Next question - re: connectors and cables. I've never had the option for a "balanced" connection until now. I hope this won't be too confusing. (picture, if you will, speakers: NHT SB3, and my "Listening Room," which is also "Our Apartment", i.e. I'm a picky listener, but not yet an Audiophile)
Lets say I have Balanced IN (XLRs) – on both my Integrated AMP (Audiolab 8300a) and my DAC (pretend its a Monolith 124459). And lets say I also have coaxial and optical IN and RCA IN and OUT on the DAC..
Is the BEST! connection, starting from my computer (music library, CDs, AIFF and WAV rips,)–
– to go from computer's 3.5mm or USB to XLR IN on the DAC, then OUT from the DAC's RCA to the amp's XLR IN?
So I need a cable that is RCA male (DAC's OUT) to split XLR male (Amp's IN)?
(The DAC, to make things even more confusing, also has AES3 IN and optical IN)
Will I really notice the difference between XLR balanced vs RCA, optical, or Coax? Does the DAC really "make" the signal from the computer Balanced, and do I retain that balance coming out through the DAC's RCAs?
Lets say I have Balanced IN (XLRs) – on both my Integrated AMP (Audiolab 8300a) and my DAC (pretend its a Monolith 124459). And lets say I also have coaxial and optical IN and RCA IN and OUT on the DAC..
Is the BEST! connection, starting from my computer (music library, CDs, AIFF and WAV rips,)–
– to go from computer's 3.5mm or USB to XLR IN on the DAC, then OUT from the DAC's RCA to the amp's XLR IN?
So I need a cable that is RCA male (DAC's OUT) to split XLR male (Amp's IN)?
(The DAC, to make things even more confusing, also has AES3 IN and optical IN)
Will I really notice the difference between XLR balanced vs RCA, optical, or Coax? Does the DAC really "make" the signal from the computer Balanced, and do I retain that balance coming out through the DAC's RCAs?