[Thunder240]

The gear in my signal path is:
Emotiva XDA-1 DAC/pre -> dbx 223s crossover -> Odyssey Stratos amp.

Although both the DAC and the crossover have balanced topology, up until now, I've only ever run unbalanced. However the Stratos has XLR inputs (albeit bridged). My question is whether there might be any sonic benefit to switching to balanced cables? I'd just do it and see for myself except that I don't own any balanced cables, and I'd rather not buy 2 pairs if there is no benefit. I have heard a rumor that balanced wiring does nothing unless every component in the signal path has balanced topology, suggesting that I wouldn't hear any sonic benefit because the Stratos is bridged. But I don't know enough about amplification theory to say whether this rumor is true and whether my interpretation of it with respect to the Stratos is correct. So I figure I'll ask the community.

If the consensus is there might be a sonic benefit, I'll spring for the cables.

[germay0653]

Thunder,

The Odyssey XLR connections aren't truely balanced and will sound no different than the unbalanced RCAs.

[Thunder240]

Ok, thanks Germany.

[AmpDesigner333]

....However the Stratos has XLR inputs (albeit bridged)....

When you say "albeit bridged", do you mean that the amp doesn't have a true balanced input, or that the positive side and negative side have seperate amps internally?

In case it matters, we always recommend balanced, but the inputs on Cherry amps are true balanced, meaning that the amp outputs act the same way when driven with unbalanced or balanced.  With true balanced inputs, common mode noise is subtracted out....

-Tommy O
Digital Amp Co.

[golfugh]

Odyssey amps are not true balanced.  The XLR input is for convenience.

I do run mine (monos) XLR out to a balanced pre, but it isn't sonically any better.  It is quieter (don't know why)??

Mark

[roscoeiii]

I don't think any of the gear in that chain is true balanced, which is usually only found in pricier gear. If that is the case, I don't think you will get much benefit. Unless you need to run balanced to get rid of something like an audible hum, etc.

[WireNut]

 If your components are not true balanced it could sound worse using different balanced cables. I tried this with my system
(Sonic Frontiers/Audio Research). The unbalanced connections sound so much better, could be the cables, I'm not sure. I later found out after calling the manufacturer/s of my equipment that even tho they had XLR ins/outs that they were not true balanced components. The XLR signal is converted to unbalanced within the component/s. The XLR ins/outs were a convenience and the components actually run unbalanced. It cost me a lot of time, money, and frustration just to try balanced connections/cables thinking they were going to sound so much better and now they sit ideal on the shelf. The one thing I can say is that I learned a lot about my equipment after trying it.

Read Balanced connections by John Chapman of Bent Audio here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=118431.0






 

[klaus@odyssey]

I am not a bog fan of balanced...what I found many times is that the tonality is skewed more towards detail,  akin to digital amps.....also,  true balanced by design is more expensive.
However,  due to the architecture of balanced,  I do agree that it is a better solution for the majority of cables and/or systems out there if you run very long cable runs,  7, 8 m +.
Lastly,  XLR cables also usually cost more,  and in 90 % of systems,  you wouldn't be flexible with them.  Yup,  I can see where they would be beneficial, and let's be honest,  in some systems maybe even great,  but for me and  my philosophy about total emotions,  not really floating any boats.....

As always, individual experiences and / or systems may vary.....

Late,
Klaus

[pavment]

Perhaps you should provide the option to remove the XLR connectors. I don't think many will complain.