DSK;212731 Wrote: > If you had not stated this so categorically, I would have simply ignored > it. However, most of the time, this simply isn't true. Unless you are > using very long cables (as in a pro environment) and/or in a very noisy > environment, there will typically be little if any audible difference > between single ended and balanced. On some equipment it will even > depend upon how the single ended and balanced outputs are implemented. > Why do you think all high end hifi equipment does not provided balanced > connections? In fact, many high end manufacturers have stated that > single ended performs as well or better in typical high end setups and > refuse to implement balanced connections on their components. In most > cases, the topology and dialectric differences between cables cause > greater audible differences than single ended versus balanced.
Hi DSK, respecting your opinion but just wanted to add my own (limited) experience on this: More and more high-end equipment *is* including balanced i/o these days, and the cheap implementations of these connections and i/o stages are largely being phased out as the connection type becomes more popular and widely used in consumer gear (thankfully). Personally I have found that balanced connections (when available) always seem to sound/perform better than unbalanced, even with short cable lengths of only 0.5 meter. I used to feel exactly as you are expressing, but slowly my own point of view changed as I experienced the balanced difference repeatedly with many different pieces of equipment. I think it is entirely due to the impedance-balancing, which makes it so much easier on the i/o stages and power supplies, and also the elimination of micro-currents flowing through the unbalanced cable shields. Also, when running balanced, you don't need to worry about spending as much on cables, as the impedance-balancing seems to level out the differences in balanced cables to a significant degree. Being able to run longer cable lengths if needed is obviously an added benefit as well. The connection is more secure and robust with balanced too, especially with XLR fits. Incidentally, balanced (AES/EBU) digital connections when available, have always performed better than unbalanced coax in my experience too. Anyway, just felt like adding this. Just one person's opinion. -- NewBuyer ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NewBuyer's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7862 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36550 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
