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If your phono preamp and preamp/integrated has XLR connectors do you use it? Or do you use RCA connections? For a reason?
I've never owned a phono stage with balanced inputs. The best sounding phono stage I've ever owned is the Pass Labs XOno, which has single ended inputs and balanced XLR outputs. I use a balanced XLR cable to connect the XOno to my Pass Labs X1 preamp, and I also use a balanced XLR cable from my preamp's outputs to my power amplifier's balanced inputs. However, the XOno phono stage is designed for standard RCA single ended inputs from the turntable.
I've never had any hum whatsoever.
Happy listening!
John Elison
XLR connectors generally imply a balanced circuit which offer extra common mode noise rejection. Though, especially when differential signaling is utilized, extra care needs to be taken during the design phase to prevent the addition of the sort of distortion that comes from mismatch between the positive and negative polarities of a differential signal.
You gotta listen/measure to find out if it was done right. Good examples sound fine to me and since they seem to help with the emi problems, common in my environment, it's a feature I'm looking for in a preamp. Especially on the input side.
my tonearm has continuous silver litz wiring from the cartridge to the RCA plugs, so I have no choice. I have always considered that continuous wire scheme as a practical advantage, as my runs are short.
the only hum problem I have ever experienced was when a shure cartridge picked up a very slight
induced noise passing over a direct drive motor. kept the cartridge , went to a suspended AR design with the motor outside the platter, and never looked back.
"continuous silver litz wiring from the cartridge to the RCA plugs"
Why does that prevent you from using a balanced connection?
Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"
I think my MM cartridge is wired with a ground that prevents a balanced circuit, but am not sure.
I regret I can't answer the complicated question, because I never felt any pressing need to investigate further into with my humble plug and play success, since my phono signal through the speakers is dead quiet with the phono amplification at full gain and my ear next to the driver. Briefly and without signal of course, I wouldn't want to hurt anything.
I enjoy understanding how the stuff works, but not enough to get into the weeds, without needing to solve problems. Keeping stuff simple is where my happiness lies, as my goals are only audiophile adjacent , using others knowledge only as a guide to not screw up my system building through ignorance, , using the weak link philosophy, on the very slow bell.
That application is the one where I see the RCA as at least a strong contender... a winner in some cases.
Yes - both input and output.
I have a balanced SUT connected (Ortofon ST-90) to a balanced phono preamp (Musical Fidelity M6X) and the balanced connection to the M6X totally eliminated audible hum.
I run balanced connections by default, but specifically, the XLR output was necessary to connect to my ADCs.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
Here's a balanced connection from cartridge to SUT and an unbalanced from SUT to preamp. I built my SUTs into my preamp.Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"
Edits: 06/09/25
The ST-90 has a convenient switch on it so I can connect my standard phono cable into the SUT, then the balanced output can be enabled for XLR to the phono pre.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
Phono stage (Rogue Ares) does not have balanced inputs or outputs. I figure the designers had a good reason for that.
Integrated amp (Ayon) has only one set of XLR inputs. I use it for the DAC, which has the longest cable distance run in the rack - 2 meter.
Back when I had separates, I used 2m XLR (Cardas) to feed the amps from my line stage preamp.
. . . in theory, practice and theory are the same; in practice, they are different . . .
My phono amp has a balanced input and only has XLR connectors. Ironically, my arm cable is not balanced but the shields are not grounded or connected together so that works with a balanced input.
... Only my Tascam 112B and Alesis M-9600 have XLR connections but they have never been used.
Later Gator,
Dave
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