[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scott:
[QB] Any balanced connectors we used would be standard XLRs.

Excellent, but "XLR" doesn't define the signal level, nor does "balanced". For example 1/4" jacks can be balanced, and XLR’s can be used for mic and even speaker connections (a horrid idea, that).

I recommend balanced outputs should conform to "pro" levels of +4 dBV, otherwise the typical pro balanced input amp will not develop its' maximum power and will have an elevated noise floor.

Balanced inputs have a similar problem, save that a balanced input that was designed for a -10 dBV consumer level that clipped on a hotter +4 dBV pro signal would be worse than useless.

Personally, I would find a few balanced +4 dBV inputs (2 stereo, 1 multi-channel) quite useful, but more balanced connections than that wouldn’t add value for me.

For the amp outputs, balanced outs are much more critical for noise reasons, and XLR connectors are much more reliable than either 1/4" or RCA/Cinch connectors.

I could also be happy with an EDAC 56 pin 516 connector wired to use a standard ADAT cable. It occupies a less space on the back panel than a zillion XLR’s, and it’s a single connector to plug/unplug for maintenance.

_daev
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