[PaganDL]

@MacMan31,

In relation to your overall question, the answer is it all depends on you & what kind of sound experience you are after & whether that goes along with your mood on what you feel like listening to on any particular given day.
The important thing is you are happy.

As the common saying on here is, apologies to your wallet...

Hope you have a great day !

 

[flyte3333]

Hi @AndrewM888

This looks to be the correct RCA-XLR configuration right? Good price too.

I think shorter and different lengths are available on Monoprice.

 

[AndrewM888]

Hi @AndrewM888

This looks to be the correct RCA-XLR configuration right? Good price too.

I think shorter and different lengths are available on Monoprice.

Looks good!

 

[chenszhanx]

Could you please let me know how does H20 compare and how do you like it in general? What would be its strongest point? Is it stock OPA?

Thanks in advance.

The unit I got is with stock opa

H20 has is warmer and more slam then 789.
Basic sound quality is close.

But it don't fit with Sony headphones.Make it muddy.

And the step volume gain setting at BAL out. Too much power for Z1R
and iems.
It plays too loud at the first tick of the step volume control with gain 1
which 789 can handle very well.


789 might be better choice if you
1.Want to amp some low impedance headphones and IEMs.
2.Don't care the crappy connectors on 789
3.Don't need a preamp.

 

[bluenight]

So i have had a short listen only SE so far. Its a fine amp indeed. Very transparent.

Will i get the full 800mw in to a 300ohm HP using single ended rca to Thx 789 and balanced 4 pin xlr cables for the HP? Or must i have balanced cables from dac for full power?

 

[spacequeen7]

So i have had a short listen only SE so far. Its a fine amp indeed. Very transparent.

Will i get the full 800mw in to a 300ohm HP using single ended rca to Thx 789 and balanced 4 pin xlr cables for the HP? Or must i have balanced cables from dac for full power?

This amp will manhandle any HP ,you are golden

 

[alpovs]

Or must i have balanced cables from dac for full power?

No.

 

[AndrewM888]

So i have had a short listen only SE so far. Its a fine amp indeed. Very transparent.

Will i get the full 800mw in to a 300ohm HP using single ended rca to Thx 789 and balanced 4 pin xlr cables for the HP? Or must i have balanced cables from dac for full power?

Regardless of RCA or XLR DAC, the outputs give full rated power.

 

[bluenight]

Regardless of RCA or XLR DAC, the outputs give full rated power.

Very nice. So why does the manual say it sounds best with 3 pin balanced connection inputs?

 

[Marlowe]

Very nice. So why does the manual say it sounds best with 3 pin balanced connection inputs?

The THX 789 deliver full power from the balanced outputs whether RCA or XLR inputs are used. (So do many Cavalli designed amps, though I believe for different design reasons; however, Schiit balanced amps do not, or so their customer service so informed me.) However, that does not mean that there is not a small bit of improvement in sound quality if XLR inputs are used. However, my understanding (though to say I am no engineer is a gross understatement) that the improvement is indeed small, especially with the THX 789. (However, that does not mean that I am not OCD enough to probably replace my single ended Mimby next month with the SMSL SU-8, a well performing DAC that is one of the, if not the, least expensive DAC with XLR outputs.)

 

[AndrewM888]

Very nice. So why does the manual say it sounds best with 3 pin balanced connection inputs?

There's zero risk of hum issues when using XLR input.

When using RCA, there could be higher hum depending on your RCA cables shield impedance multiplied by the hum current injected by your various equipment and environmental RF (V = I * Z). You can make this a non-issue by using low Z RCA or BNC cables e.g. very short, with braid shield. e.g. 1ft Blue Jeans BJC LC-1. Or better yet get all the benefits of XLR cabling with an RCA DAC by using a cable like this in 1.5ft length: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Co...ds=rca+to+xlr+monoprice&qid=1547735495&sr=8-3

This potential hum issue is the only difference between RCA and XLR DAC connection.

 

[eeagle]

@Marlowe I received my SU-8 yesterday. I planned ahead and picked up a set of 18" XLR cables especially for my 789; I also had some RCA interconnects so was able to hook both balanced and SE inputs to the 789. The 789 allows one to switch easily between the two to compare. I was able to note slightly more volume and a punchier bass when using the balanced input (& balanced out), not a huge difference, but one that most anyone could hear. Now without test equipment this may just be the difference between the two output types on the SU-8. The fact that both types of outputs are live coming out of the SU-8 makes it a very versatile DAC allowing one to provide a source to both types of AMP inputs.

 

[Marlowe]

I'm probably going to get the SMSL SU-8 next month (I'm retired on Social Security, use cash only and have too many expenses this month) and am going to get a one foot run of XLR cables from Blue Jeans Cable, where I got my RCA and coaxial cables. They're a bit pricey ($49 for a one foot pair) compared to Monoprice or Amazon, but have genuine Neutrik connectors and great build quality.

 

[alpovs]

Nevermind.

 

[alpovs]

The THX 789 deliver full power from the balanced outputs whether RCA or XLR inputs are used. (So do many Cavalli designed amps, though I believe for different design reasons; however, Schiit balanced amps do not, or so their customer service so informed me.)

That is not correct. There was some misunderstanding. By design any amp will deliver the same power regardless of which input is used. But it depends on the input signal level. The amp just kind of multiplies the signal by the same number (for a given gain and volume level). If the input signal is low to begin with then the amp will "multiply" it and the output will be kind of low. I guess it was a part of your misunderstanding with Schiit support.