Balanced connection?

[admin_exported]

My Cambridge 840C and 840A (CD player and amplifier) allow for balanced connection. Am i likely to get much improvement in sound if i use this rather than RCA inputs - The handbook suggests I will! Am considering buying Nordost Blue Heaven interconnect with XLR connectors for balanced connection in place of my current Audioquest Copperhead interconnect (based purely on reviews etc since almost impossible to listen to these things here in portugal). Using MA RS6 speakers. After reading the thread on Gotham interconnect I'm getting worried that cables are overrated!!! Help please.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think there is any disagreement about the superiority of balanced connections.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

meluk:My Cambridge 840C and 840A (CD player and amplifier) allow for balanced connection. Am i likely to get much improvement in sound if i use this rather than RCA inputs - The handbook suggests I will! Am considering buying Nordost Blue Heaven interconnect with XLR connectors for balanced connection in place of my current Audioquest Copperhead interconnect (based purely on reviews etc since almost impossible to listen to these things here in portugal). Using MA RS6 speakers. After reading the thread on Gotham interconnect I'm getting worried that cables are overrated!!! Help please.

Let me know how you get on with the balanced connection. I have the same speakers and amp as you and will probably buy the new DAC from CA which also has balanced connections.

 

[Anonymous]

Thankyou - in what areas am i likely to hear the difference? And if that is the case why don't all manufacturers provide balanced inputs???

 

[Anonymous]

Will do - looking forward to getting connected up! Will probably order new interconnects today - especially if it is so evident that there will be an improvement as WelshBoy suggests.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

meluk:Will do - looking forward to getting connected up! Will probably order new interconnects today - especially if it is so evident that there will be an improvement as WelshBoy suggests.

I don't know the science to it but you don't get anything under £500 normally, cdp wise, that has XLR so it must be to do with cost.

 

[Anonymous]

Agree - pointless on budget kit like mine it's only on mid to high end stuff where it might actually make a difference to what you hear.

 

[John Duncan]

Isn't it like humbucking pickups? ie reduces noise. But for budget kit probably a) doesn;t make that much difference, b) costs more to implement and c) forces you to use cables which aren't readily available.

Note that Gotham do XLR terminated cables......

 

[Anonymous]

By noise you mean interference? So sound should be clearer? Hear more detail?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

meluk:By noise you mean interference? So sound should be clearer? Hear more detail?

A bit more info.

http://www.balanced.com/faq/balanced.html

 

[Gerrardasnails]

meluk:By noise you mean interference? So sound should be clearer? Hear more detail?

A bit more info.

http://www.balanced.com/faq/balanced.html

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks - that looks great!

 

[Anonymous]

Ive not noticed any significant differences, and cannot trust my test results to conclude one way or the other (wasnt a blind test). I have read that balanced connectors are better over long distances though. To be fair, unless you're using equipment that can reveal these things, there isnt much point in spending above and beyond what you would for your rca connectors