Thoughts on Arc Audio ALD
10-13-2009, 12:51 AM
#1
Thoughts on Arc Audio ALD
I am curious about this unit, but still not sold on the idea. If all they do is help with the noise which I dont have an issue with, and all my gains on the amps are all the way down, and I have a 4v deck, I am not sure what else this ALD unit does. The idea was to use it in between the head unit and the Arc SE amp and have it connected to the amp with RJ45 cable. Just to be clear, I do not need higher voltage output going into my amps.
Unrelated to Arc Audio, but in general, some people online were describing "fuller" and "more impact" sound when using balanced line connection, so I got intrigued, but I am still skeptical. Then again, I dont know anything about this balanced line stuff and RJ45 connection. If ALD is nothing more than a glorified voltage booster/better noise rejector, then I do not see the point of using them in my rig. Can someone help me understand what I may be missing here in terms of sound enhancement? Could this ALD be the missing link I've been serching for, or is it just another unit sprinkled with magic SQ dust? Do Arc SE amps benefit somehow from these units, and am I not using my Arcs to their full potential by not running ALD's?
Any thoughts/experience?
Unrelated to Arc Audio, but in general, some people online were describing "fuller" and "more impact" sound when using balanced line connection, so I got intrigued, but I am still skeptical. Then again, I dont know anything about this balanced line stuff and RJ45 connection. If ALD is nothing more than a glorified voltage booster/better noise rejector, then I do not see the point of using them in my rig. Can someone help me understand what I may be missing here in terms of sound enhancement? Could this ALD be the missing link I've been serching for, or is it just another unit sprinkled with magic SQ dust? Do Arc SE amps benefit somehow from these units, and am I not using my Arcs to their full potential by not running ALD's?
Any thoughts/experience?
10-16-2009, 11:57 AM
#2
They are just a glorified voltage booser/better noise rejector... but if I were you and had SE's, I'd have one. 
At around $100 they aren't that expensive (especially when you compare the price to the amps and it's just too much fun buying a new toy.
Assuming the unit did a perfect job it would not change the signal at all meaning you should have the same sound. Anyone who was hearing more impact was probably maxing out their outputs from their headunit on large transients... or they simply heard a difference since there was a new piece in their system. Good old placebo.
However don't count out noise rejection, if there is any environment balanced lines should be used its in an automotive environment. People pay big bucks to have a nice low S/N ratio on paper from their source or amp only to introduce so much noise into the system through their RCA's. Lowering the noise floor (even if you don't think you have any noise) does help with imaging and stage, any noise at all even if 100db less than the music can cause you to localize the speakers during quiet passages or between notes.
At around $100 they aren't that expensive (especially when you compare the price to the amps and it's just too much fun buying a new toy.Assuming the unit did a perfect job it would not change the signal at all meaning you should have the same sound. Anyone who was hearing more impact was probably maxing out their outputs from their headunit on large transients... or they simply heard a difference since there was a new piece in their system. Good old placebo.
However don't count out noise rejection, if there is any environment balanced lines should be used its in an automotive environment. People pay big bucks to have a nice low S/N ratio on paper from their source or amp only to introduce so much noise into the system through their RCA's. Lowering the noise floor (even if you don't think you have any noise) does help with imaging and stage, any noise at all even if 100db less than the music can cause you to localize the speakers during quiet passages or between notes.
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