since the unit will be optimised to work in one of those modes. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 9880
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 01:57 pm: |
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Again, the blance issue appears. Even the most modesr pro gear is balanced, a lot offers only that connection.
If a 200$active XO from Behringer can do it, why not a Rega or Yamaha?
One phono stage that I am eyeing is balanced, but at 1k$ is about as cheap as you will find by a long shot. |
Gold Member Username: Frank_abela
Berkshire
UK
Post Number: 2775
Registered: Sep-04
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| Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 03:06 pm: |
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Nuck
Is that phono stage with balanced inputs as well? One of the things about balanced operation is you really need to be balanced all the way through otherwise the noise floor rises again. It is possible to wire up a tonearm with such that each lead (lef pos, left neg, right pos and right neg) is individually connected to an active portion of the phono stageallowing for balanced operation throughout the phono stage. The only manufacturer I know of who can cope with this kind of input on their phono stage is Chord Electronics with their Symphonic. Have a look here:
http://www.chordelectronics.co.uk/products_detail.asp?id=8
Regards,
Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 9881
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 06:23 pm: |
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TYVM Frank. I am going to wire the phono that way, but I need to understand the point to point connections from PSAudio as well.
I will look into it. The phono and trans dac will be fully balanced all the way through then. |
Gold Member Username: Frank_abela
Berkshire
UK
Post Number: 2779
Registered: Sep-04
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| Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 - 01:07 pm: |
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Nuck,
The point was that the phono stage would have to have the appropriate inputs. It has balanced outputs but will it have 4 RCA inputs or XLR inputs for appropriately wired tonearms?
Regards,
Frank. |
