What do you hear different using Balanced XLR Cables?
- Thread starter Shadowfax
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Objectively speaking (not subjective) balanced XLR connections are less prone to interference and noise. So yes there is a measurable difference and is why it is preferred for use in recording studios and in professional concerts.
What is the quality difference between XLR and RCA audio connection? - Quora
atmasphere
Active member
If your equipment is set up right its a pretty big difference. By 'set up right' I mean if it supports AES48 or not. If it does not you may even prefer the RCA inputs.
Speedskater
Member
For other's, Audio Engineering Society standard AES48 is about balanced interconnects using XLR connectors. In the standard, XLR pin#1 is the shield and it is attached to the chassis at the connector body. Pin #1 is NOT the audio circuit common (aka ground) although it will probably have some continuity to it.
PMCH
Member
For me the quality of the cables makes a larger difference than Balanced vs Unbalanced. That being said, all of my cables are balanced and so is my gear to take advantage of them. I do prefer the clicking connectors with balanced, too.
noise rejection is one of it attributes for sure, I run them on my IC's from my linestage to my amps(12' run). But if the topology of your components being connected are not balanced and your cable runs are short I don't know that there is any real benefit.
The key word here is “short”. For short cable runs, even though technically and objectively balanced XLR are proven quieter, you might not be able to (subjectively) hear a difference.
It is worth knowing that not all components with XLR outputs are truly balanced design.
I buy balanced-designed components only, by choice.
I you place yours amps next to your speakers, you can run very long balanced IC from the preamp to the amps knowing that noise or RF interference will not be an issue.
Speedskater
Member
Yep. If the interconnects are short (say 3 meters/10 feet) and all the components are powered from the same AC mains wall outlet, it's doubtful that you will hear any differences. Note that in pro audio, long interconnects are sometimes 100 meters /300 feet long.
While it's possible, I think that it will be a rare case.
It's much more likely to find audiophile products with the 'pin 1 problem' (AES48).
This can be a great plan, especially if you have low impedance loudspeakers.
mep
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What needs to be clear here is whether or not the OP actually has balanced gear or if he just has a pair of XLR inputs/outputs on his gear for convenience. If the circuits aren't truly balanced, there is nothing to gain by using the XLR inputs/outputs.
Shadowfax
Well-known member
CPP
Active member
Well in my Bryston BHA-1 Headamp, using L/R Bal or a stereo XLR instead of the normal jack, I get more wattage to my hard to drive phones. Just the way it was designed per Mike at Bryston.
"The big advantage of using the balanced outputs on the BHA1 is the doubling in output voltage, because you have two class A amplifiers driving the output rather than one. This doubling in voltage actually results in a 4 times increase in power, since power is proportional to voltage squared."
"The big advantage of using the balanced outputs on the BHA1 is the doubling in output voltage, because you have two class A amplifiers driving the output rather than one. This doubling in voltage actually results in a 4 times increase in power, since power is proportional to voltage squared."
brad225
Well-known member
The first time I used XLR, was to see if there was any difference I could hear.
I replaced a pair of 1.8M Shunyata Altair RCA with Altair XLR between my then Krell SACD player and my ARC LS25 line stage. The only thing I noticed was that the volume was louder at the same setting on the LS25.
I have amps that only use XLR and have continued to use XLR for all connections in my system.
I replaced a pair of 1.8M Shunyata Altair RCA with Altair XLR between my then Krell SACD player and my ARC LS25 line stage. The only thing I noticed was that the volume was louder at the same setting on the LS25.
I have amps that only use XLR and have continued to use XLR for all connections in my system.
mep
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The specs might say you have a pair of balanced XLR connectors, but neither of your pieces of gear have truly balanced circuits.
atmasphere
Active member
If all is well the cables should be cheap. We use Mogami Neglex and we also make up cables using it. You're talking maybe hundreds, certainly not thousands to do this.
The benefit is there even if the cable is 6 inches long!
Further, it does not matter what the internal circuitry of the amp or preamp is like, it can be single-ended as long as the input and output is handled correctly. A great example of this is the old Ampex 351 record/play tape electronics. It used input and output transformers. The record circuit was entirely single ended though and it worked fine. The playback side was single-ended too except right at the line drive it used a 12AU7 (IIRC) in push-pull driving an output transformer. But you could as easily use a tube to drive a single-ended output transformer- I've done that in a good deal of mic preamps we've made. You can also simply put a line transformer at the output of an existing single-ended preamp and drive a single ended amplifier with another transformer at the other end of the balanced cable. I've done that too with excellent results.
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
Hi-fi manufacturers that do not use differentially balanced circuits typically might offer a XLR input/output for convenience but I doubt any audible difference could be heard between the two as the only difference is the connecter.
GSOphile
Active member
Agree. And manufacturers who go to the extra expense of offering fully balanced designs will sometimes recommend XLR cabling over single ended for better performance, which has been noted in some audio product reviews. A few manufacturers may offer XLR only in some products (e.g., Boulder high end). Single ended is less complex and expensive to implement, especially compared with fully balanced designs.
yes and for the noise rejection ability if and when longer IC runs are needed
W9TR
Active member
This is incorrect. Several posts in this thread conflate balanced inputs and outputs with balanced internal amplifier circuitry.
Balanced inputs and outputs, when designed properly to AES48, have advantages over single ended interconnects even if the underlying amplifier circuitry is not balanced.
Balanced I/O doesn’t use the cable shield as an audio return. This prevents ground current induced hum between different pieces of gear. By being balanced, interference impinging on the cable will be cancelled out by the balanced input circuitry of the receiving piece of gear. Most XLR connectors offer a locking mechanism not present in RCA connectors.
Balanced internal amplification circuitry has additional advantages in that certain types of distortion are cancelled out.
To make things more interesting;
You could have an amplifier with single ended inputs and balanced internal circuitry.
You can also have a situation where a truly balanced amplifier has poor common mode rejection, making it no better than a single ended amplifier in this regard.
As to which works or sounds better, it’s more how these circuits are implemented by the manufacturers than the actual configuration of the gear and weather you use a single ended or XLR connection.