Forums - Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?

SDMF_Mark Verified Member Posts: 8	Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? 12/06/21 at 00:03:06 Like title says… Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
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CAJames

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Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
Reply #1 - 12/06/21 at 02:25:46

Hurt the sound quality compared to what? Using a cable that converts XLR to RCA? That will hurt the sound quality relatively a lot because you are throwing away half the balanced signal without differencing it to remove common mode noise like the XLR inputs do.

In my case rather than getting a UFO with the XLR upgrade I got two and configured them as balanced monoblocs. But for other models if you have a balanced input you either need the XLR upgrade or a ZBIT to use it properly.

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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650

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SDMF_Mark Verified Member Posts: 8	Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? Reply #2 - 12/06/21 at 04:30:15 Hi, Compared to a regular single ended SE84UFO.2
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Edsonic

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Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
Reply #3 - 12/06/21 at 04:47:39

We need some ancillary information in order to understand the electronically logistical context of the question.

To wit- What would you be plugging into the amplifier, for starters. A preamplifier? A DAC directly? Etc.

Whatever the device, is the ouput unbalanced (RCA) or balanced (XLR)?

Inquiring minds want to know!

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Lin Ex Member	Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? Reply #4 - 12/06/21 at 04:48:28 SDMF_Mark wrote on 12/06/21 at 04:30:15: Compared to a regular single ended SE84UFO.2 What is your source(s) and preamp?
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SDMF_Mark Verified Member Posts: 8	Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? Reply #5 - 12/06/21 at 05:02:07 Schiit yggy for digital balanced, VPI Prime into a Manley Chinook phono pre, all into a Rogue RP7 preamp.XLR balanced to amp.
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Edsonic

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Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
Reply #6 - 12/06/21 at 05:26:33

"Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?"

With the Rougue preamplifier and its balanced output . . .

On the contrary. The whole purpose of the transformer balanced input option on the 84UFO2 is to accommodate signal from an upstream balanced output, with attendant common mode rejection. And the added bonus of 6dB greater output with balanced connection (vs. unbalanced) is a nice collateral benefit.

All the above is obtainable from the Rogue only when plugged into an amplifier with balanced input.

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CAJames

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Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
Reply #7 - 12/06/21 at 11:14:52

I guess it isn't clear to me balanced buys you very much since the Schiit isn't "true balanced" it is really just a single ended signal over XLR connectors. Setting aside the whole question of whether XLR hurts sound quality I wouldn't spend the the money on XLR inputs now but rather use the RCA output from your preamp. In the future if you get e.g. a true balanced DAC than then you can consider a ZBIT to convert the balanced output from the preamp to single ended. JMO of course.

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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650

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SDMF_Mark Verified Member Posts: 8	Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? Reply #8 - 12/06/21 at 11:36:46 The schiit Yggy is truly a balanced design and so is my preamp.....I don't like the idea of the Zbit.
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SDMF_Mark Verified Member Posts: 8	Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? Reply #9 - 12/06/21 at 13:33:02 I'm just going to use the RCA outs on my preamp. Done.
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CAJames

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Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
Reply #10 - 12/07/21 at 00:51:34

You can have the best of both worlds. For about the cost of a UFO2 with XLRs you can get 2 UFOs (and custom XLR to RCA interconnects) and maintain your true balanced signal all the way to the speaker terminals while avoiding the nasty XLRs. Check out page 17 of the UFO manual for the details:

https://www.decware.com/newsite/SE84UFO-MANUAL.pdf

Note that the UFO and UFO2 are essentially the same amp under the hood, they are just missing the wood base and meters, so you can do it with a pair of UFO2s (or even 25th Anniversary Editions) if you choose.

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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650

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piezoman

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Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality?
Reply #11 - 12/19/21 at 16:34:04

Quote:

Reply #7 - 12/06/21 at 06:14:52 I guess it isn't clear to me balanced buys you very much since the Schiit isn't "true balanced" it is really just a single ended signal over XLR connectors. Setting aside the whole question of whether XLR hurts sound quality I wouldn't spend the the money on XLR inputs now but rather use the RCA output from your preamp. In the future if you get e.g. a true balanced DAC than then you can consider a ZBIT to convert the balanced output from the preamp to single ended.

perfect.

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SDMF_Mark Verified Member Posts: 8	Re: Does getting the XLR upgrade hurt sound quality? Reply #12 - 12/19/21 at 16:38:24 The schiit Yggy is truly a balanced design and so is my preamp.....
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