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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1742 Registered: Feb-07 | Now that I have a pre-amp that has balanced outs (Bryston BP-20), I'm wondering if there is much to be gained (no pun intended) from moving from RCA to XLR? |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3355 Registered: Sep-04 | in my experience, balanced operation is better than single ended. Of course, it depends on how the unit is designed internally, some are designed in pseudo balanced mode and really work single-ended internally. Some are fully balanced internally too. If designed as pseudo, I suspect there may not be significant gains. In fully balanced mode, the gains come fromt he balanced operation of the amplifier. I believe the Bryston is a fully balanced design so the difference should be notable. It's certainly the case with Chord Electronics for example. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1743 Registered: Feb-07 | Thanks Frank. My Bryston monos have a switch on them to go from single ended to balanced. It does indicate right at the switch that there's a 6 db increase of gain when using balanced. This would obviously make and audible difference in volume. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 13104 Registered: May-04 | . Think of the +6dB as an increase in signal to noise ratio. At least that should be how balanced circuits accomplished through a complementary differential circuit should operate. In theory that's a pretty significant jump in level and represents a lot of money spent trying to get a single ended circuit to provide similar increases in S/N ratio. Of course, not everything operates according to theory, especially when the designer has to accommodate all the variables of a consumer audio system made up of components that aren't all designed to play well with each other. Balanced lines can run from a simple transformer coupled circuit that has very little advantage over a single ended circuit - and in cheap gear could actually be a detriment - other than you get to use the same connectors everywhere to symetrical complementary differentials which come the closest to the theoretical ideal. The essence of balanced vs unbalanced lines is the rejection of common mode noise, usually of the AC noise type but also of RF variety. These links aren't overly complicated and should give you some idea of why you might want to use balanced lines. http://sound.westhost.com/project51.htm (The "phantom power" described here is a voltage used to power condensor microphones or external processors. Normally a low current 48V bias type signal that is sent over the shield of the cable.) http://sound.westhost.com/project51.htm http://sound.westhost.com/balance.htm http://www.hottconsultants.com/pdf_files/Audio%20Interconnections.pdf . |