[mountaineagle]

I have no technical knowledge and I would be extremely grateful for the advice of the experts on this site. If my terminology is clumsy or wrong I apologise in advance.

I am buying a EMT 930st turntable that is presently being refurbished. The turntable has, I believe XLR connections between the deck and the internal transistorised  phono-stage which is called a 155st.

The refurbisher has offered me the opportunity to have XLR plugs soldered to the cable from the 155st which I can then plug into my pre-amp or direct into a phono amp I am told if I get for example ATC50SCM active speakers or via an "attenuator" with a volume control, if that is the right word, as I am told the signal from the EMT is so strong it may not need a pre-amp.

Conversely, the refurbisher has said he can also solder on rca sockets.

So I have a choice.

I don't want to spoil the ship for a "ha'porth of tar" so should I get XLR plugs and then find an amp with XLR inputs or is the gain in quality of sound negligible? 

From what little I have read XLR are preferable for long runs of cable but no better over 3 metre runs than RCA - but if they are better over long runs are they not better full-stop?

The balanced and unbalanced bit I dont understand? My deck is connected to the 155st by XLR connections and if this is a superior connection I would like to maintain it via an attenuator ( will this degrade the sound? ) until I can afford the ATCs or buy something similar.   

My present little amp is a Rega Brio without XLR inputs so I would need a temporary ( neutrik? ) adaptor if I go for XLR until I find an amp that has XLR inputs.

I used to have an excellent Exposure 18 power amp which had XLR input plugs but regrettably it got stolen in a burglary years ago and Exposure have now gone bust.

Please don't say you can always change as I am not the soldering type and in any event want to get it right first time and then build my system around it as a vinyl only system which is why I have considered the ATCs which have XLR inputs but they are expensive.

I would genuinely appreciate advice I can understand! I am not very bright so if it is not in non-technical words of one syllable I probably won't!

The EMT was a commercial deck only sold to radio stations in Europe prior to digital and I appreciate was not used in US radio stations but you guys seem to know everything and there may even be a US owner of an EMT out there.

Many thanks in advance for your advice I want to get it right first time then....sit back and listen.

Best wishes,

Greg           

[mountaineagle]

phono amp in the third para should read power amp 

[blakep]

Your EMT has quite a following, similar to the Garrards and Thorens 124's, so if it is in that league I would suggest doing everything possible to maximize its performance.

I have no idea of the quality of the internal phono stage on that table; it might be worth investigating as to whether or not it would be adviseable to bypass that altogether in favor of a modern phono stage should big improvements in sound quality be available to you that way.

Based on my experience with balanced phono, though, and in light of the fact that all phono cartridges are true balanced sources, I would strongly advise you to pursue the balanced wiring, connection, phono stage or preamp/poweramp route, particularly if you're leaning toward the use of a low output MC cartridge.

[mountaineagle]

A friend already has a EMT 930st and at first used it with a EAR 834P. He has since linked it up to the 155st he bought with the 930st and says the sound is preferable to the EAR.

I have heard his 930st with the EAR so I am impressed if it sounds better with the 155st.

I am no expert but, apparently, the EMT has a reputation for synergy when all EMT components are used together which suits me as I want plug and play rather than pick and mix.

I have been reading up and there appears to be a body of opinion that says on less than 3 metre cable runs there is no difference and yet I remember years ago buying an XLR interconnect between an Exposure 19 pre and an Exposure 18 power off the demo of hearing a stick hitting a drum. On phono it was smeared on XLR there was a crack to the sound that was real.

It seems that if I like the ATC active speakers I am home and dry as it will then be XLR right through but if I don't stretch to that cost simply having XLR connects is not enough if the pre amp from the phono amp does not have the additional circuitry that is required for a balanced system.

All advice is appreciated as phono would be less hassle but I'll put myself out if XLR is recommended as worth the effort and anyone can suggest actual components/amps to attach to the XLR plug from the 155st if I don't go for the ATCs.

930st is still being refurbished in Germany so I have some weeks to decide.

   

       

[Ericus Rex]

I would keep it original with the XLRs.  However, if there is any benefit at all (over RCAs) it will be negated by the adaptor into your Brio but shouldn't sound any worse than if you converted to RCAs.  This way, you'd at least have the flexibility of using it balanced in the future.  And the potential for better sound (if balanced does indeed sound better) when you found a balanced amp.  Am I making any sense at all?

[mountaineagle]

Thanks guys!

So it would be ok to use a neutrik XLR to RCA adaptor so I could play the deck thro my Brio 3 in the interim before I buy an amp/ pre-amp with XLR inputs?

Any suggestions of value for money amps with XLR inputs?