[gnomen]

Many thanks. I will pass all that on. I have been very impressed with my friends ATCC SCM40A actives (he was even more impressed when I took round my Bku2/ Dave combination and plugged the Dave direct into the ATCs!)

Indeed. I'd love to hear that combo myself. Like all of us here, Blu/Dave is an aspiration. I wonder whether the ATC performance would become the limiting factor once Rob Watt's babies were the source. How did you rate your friend's 40s with the Blu/Dave driving them?

 

[Triode User]

Indeed. I'd love to hear that combo myself. Like all of us here, Blu/Dave is an aspiration. I wonder whether the ATC performance would become the limiting factor once Rob Watt's babies were the source. How did you rate your friend's 40s with the Blu/Dave driving them?

I really really liked the ATC SCM40A with Blu/Dave driving them. He had the passive versions before which I found not very inspiring but the actives are a completely different animal. I am seriously considering them for my office system (yes, I know, its a hard life, but someone has to do it).

 

[Whazzzup]

Everyone that considers tt2 and mscaler should consider Dave instead. I’m out of the mouse wheel of chord, but then again it’s a tt thread so.

 

[kelly200269]

Can I ask which XLR balanced cable you decided upon in the end? My friend has ATC SCM40A which I think are excellent and he uses Canare L-4E6S. He has asked me for thoughts . . . and then I saw your post so I thought I would ask you. Thanks.

Just an observation: The balanced outputs on the TT sound inferior to the RCA/unbalanced outputs. Even Rob Watts acknowledges this.
If possible, I would stick with unbalanced/RCA output from the TT.

 

[Whazzzup]

Just an observation: The balanced outputs on the TT sound inferior to the RCA/unbalanced outputs. Even Rob Watts acknowledges this.
If possible, I would stick with unbalanced/RCA output from the TT.

well that defeats the purpose of end to end balanced topography, while i appreciate robbs views on se and RCA output, i doubt XLR is inferior really. Course i was going to test it out and buy equally good RCA connects and a/b but for several g's seems ridiculous. So while i have no proof, XLR sounds great to me, frankly i preferred it some to se direct to TT, so hows those apples.

 

[kelly200269]

well that defeats the purpose of end to end balanced topography, while i appreciate robbs views on se and RCA output, i doubt XLR is inferior really. Course i was going to test it out and buy equally good RCA connects and a/b but for several g's seems ridiculous. So while i have no proof, XLR sounds great to me, frankly i preferred it some to se direct to TT, so hows those apples.

I’ve tried the TT using both RCA/single-ended, and XLR, using Chord Indigo TA Interconnects into my Linn Akurate Kontrol. There was definitely a difference, and the RCA output was clearly superior.

 

[Whazzzup]

I have GSX MK2 which is a true balanced mono pre amp, while it does toggle to RCA and lose that topography i have not tried. But given that i preferred GSX MK2 to TT se direct, well that put RCA issue to bed for me. I don't doubt what you hear from your amp, im not familiar with that.

 

[andyschaub]

I’ve tried the TT using both RCA/single-ended, and XLR, using Chord Indigo TA Interconnects into my Linn Akurate Kontrol. There was definitely a difference, and the RCA output was clearly superior.

That’s been my experience as well. Having said that, Rob [the chief designer at Chord] certainly has listened a lot to the TT I would guess but in posts here has always said the equvalent of “Your mileage May vary”.

 

[kelly200269]

That’s been my experience as well. Having said that, Rob [the chief designer at Chord] certainly has listened a lot to the TT I would guess but in posts here has always said the equvalent of “Your mileage May vary”.

As you say, it’s a matter of ‘degrees’. And the TT still sounds wonderful via XLR.

 

[Mediahound]

The XLR's on the TT are there just for convenience in connecting up to a balanced amp. The Chord DACs are single ended so connecting them up balanced will always require a bit more of analog processing/summing within the TT. That said, Chord does a very good job with that although since they are singled ended DAC's, you will always be closer to the DAC with more transparency using singled ended outs.

Many balanced amps that also have single ended actually run single ended internally anyways, even if you input balanced to them (otherwise they could not output both). So you may be better off connecting singled ended from the Chord to the amp, and then using the balanced headphone out of the amp (where the amp converts to balanced for you as the final step).

 

[Lorealjanee]

So you mean that xlr preamp for active speakers not that good, in case with tt need to use external preamping?

 

[andyschaub]

So you mean that xlr preamp for active speakers not that good, in case with tt need to use external preamping?

I have read that back a ways in this thread but have not tried it myself. I tried the TT going into an integrated amp with a pair of passive speakers and a Woo WA5-LE, etc.

 

[Triode User]

So you mean that xlr preamp for active speakers not that good, in case with tt need to use external preamping?

I would suggest that if you have active speakers that only have XLR input (ATC for example) then you are far better off using the XLR out from the TT rather than adding in another preamp just to get XLR output to the active speakers. The extra amp stage in the TT to produce a balanced output will be far better than any extra preamp.

 

[Lorealjanee]

Thanks for advice)

 

[gnomen]

I would suggest that if you have active speakers that only have XLR input (ATC for example) then you are far better off using the XLR out from the TT rather than adding in another preamp just to get XLR output to the active speakers. The extra amp stage in the TT to produce a balanced output will be far better than any extra preamp.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I did also test Coherent single-to-XLR cables (approx. £1,200 for the pair) in the same test group. i.e. taking feed from the TT's RCA out and connecting to the XLR in on the ATC. I don't recall the exact topography of the wiring but it did appear to take the signal from the SE circuit of the TT. I did this precisely because of Rob Watt's suggestion that it was worth considering.

For this listener, with this level of equipment, there was no discernible difference to the Coherent full XLR cable. Both were equally good.