Digital ICs between pre and power...

Tried apogee balanced ICs instead of my DPA RCAs and, for half the price, sounds as good, but less background noise... :latte:

 

Good stuff Antonio, however isn't always the case WM

 

I am sure it isn't always the case, but it works quite well on my system, I wonder if better balanced cables would do much difference...

 

Antonio, all things being equal, providing the circutry is 'True Balanced 110 ohm' then yes Balanced should be better.
The Dac I use has the ability to drive both singled ended and balanced at the same time, and so easy for A/B comparsions, I use total balanced through out my system, but It's not cast in stone. WM

 

The Krell and the Bryston also have both, and, surprisingly level matched, at least to our ears, so it was very easy to do A/B... :MILD:

 

And your finding Antonio?, the balanced in my system trashes the single ended, by a country mile, when using the same cables in both.But I have heard equipment where the difference is minimal, I think GrahamN doesn't notice much differnce either. WM

 

I compared two very different cables, the DPA Black Slink with WBT midline RCAs and the Apogee Wide-Eye with Neutrik XLR, to my surprise, they sound almost exactly the same, except for apparent lower noise floor with the Apogee...

 

Antonio, I feel this is down to the True balanced Circuitry in the Belcanto, 2 pairs of BB drivers per channel independly isolated and seperate psu's (for that circuits only) and a PLL shunt for further 'Shit removal' maybe but certainly in other kit I've used the difference is pretty small. WM

 

I just read in Bryston's manual:

All inputs use fully discrete active buffer circuitry. Bryston ST series amplifiers have gain levels wich match the type of input used. This provides overall system gain wich is consistent wether RCA, XLR/phone, bridged or stereo is used.