Advise on Balanced XLR Cables

[Gary.D.Olson]

Greetings.

 

I'll soon be needing XLR cables to connect an Emotiva DC-1 dac/preamp to a pair of powered monitors. 20' ought'a do. Any advise?

[gmgraves]

Greetings.

 

I'll soon be needing XLR cables to connect an Emotiva DC-1 dac/preamp to a pair of powered monitors. 20' ought'a do. Any advise?

 

Mogami makes high quality XLR cables.

[esldude]

Monoprice

25ft Premier Series XLR Male to XLR Female 16AWG Cable (Gold Plated) [Microphone & Interconnect] - Monoprice.com

 

$8.93 each for 25 ft. The ends are good quality. The cable is a little thick though well shielded.

 

Blue Jeans cables use Neutrik connectors and more supple thinner cable. Cost is more. Like $49 each.

Balanced Audio Cables at Blue Jeans Cable

 

LiveWire which also has Neutrik connectors and is quite supple. Cost is like $40 or so each.

https://www.amazon.com/Livewire-Advantage-Standard-Microphone-Cable/dp/B001G7JORQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1472716856&sr=8-4&keywords=livewire+xlr+25+feet

 

For something that will be hooked up and not moved much the Monoprice are fine.

[anji12305]

Second the Blue Jeans cable offering.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[17629v2]

Have you confirmed that both pieces are really balanced?

[Gary.D.Olson]

Have you confirmed that both pieces are really balanced?

 

I just reconfirmed (one can't be too careful). Balanced male on the dac & balanced female on the JBL LSR308's. Leaning toward Blue Jean's. Getting them in the exact length needed is a plus. Both cables will be the same length regardless of actual distances.

 

Thanks.

[NOMBEDES]

Blue Jeans + 1

 

Fair price and outstanding quality. No oil of snake.

[17629v2]

I just reconfirmed (one can't be too careful). Balanced male on the dac & balanced female on the JBL LSR308's. Leaning toward Blue Jean's. Getting them in the exact length needed is a plus. Both cables will be the same length regardless of actual distances.

 

Thanks.

 

Just to be clear, I'm asking if the components themselves are truly balanced, and not just have XLR connectors. XLR connectors can come on single ended equipment. You're probably OK with the JBL's, but I'm not sure about the Emotiva.

[ericuco]

Blue Jeans + 1

 

Fair price and outstanding quality. No oil of snake.

 

I second this advise.

 

Also, if you want, you can have the cables terminated with 1/4 inch TRS Phone Plugs from Canare for the JBL connections. Not sure if there is one preference termination over the other but you have the option.

 

Blue Jean Cables

[esldude]

Just to be clear, I'm asking if the components themselves are truly balanced, and not just have XLR connectors. XLR connectors can come on single ended equipment. You're probably OK with the JBL's, but I'm not sure about the Emotiva.

While I haven't taken one apart Emotiva says it is fully balanced. Just look on their website for a description of DAC chips and how they are connected.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[Allan F]

Greetings.

 

I'll soon be needing XLR cables to connect an Emotiva DC-1 dac/preamp to a pair of powered monitors. 20' ought'a do. Any advise?

 

Without recommending specific cables, The Cable Company sells cables in a range of prices and allows you to audition them in your system as do some manufacturers.

[esldude]

Stealth DC-1 Reference-Quality Differential DAC | Emotiva

 

On that page:

Precision balanced 24/192 fully differential DAC with professional balanced outputs

[TubeLover]

Mogami makes high quality XLR cables.

 

+1. These are a steal for the prices they charge. You want the "Gold" version. Even Ralph Karsten, famed designer and manufacturer of the superb Atma-Sphere amplifiers and preamplifiers recommends these!

 

JC

[GregWormald]

I really like my Grover Huffman cables between pre-amp and powered speakers.

 

Greg

[Speedskater]

Are there many (any) audio components with XLR connectors that don't use a balanced interconnect system?

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Just to be clear, I'm asking if the components themselves are truly balanced, and not just have XLR connectors. XLR connectors can come on single ended equipment. You're probably OK with the JBL's, but I'm not sure about the Emotiva.

 

True balanced components with interconnection via balanced XLR's are the ideal. But, many components with XLR connectors are not truly balanced. Balanced costs much more than unbalanced internals. They still work fine, and they still offer freedom from ground loops and common mode noise pickup, especially in long cable runs. Plus, XLR connectors are a pleasure to use vs. the crappy old RCA standard.

 

Some argue the the internal transformers or op amps necessary to convert balanced lines to unbalanced components are a source of sonic degradation vs. unbalanced interconnects. I have not found this to be so on my equipment. My interconnects are all balanced XLRs, though I do not believe that any of my components are truly internally balanced in operation.

My favorites are these:

https://bettercables.com/collections/balanced-xlr-cables/products/silver-serpent-balanced-xlr-audio-interconnect-cable?variant=389890816

I auditioned them because I liked their ultra low capacitance specs for the long 10 meter runs I had. I liked them so much, that I replaced all the interconnects in my system with them, including some that cost many times as much.

[17629v2]

Are there many (any) audio components with XLR connectors that don't use a balanced interconnect system?

 

Yes. You have to be very careful.

[17629v2]

I forgot to mention that you can but cables with xlr connectors that are not balanced. Not as common as unbalanced components with xlr's, but the do make them.

[Speedskater]

True balanced components with interconnection via balanced XLR's are the ideal. But, many components with XLR connectors are not truly balanced.

Now you are putting a special audiophile meaning on 'true balanced'.

 

Balanced costs much more than unbalanced internals.

A few extra resistors and capacitors don't cost much.

But if you want audiophile 'true balanced' then THAT Corp makes the most excellent sender and receiver chips that retail for less than $4 each.

[YashN]

Just to be clear, I'm asking if the components themselves are truly balanced, and not just have XLR connectors. XLR connectors can come on single ended equipment. You're probably OK with the JBL's, but I'm not sure about the Emotiva.

 

That's one potential issue of a couple of them: the more insidious one is the Pin 1 problem in balanced XLR systems.

[JJinPDX]

That's one potential issue of a couple of them: the more insidious one is the Pin 1 problem in balanced XLR systems.

 

Er..... Was there another paragraph that I missed? One that described the insidious Pin1 problem? Or a link? Thanks in advance.

[YashN]

Er..... Was there another paragraph that I missed? One that described the insidious Pin1 problem? Or a link? Thanks in advance.

 

The whole thread where this post is located if you don't intend to Google it.

[esldude]

Er..... Was there another paragraph that I missed? One that described the insidious Pin1 problem? Or a link? Thanks in advance.

 

Pin 1 Revisited

 

This explains it. Many are familiar with it which is why he didn't reference it. Sort of common knowledge among many audiophile or recording pros though obviously not all people.

[YashN]

Pin 1 Revisited

 

This explains it. Many are familiar with it which is why he didn't reference it. Sort of common knowledge among many audiophile or recording pros though obviously not all people.

 

I'm not that snobbish on this one: the only reasons I didn't reference it was that was busy multi-tasking and it's very easy to get search results with 'XLR Pin 1 problem'.

 

It's not widely known either. Some people have probably still been living for years with their 'balanced' connection and their pin 1 issue...

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Now you are putting a special audiophile meaning on 'true balanced'.

 

 

A few extra resistors and capacitors don't cost much.

But if you want audiophile 'true balanced' then THAT Corp makes the most excellent sender and receiver chips that retail for less than $4 each.

 

By "true balanced", I mean components that essentially have duplicate circuits, one for the +, one for the - leg in the balanced input. See this discussion of differential amplifiers:

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_amplifier

 

This is an engineering concept, not a fluffy audiophile one. And, obviously, the cost of duplicate circuits in a preamp or amp, for example, is high. And, there are some true differential balanced components in existence in high end audio.

 

It is true that balanced inputs can be converted to single-ended inexpensively, typically via transformers or op amps. But, some maintain that introduces some sonic degradation vs. true, differential balanced, where such conversion circuitry is not required.