Balanced IC suggestions

Since I'll soon(ish) be getting my BentAudio NOH preamp which has balanced inputs and my Chord DAC64 has balanced outputs (and apparently fully balanced circuitry) I'd like to try some balanced ICs.

Also, when I finish my power amp project it will also have balanced inputs (and the NOH has balanced outputs too) so I'd need a second set from preamp to power amp.

Any suggestions? At the moment I'm using Musical Fidelity NuVista ICs which I terminated myself with Bullet plugs (and they were made from a roll of cable so don't have the RF clamps - which don't do anything IMO anyway). IMO they are very good allthough I should add that the differences I've been able to hear between ICs have been subtle at best.

Any decent DIY balanced IC suggestions?

I only need about 75cm for each connection and for each 75cm pair I'm not really prepared to pay significantly more than £100.

Michael.

 

Get yourself some microphone cable. You might be surprised. Tends to be sold in longer lengths than you need, but still cheap. You can get 6 metres, XLR terminated, for about a tenner from Maplins.

I'd do this before investigating any more expensive options.

-- Ian

 

Personally, I'm a big fan of Canare mic cable. Excellent stuff (just plug n' play) and it doesn't get all kinky and difficult to wind up
Mogami is also excellent, as is Belden who make some rather funkay looking speaker cable, which is what I use at home and at the office where the ProAcs now live.

 

I feel a good choice would be VDH 'starquad' Microphone cable, excellent sound properties & throughly recommended by the earth squad, surprisingly good value too. Wm

 

The Apogees are within your budget, and they work well in my system, at least as well as the DPAs...

You already have one, we can test with one of mine when you have your gear, and it will save you some time, money, and possible errors... :MILD:

 

Sounds suspiciously like Mogami's Quad does that. No relation, I'm sure.

 

I had a look at VDH cables. They do the D-102MkIII in a balanced version and also their "The Second" is a balanced cable. Will look into some of the mic cables mentioned also.

Lowrider, how did I know you'd suggest the Apogee Wyde-Eye cable? It's a digital cable but I guess there's no reason it can't work as an analog one too (like the Omiga Audio ones). I don't even have one anymore though as JoeKool (from the CdA) has mine and is going to buy it off me to use with his DAC64

Michael.

 

I don't know if it's offered, but perhaps WM would be amenable to making a balanced set of the £99 (RCA) Omiga Hurricane? Superb cable when I tried it... I only didn't buy because I bought the spitfire instead...

 

Hurricane? Spitfire? Honestly WM and timpy, why haven't I had the latest glossy brochure in the post? Website needs an update I feel . I haven't heard of these new cables but I take it these are the analog ICs? So, analog cables named after planes and digitals after spaceships...

I'd certainly want to give an OA cable at that price level a try if it's available in balanced

Michael.

 

Another vote for Canare, Belden or Mogami mic cables. Available for sensible money from your local guitar/pro audio shop. My local, nothing fancy, dealer has Belden in lengths starting at 2 ft to 50ft. I think a pair of 2ft cost me $30.

Oh, and I think "star quad" is a Canare product line.

 

Apogee do actually sell the Wyde Eye as both an analogue and digital cable, or at least they do with the non-balanced version. That's why it's full name, as printed on the cable, is Apogee Wyde Eye A/D, meaning analogue and digital. Having said that, it's clearly been designed with the wide bandwidth requirements for a digital intereconnect in mind, so how it will fair as an analogue IC I wouldn't be too sure. I rather suspect they just decided they may as well try and sell it for analogue purposes too .

 

Andy, It's badged up by 'vdh' over here
However it doens't reside in any system we use, but for the outlay, its OK and it's £4.50@m RS/Maplins sell it

 

WM, are you talking about this:

http://www.vandenhul.nl/cable/integration-h.htm

..in "Cable Type" they say "Triple screened quadruple core / star quad (Balanced)".

However, it looks like a genuine VDH cable made by them and not a re-badge.

Michael.

 

How come it works for Joecool and it didnt for you...

 

I aint Joe cool Antonio just try it for yourselves and make your own mind up

 

I did try and do use the Apogees as balanced analog ICs, just wondering why it didnt work for Michael, as digital balanced IC, and it works for Joecool...

 

No idea - different systems (apart from the DAc64), different tastes Maybe he likes harsh treble

Michael.

 

"starquad" really does does sound like Canare cable (the Mogami cable is "Neglev Quad" or something)
http://www.haveinc.com/products/colors.html

 

We have 4 completely different manufacturers 'Versions' of this, once the outer jacket is off all the same, even down to the measurements however the prices arn't the same

 

How many cable companies are there anyway...

...that actually have boiling vats of copper, silver, gold etc and actually make the wire? [I suppose they also do the insulator, so they'd have boiling vats of <long list of other stuff>]

I'd sort of assumed that ultimately most of it came from

BICC and Belden

Anyone actually know?