seem to be rather close equivalents to the discontinued Rega product
Rega Couple 1 was a Klotz cable - if memory serve something like ac330 ?
seem to be rather close equivalents to the discontinued Rega product
You can put it down to me being pedantic, however, it should be noted here that there exists no volume difference between the cables, only the balanced vs. unbalanced interfaces. The interconnects are just shielded wires, some better made than others. The absolute best quality Neutrik XLR shod 1m leads can be had for 20 quid each (see John Phillips link above). Anyone paying circa $US 2250. a pair for 1m cables with boutique Asian bling OEM XLRs on needs having their gullibility/susceptibility to marketing BS adjusted. (EDIT: toned down from 'head examined')I have 2 Cardas Clear Rev1 ICs, one balanced and one RCA. Compared the balance vs unbalanced and there is a definate volume difference between the cables. The balanced seems to have more headroom but can sound brash at times.
With this comparison I prefer the unbalanced.
What threw me off was when I bought the Cardas RCA I compared it to the Rega RCA and clearly preferred the Cardas so I proceeded to order the balanced Cardas and never looked back. I assumed the balanced would be better. Out of curiosity recently I put the Rega back on and the difference wasn't huge, but this was comparing a balanced Cardas against an unbalanced Rega IC.
Unbalanced seems to be the way to go for me.
AC110, formerly "La Grange GY107", or just GY107. Plugs were Neutrik ProFi NF2C-B/2 on Couple. Couple 2 had Rega branded twist locking plugs. The current Couple 3 features Rean RF2C "Finger Groove" series plugs.Rega Couple 1 was a Klotz cable - if memory serve something like ac330 ?
Best of breed XLR so far in my direct experience ( REGA ISIS VALVE to REGA OSIRIS) = CARDAS CLEAR XLR
The CC bested my NORDOST FREY.
AC110, formerly "La Grange GY107", or just GY107. Plugs were Neutrik ProFi NF2C-B/2 on Couple. Couple 2 had Rega branded twist locking plugs. The current Couple 3 features Rean RF2C "Finger Groove" series plugs.
Interesting your opinion regarding the Frey, I was considering a Frey2. I have the SS version of the Isis so maybe there is a difference. I have 2 Cardas Clear Rev1 cables in my system, XLR (Isis) and RCA (TT). The Cardas RCA was clearly better than the Rega Couple when I compared them about a year ago. I ordered the XLR version after this comparison assuming the balanced was the best connection (according to Rega) and never looked back. The unbalanced seems to work better with the Isis in my system comparing now but I'm going to do extended listening between these cables over the next few weeks to see if my opinion changes.
Unless both you and @John Little have a different Isis manual than that which has been available since the product launch in 2009, the included interconnects referred to within are the original co-ax Couple with ProFi RCA plugs on. No mention of XLR being anything other than an option.(2) XLR over RCA ICs
- Balanced outputs specifically stated as THE preferred IC option for ISIS VALVE to OSIRIS linkage in the REGA manual
Now that we've narrowed the preference down to Valve Isis, I suspect that TB's differential tube output stage transformers might just suit balanced operation better than would a SS stage with transformers (or opamps) for floating balanced output.@Craig B
There are differences between the ss vs tube models. .
(1) - My ISIS VALVE manual is with its 2012 issue (the ISIS unit in its formats was launched in 2010).Even in the current ISIS VALVE manual, nothing has changed,
Quote:
- ANALOGUE XLR BALANCED OUTPUT – connection options.
Option 1: The Valve Isis is best used in a fully balanced system using balanced XLR connectors and leads. (Rega balanced XLR leads available from your Rega dealer).
Option 2: If using the valve Isis in an un-balanced system we recommend using the Balanced XLR output on the Isis connected via a un-balanced lead into the amplifier. (This lead is shown on the Rega website www.rega.co.uk)
Option 3: A high quality Rega „couple‟ (unbalanced) interconnect is supplied. However this output is not fully isolated, and therefore does not take advantage of the transformer isolation afforded by the balanced XLR output
- The XLR IC as the preferred linkage for the ISIS VALVE is repeated in the reviewer’s comments below:
https://6moons.com/audioreviews/rega2/3.html
“…When studying the manual for the on/off switch I came across an interesting recommendation from the manufacturer. Use the XLR outs whenever possible. They suggest doing so even if your amplifier is neither a balanced design nor sports even convenience XLRs to require XLR/RCA adaptors.…
(2) the ISIS s/s model versus the ISIS VALVE model have different DACs
- SS: Two Burr Brown PCM 1794 digital to analogue converters, running in parallel dual mono mode ….
- VALVE The Valve versions uses a different DAC chip (Wolfson) to the SS (Burr-Brown)…. Wolfson’s WM8741 ultra high-performance digital to analogue converter
(3);The VALVE model has its own bespoke 3-way digital filter tailored option setting = Digital filter feature in the back panel
as I understand it
- Filter 1 (off position) standard half band digital filter.
- Filter 2 (mid position) minimum phase digital filter.
- Filter 3 (on position) minimum phase with tailored response
The REGA COUPLE interconnects are indeed just rebranded made-in- Germany KLOTZ 'La Grange' cable available off the reel in bulk at numerous vendors with NEUTRIK PROFI connectors. They are “okay” but not in the same league performance-wise as my prior NORDOST FREY XLRs, nor my current upgraded CARDAS CLEAR XLRs & CARDAS CLEAR RCAs
Rega Isis Valve (which I've known from 3 years of ownerships) performs better with XLR outputs because it is designed as a real balanced machine, inside.Now that we've narrowed the preference down to Valve Isis, I suspect that TB's differential tube output stage transformers might just suit balanced operation better than would a SS stage with transformers (or opamps) for floating balanced output.
This review by Jason Kennedy from back in 2010 is worth a read, if you haven't already...
Just in general and specifically today with my Krell amp.Are you talking about Rega Isis Valve, or in general? In Isis case, XLR output clearly sounds better than RCA, in a real balanced system.
In general, XLR connection just doubles the signal vs RCA (+ and - polarity), and is used only for reducing electrical noise in the chain.
The absolute best quality Neutrik XLR shod 1m leads can be had for 20 quid each
Of course not. No amp/box/speaker manufacturer makes cables, as in actually makes them. Making a cable requires whole factories to draw wire, insulate it etc etc. It's an industry to itself and no hifi equipment manufacturer has the budget to invest in entire factories just to produce maybe a couple of hundred interconnect cables world wide. The wire/cable manufacturers make hudreds/thousands of km of product a year, it's the only way it can be cost effective. ALL hifi companies buy their cables from cable manufacturers who just brand it for them. Maybe, just maybe (but still probably not likely) Rega will buy reels of such cable and solder it to off the shelf XLR connectors. More likely though they get someone else to do even that.Rega doesn't make these.