Balanced v Unbalanced

[TheDecameron]

I think most Krell components have XLR connectors and Cambridge Audio seem to use them a lot on their higher end stuff, so hopefully both components will be ok from that perspective.

I’m fairly sure they’ll contain balanced circuitry though. I once had a meridian 552 and 557 pre/power but the pre just used a chip to create a balanced output and it didn’t sound very good. I’ve still got two tuners, a phono stage sacd player and one DAC that all have balanced outputs. Problem is, I got rid of the balanced ARC preamp and switched to a Devialet which only has s.e rca connectors. The sound is probably just as good but you get trapped into thinking you have to keep everything balanced once you’ve invested in it.

 

[The Chronicals]

You asked if I had experience........I can only assume 'experience of musicians selecting other musicians based on their 'sound' and the effect magic cables played in that sound' and you got your answer to such a load of pretentious bull.

FWIW I've commissioned music for hundreds of TV commercials and seen the inside of more top studios than you could ever hope to.

The other crap kind of answers my age related question.

The first part is creating a cyclic argument which is in the realms of trolling.

I do love your engagements on cable threads though, cheers me right up. The sheer energy and vigour you put it in to it! It's enough to make a man swoon.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Sorry NO that is incorrect, on shity kit maybe. I thought like you did but some 30+yrs ago I tried Monster and home made cable using Ag Litz and guess what, Monster was garbage so was QED and Naim and Linn compared to it .
Get some nice kit and try again like Matt Lynch and other did whilst slagging of the designs I have done for TQ, OK now there is better much better without paying for glitter and expensive tastes of the con man owner. Oh and pretty boxes that are throw away.
Borrow some and listen no steam up just listen.

Hell will freeze first.
They are a means of separating the gullible from their money. I suggest we leave it there as I have nothing good to say about foo cables, those who sell them, those who buy them or those who "design" them.

 

[The Chronicals]

Hell will freeze first.
They are a means of separating the gullible from their money. I suggest we leave it there as I have nothing good to say about foo cables, those who sell them, those who buy them or those who "design" them.

The unfortunate wrath of a closed mind.

Colin Vs Jezabel, lol, lets face it, theres no contest there at all.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

The unfortunate wrath of a closed mind.

Colin Vs Jezabel, lol, lets face it, theres no contest there at all.

We can agree on one thing then.

 

[mjw]

Mate of mine has Vitus amp and DAC so tried balanced and unbalanced, similar spec 1m I/Cs produced by the same manufacturer. He reported the unbalanced sounded better (for what it’s worth).

 

[gingermrkettle]

sacd player

Depends which one. The SCD-1 took the standard output and ran it through a phase splitter to get the balanced output.

However, the main amp stages of a Neurochrome Modulus design are not balanced but the designer still reckons there are sonic and measurement improvements from using a balanced input due to the way grounding is done, from my experience with his amps I agree.

 

[cooky1257]

As many have said, suck it and see, don't expect a definitive answer but if you go balanced you'll soon put cable foolery behind you and get on with enjoying your hifi.

 

[The Chronicals]

We can agree on one thing then.

Hows are your full production from scratch to retail projects going? I could only find this thread

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/arkless-electronics-experience.174778/

My dad does have a Claymore amplifier. A beautiful sounding Claymore.

So that contest yeah?

 

[CJ14]

We can agree on one thing then.

Just a question, could a closed mind have original thought and thus do new and skilled design work guys ? I think not.
It not a closed mind it a "I am right sod you all mind" not fair on us all.
Open the book and read, or look and learn, treat yourself to new learning and understanding of one;s self first then other later. NO what a shame.

 

[Paul R]

It's architecture dependent, but likely in a domestic environment with hifi equipment that balanced will be worse, it may be un-noticeably worse, but it will be worse. Because it involves two additional stages of electronics to attempt to solve a problem that doesn't really exist over a connection between two pieces of equipment based in the same rack and connected to the same mains and earth.

FWIW you probably need to confirm any findings made with both interconnects present by then using them one at a time. The 0v connection made by the SE connection, regardless of whether it is use, may end up playing a part in the operation of the balanced, the effect will be to unbalance it somewhat. Unless of course a transformer is in use at one end.

If, over a metre, common spec interconnect cabling changes the sound, then the equipment at either end is too badly engineered to be usable. Throw it away.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Hows are your full production from scratch to retail projects going? I could only find this thread

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/arkless-electronics-experience.174778/

My dad does have a Claymore amplifier. A beautiful sounding Claymore.

So that contest yeah?

Yes that one. I design. Very well actually and better than most. Mainly for my own curiosity and to make superb gear for my own use. I do limited hand made manufacturing now and then, but mainly commissions. I'm not a retailer.
So you've used up all yer amo... even been such an arse hat as to bring up a long forgotten glitch in my customer service from years ago, and you still know less about hi fi than Amazonian tribes who have had no exposure to technology. I rather doubt you even know how balanced works in fact. Next?

 

[The Chronicals]

Yes that one. I design. Very well actually and better than most. Mainly for my own curiosity and to make superb gear for my own use. I do limited hand made manufacturing now and then, but mainly commissions. I'm not a retailer.
So you've used up all yer amo... even been such an arse hat as to bring up a long forgotten glitch in my customer service from years ago, and you still know less about hi fi than Amazonian tribes who have had no exposure to technology. I rather doubt you even know how balanced works in fact. Next?

Ammo? no ammo at all, just research. Just seeing how you compare yourself to someone who does what you can't do. Interesting to read.

Youve proceeded to call people a range of things on this thread from fool, tin foil wearer to arse hat (amongst others on this thread), and now are seemingly butt hurt about someone retailiating to you - thats very poor.

I have no major interest in understanding 'how balanced works', thats for the likes of you, thats your gig, thats how you pay your bills, for me, I just listen and hear the differences in the likes of balanced and unbalanced connections and build my opinion based on that, hearing/sound. One of the same thing essentially.

One could say you have no idea about music or sound, the thing you are trying your best to recreate.

Colin summed you up very well above. I love that you don't take Colin on, and just me, says so much more than your responses to me.

I do enjoy the anger these threads incite in you though, its almost as if you could explode, I can see it now, little bundle of rage going all red with steam popping out! Times like this I wish I could draw, as this really is caricature heaven!

 

[SteveG]

This thread has taken a rather unfortunate turn so why not just park it until I get the cables and give it a go, and I'll feed back then.

The advice I've had on the original question is typical PFM i.e. will it make a difference?
- maybe
- maybe not
- definitely yes, unless your ears don't work
- definitely no, it'll be worse

I'm sure there is a right answer in their somewhere!

 

[The Chronicals]

This thread has taken a rather unfortunate turn so why not just park it until I get the cables and give it a go, and I'll feed back then.

The advice I've had on the original question is typical PFM i.e. will it make a difference?
- maybe
- maybe not
- definitely yes, unless your ears don't work
- definitely no, it'll be worse

I'm sure there is a right answer in their somewhere!

lol, It's almost like a little House of Commons.

 

[flatpopely]

Can we keep the name calling of pfm please......calling someone an 'arse hat' is not acceptable, goading someone into that is not acceptable either.
Holidays await.

Bat the post not the poster.

 

[sq225917]

Relatively little krell was balanced, or differential. My own amps are only by dint of their inputs and that I run bridged pairs as monos.

I can honestly say I've not heard any differences with signal cables on my current kit, and I've tried plenty.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Ammo? no ammo at all, just research. Just seeing how you compare yourself to someone who does what you can't do. Interesting to read.

I have no major interest in understanding 'how balanced works', thats for the likes of you, thats your gig, thats how you pay your bills, for me, I just listen and hear the differences in the likes of balanced and unbalanced connections and build my opinion based on that, hearing/sound. One of the same thing essentially.

One could say you have no idea about music or sound, the thing you are trying your best to recreate.

Colin summed you up very well above. I love that you don't take Colin on, and just me, says so much more than your responses to me.

I do enjoy the anger these threads incite in you though, its almost as if you could explode, I can see it now, little bundle of rage going all red with steam popping out! Times like this I wish I could draw, as this really is caricature heaven!

So there we have it. No technical knowledge, doesn't know how balanced works even and yet considers himself in a position to tell the world that balanced is not only always better but the difference is "night and day"... when in fact it will be slight and go either way depending on topologies etc, as people generally report.
Oh and I'll thank Colin for commenting that I do "new and skilled design work"

I trust we can leave it there. Good day to you.

 

[The Chronicals]

Can we keep the name calling of pfm please......calling someone an 'arse hat' is not acceptable, goading someone into that is not acceptable either.
Holidays await.

Bat the post not the poster.

So there we have it. No technical knowledge, doesn't know how balanced works even and yet considers himself in a position to tell the world that balanced is not only always better but the difference is "night and day"... when in fact it will be slight and go either way depending on topologies etc, as people generally report.

Lol.

Take your pills and do some meditation.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/...4e6~mv2.gif/v1/fit/w_498,h_498,q_90/file.webp

 

[SteveG]

A snag if comparing balanced and unbalanced with given kit is to ensure the overall output level isn't changed. Otherwise you can hear an 'improvement' due to the change in the sound level and assume it is due to the choice of transfer method.

On that point I just switched the phono stage in that same system from a Cambridge Audio 851P-B (which sounded pretty good) to a Project Tube box which immediately sounded much better. The Cambridge Audio was fairly quiet though and I've had to turn the amp down from 50 to 45 to roughly match the sound level with the Tube Box in. They're both supposed to be 40db gain but there was definitely a noticeable difference.

Having listened for a little while I'd still say the Tube Box was better sounding, but it'd be more pronounced in a demo situation if switching immediately from one to the other.