Okay so I have gotten soem real responses from people that have experience with balanced signals, and some responses from people that think they have experience with it.

Yes I am aware that by having a good RCA and good signal from the deck it will be good, that is why I have an Alpine CDA 7998 with a true DC/DC converted 4 volt pre-out and Scosche top of the line RCA cables.

Now back to what the original question was about:
The XLR connector outputs both the normal phase, inverted phase, and ground reference in one connector. Here is a diagram of the XLR connector,
http://www.canadaspl.com/gallery/alb...LR_Connections

So........ XLR has 3 pins, RCA has 2 pins, so what do I do with the ground referance wire when I convert the XLR to RCA???? Do I just run that to the amplifier ground??

[ May 11, 2005, 08:24 AM: Message edited by: Perfect Tones- Chris ]

 

^ chris.. I read your main question as being "The other question I have is whther acheiving a balanced signal is really worth all of the hassel it will put me through?? "

Please answer my questions:
"How close is the 97.2 to the amp? and Will you be running balanced from the deck to the 97.2?"
This will determine if its worth while or not.

 

This is nuts.

Correct me if I'm wrong here John, but the primary difference between balanced and unbalanced conections is the signal to noise ratio. I've used both in high end home systems, and the difference is....um....well I'm not going to get into cables here...but the difference is mostly in the noise floor. Let me explain it as a "black" dead quite background, that is approximately 6db down from unbalanced connections.

Can you hear this in a car? Maybe. Depends on how "quiet" the rest of your components are in the signal path. Again, I'm focusing on the components in the signal path, not possible electromagnetic interferance that the balanced signal helps negate.

Is balanced worth it? As Dukk has already mentioned, absolutely, in really long lengths. But in shorter lengths, there are other weakest links to be looked at.

For the record, I have had balanced equipment in my car. But I found using a fiberoptic connection from the front to the rear of the car to be an even better option.

Adam

 

A Differential (balanced) Input does not only increase the SNR, it also reduce the common mode noise.

Run all three wires from your balanced output to the amp's balanced input. Leave the ground wire disconnected at the amp. The ground shield will reduce noise pickup along the length of the run. The differential (balanced) amp input will reduce the common mode noise. Use as little amp gain as possible to maximize your SNR.

 

i would say that the speaker output ground that is common could be used as the ground (chassis ground)
as in is usually considered ground in reference to the input and and output

 

^^^ Agree with above. [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

In a good Balanced system, sonically is more dynamic over unbalanced. But circuit designs would varies the performance.

 

since we're on the subject...are Alpine ai-net cables balanced?