Balanced connections

[RobP]

How many of you guys run balanced connections on your Classe gear? And if you did, what improvements were made by doing so?

[sikoniko]

I use all balanced for classe connections, but I can't give a comparison, as I've not used SE with this stuff. sorry.

[photoman]

I use balanced from SSP600 to the 5200 all five channels. I also use balanced from CDP102 to SSP.

Now for my phono pre - i use single ended. There is a big difference in how quiet the balanced stuff is between SC. For example, if choose my CD as the source you have to put your ear on the diamond tweeter to hear any hiss. However, if i choose the phono-pre you can hear the hiss from 1ft away (this is without the turn table on). Is it a function of the two components or just the connection. Not 100% sure, I don't doubt that any phono-pre is noisier then a typical CD player - but I'm also sure that the balanced connections are playing a big part on how quiet the CD player is.

[Glen B]

I've been running balanced connections between CD player, preamp and amp for a number of years after comparing balanced and single-ended versions of the same brand, model and length cables. I found no major differences between the two. In my system, balanced and SE each had a slightly different sonic presentation, neither being more outstanding than the next. If anything, I would say running things balanced brought an ever-so-slight improvement in treble and midrange clarity. I also like balanced connections because I find the XLRs to be more secure than RCAs. While there are locking RCAs, I am not a fan.

[RobP]

Thanks for the feedback, looks like I will be soldering up some XLR's this evening and giving it a try. :T

[RobP]

I got my balanced IC's hooked up last night, finally was able to use the analog bypass on the SSP60. :E WOW, everything opened up and had a realism that I had never expierienced before with this setup, I thought I had squeezed all of the performance I could out of my 803's, Boy was I wrong, I ended up staying up late going through a bunch of CD's again. , needless to say I am one happy camper.

[photoman]

Told you so :B