XLR or RCA?

[fabiocz]

I bought a marantz 7055 amplifier it has XLR and RCA my question is:

At a distance of 1m, what will be the difference between using XLR and RCA?

 

[Irvrobinson]

I bought a marantz 7055 amplifier it has XLR and RCA my question is:

At a distance of 1m, what will be the difference between using XLR and RCA?

The XLR connectors will make a very satisfying click as they seat. The RCA connectors won't.

 

[fabiocz]

The XLR connectors will make a very satisfying click as they seat. The RCA connectors won't.

What do u want mean with "click" ?

 

[Irvrobinson]

What do u want mean with "click" ?

High quality XLR connectors have a locking mechanism that makes a "click" sound when the connector is plugged in.

For a one meter length there is unlikely to be a sound quality difference.

 

[sterling shoote]

Do your XLRs at output and input have the same hot pin pattern? Some of my components do not.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

Google'd 'difference between XLR and RCA' and found this.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-quality-difference-between-XLR-and-RCA-audio-connection

 

[TLS Guy]

Do your XLRs at output and input have the same hot pin pattern? Some of my components do not.

That is because he USA and Europe had different pin arrangements for XLR connectors.

This is the European.

Gradually the European pin arrangement has become universally accepted. However older US gear will have pins 2 and 3 reversed from the above. This is a common unrecognized way to get a phase reversal.

My pictures keep dissappearing this weekend. Anyone else having this trouble?

 

[Verdinut]

Google'd 'difference between XLR and RCA' and found this.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-quality-difference-between-XLR-and-RCA-audio-connection

Unless someone uses pro audio equipment in his home, there is not much advantage in having XLR connections over RCA plugs and jacks. However, if interconnect lengths are longer than 20 feet, then a balanced XLR connection will prevent the possibility of picking up RF interference, AC line noise and hum. Another important advantage which Quora did not mention about the XLR connection, is that it makes for a sturdier connection which also locks.

 

[fabiocz]

High quality XLR connectors have a locking mechanism that makes a "click" sound when the connector is plugged in.

View attachment 31145

For a one meter length there is unlikely to be a sound quality difference.

I think it too, so in your opinion i don't will have benefits in change for xlr in this length ?

 

[Verdinut]

I think it too, so in your opinion i don't will have benefits in change for xlr in this length ?

I refer you to post #28.

 

[Swerd]

I agree with what Irvrobinson and Verdinut already said above.

Balanced connections are commonly used for live audio and in recording studios for microphones with long cables. Long cables (~25 feet or more) carrying microphone voltage signals (1-3 mV) can pick up noise induced by electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI). Balanced connections, including the differential circuits required on electronic gear, can cancel out this noise. Read about it here.

Quite some time ago, pro audio standardized on a single type of audio interconnect, the XLR/balanced type. The idea was to avoid a confusing mix of different types.

It seems that balanced connections have become fashionable for preamp-to-amp connections, and many examples feature these as a sought-after feature, usually at higher prices. The voltage levels of audio signals between preamps and amps are roughly in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 volts (100 to 5,000 mV). These signals are much higher than at microphone level. Do the math, that's in the ballpark of 100 to 5,000 times as strong as microphone signals. As a result, interconnects at the preamp level are significantly less prone to EMI induced noise, especially if they are less than 25 feet long. Standard interconnects with RCA plugs between a preamp and amp are fine, unless you have an unusually noisy environment with unusually high levels of EMI.

 

[Swerd]

An interesting side question comes out of all these queries about possible advantages of XLR/balanced interconnects. There are never balanced interconnects coming from a phonograph. Why? Phono cartridges put out the lowest voltage signal found in home audio, similar to microphone signal levels, and they are the most prone to interference. Apparently, phono pickups are not balanced audio signal devices, or they cannot easily be converted into balanced devices without large increases in weight. @TLS Guy – is this correct?

If phono pickups work well without balanced connections, why do some people want to pay extra for balanced connections between a preamp and amp where much higher voltages are involved?

 

[fabiocz]

For what i see have difference in results using XLR vs RCA, XLR have less interference but need more power and have a lower gain.

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/marantz-av7005-surround-processor-and-mm7055-amplifier-ht-labs-measures

 

[Swerd]

For what i see have difference in results using XLR vs RCA, XLR have less interference but need more power and have a lower gain.

Thanks for finding that useful comparison.

To summarize in what may be a more readable manner, the MM7705 amplifier was measured with RCA input signals and with XLR input signals. To produce an 2.83 volt output at 8 ohms (1 watt)

RCA – a 102 mV input signal was needed to produce

gain of 28.9 dB​

THD+N of 0.007% (at 1 kHz)​

S/N of 111 dB​

XLR – a 198 mV input signal was needed to produce

gain of 23.2 dB​

THD+N of 0.014% (at 1 kHz)​

S/N of 98.6 dB​

I doubt if those differences in measured values between RCA and XLR lead to audible differences.

 

[KEW]

View attachment 31152

For what i see have difference in results using XLR vs RCA, XLR have less interference but need more power and have a lower gain.

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/marantz-av7005-surround-processor-and-mm7055-amplifier-ht-labs-measures

I assume you did notice that the Signal to Noise ratio was better using RCA than XLR.
For the original poster's purposes, their is no decisive SQ benefit of one over the other (the RCA usually show better S/N numbers, but XLR is still not at a level that is audible).
If you have some unusual source of interference, I suppose there might be a benefit to XLR on your home audio short run.
XLR is a great technology for pro audio where there are many electronics around (as potential sources of interference) and you are doing a new set-up every night or two (when touring) such that you can't just figure out and remove/isolate the interference one time and be good (as is the case for home audio).
For home audio, it can make sense for subwoofers which might be on the opposite side of the room with a cable running around the baseboards (long runs). It can also make sense if you have a HT equipment closet located well away from the rest of the system, or for a zone 2 situation where you are using an external amp in the Z2 room.
But if you have a normal HT setup with 3-6' cables, interference should not be an issue and RCA connectors work fine.
A bogus, but, I suppose, still worthwhile aspect of XLR cables is that (to my knowledge) snake-oil cables have not penetrated the Pro-Audio XLR Balanced cable market. So, if you are prone to read accounts of day and night improvements based on expensive cables and find yourself being convinced, XLR might be a good way to completely side-step that bullet! The only disadvantage is the cost of the cable, but XLR cables are very reasonable in the grand scheme of home audio.
Last, since XLR cables are designed for use in pro-audio, it is more durable; however pro-audio cable usually has a nice pliability for the cord diameter!

 

[Swerd]

XLR is a great technology for pro audio where there are many electronics around (as potential sources of interference) and you are doing a new set-up every night or two (when touring) such that you can't just figure out and remove/isolate the interference one time and be good (as is the case for home audio).

… and when very long microphone cables are often used.

For home audio, it can make sense for subwoofers which might be on the opposite side of the room with a cable running around the baseboards (long runs). It can also make sense if you have a HT equipment closet located well away from the rest of the system, or for a zone 2 situation where you are using an external amp in the Z2 room.
But if you have a normal HT setup with 3-6' cables, interference should not be an issue and RCA connectors work fine.

Again, a reminder that balanced connections are of benefit when there are both low signal levels, as in microphones, and high levels of EMI. When voltage levels are higher than 1-3 mV, balanced connects rarely if ever make difference. Subwoofers get pre-amp level voltage signals, roughly 100 times stronger than 1-3 mV.

A bogus, but, I suppose, still worthwhile aspect of XLR cables is that (to my knowledge) snake-oil cables have not penetrated the Pro-Audio XLR Balanced cable market. So, if you are prone to read accounts of day and night improvements based on expensive cables and find yourself being convinced, XLR might be a good way to completely side-step that bullet! The only disadvantage is the cost of the cable, but XLR cables are very reasonable in the grand scheme of home audio.

Don't judge so quickly
https://www.audioadvisor.com/products.asp?dept=397

 

[fabiocz]

I use SVS RCA Interconnect 1m in my amp marantz 7055, so from what I could see in our exchange of ideas is that there is no reason in my case to use XLR instead of svs.
Thanks for informations.

 

[lovinthehd]

I use SVS RCA Interconnect 1m in my amp marantz 7055, so from what I could see in our exchange of ideas is that there is no reason in my case to use XLR instead of svs.
Thanks for informations.

Yes, and even SVS rca interconnects are more than you need to spend for the same connection quality....

 

[JerryLove]

But I really *like* XLR and SpeakOn connectors. They just feel... cool. I feel I could to a montage plugging those in... a montage that would just feel anemic with banana plugs (or spades) and RCA connectors.

 

[highfigh]

View attachment 31152

For what i see have difference in results using XLR vs RCA, XLR have less interference but need more power and have a lower gain.

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/marantz-av7005-surround-processor-and-mm7055-amplifier-ht-labs-measures

The signal on line level isn't usually expressed in terms of power- the specs call for voltage with resistance at the input and output, but power is just the result of a calculation and for this, it's irrelevant.