What do balanced outputs and inputs do for you?

I have no idea, so just wondering. What is the advantage to using that connection?

They were designed to reduce noise between components. (Pro audio, like mics and such) On distances of 3' that may be questionable. But they are a lot more hardy connection than RCA and some Pro Audio equipment, like the Behringer Feedback Destoyer Pro uses them. A lot of people use the FBD to help flatten response and deal with room modes for your subwoofer. (or other speakers)

I like them just because they make a better connection than RCA..

I too prefer them over RCA connectors as well. There are differing opinions as to whether it is a better connection than unbalanced. Not going there!

There is some very in-depth discussion that you might be interested in - it came up shortly after the 990 was revealed, and can be found in these two threads (the first offers some balanced input/output information interspersed with other discussions, so it takes some digging).

Is there any advantage to using RCA to BNC converters at the end of the amp cables, and using the 990's BNC outputs to feed the amps?

(obviously the above refers to those users whose amps do not have BNC connectors)..

Any opinions on this??

I just realized the other posts on this issue more or less answered this question, and the answer is apparantly No!


One other question:

If TWO 990 Preamp outputs are needed for a particular channel (eg if the front outputs are driving TWO pairs of Front Channel amps for a setup in which there were indeed two pairs of front channel speakers), can one use the standard outputs CONCURRENTLY with the BNC outputs for the same channels?? (Instead of using Y-connectors to make each 990 channel preout into two preouts to feed both amps).

Would appreciate anyone's opinion as to if this is feasable....

Two points:

(1) As a long-time [stereo listener historically] "biamper" my connections have been [since runs have always been short] unbalanced.
If I were going to biamp now that I have surround [990 and 755 and I'm not] I would probably simply use an RCA-RCA-RCA "Y" adaptor Still, the idea of using the balanced as well is interesting and I wonder if you can use them both at same time.

Question about this: Is there a difference in level at bal and unbal connections.

(2) Just a point of info: The balanced connectors onthe 990 are XLR's. BNC connectors are often found on video [most often pro] eqpt.

Good points...Gonk...any clarification on this?

(BTW, my error on the connector being BNC; should indeed have said XLR...thanks for the correction!)

I can think of one disadvantage: The balanced outputs of the 990 have only one sub output, using the RCA type outputs will give you two seperate sub outputs.

Myy goal in this case is to get dual front (L+R) 990
pre-outs, and to decide if y-connectors for L and R OR using both the XLR and RCA 990 preouts for the front channel is better.

Regarding CI's posts:
Having been a bi-amper for years...and...now having great surround, the room sounds so geat

I still think about biamping (it's in the blood, I guess). So I will probably try it. Considering this, I will use an equalizer between 990 and amps, since I think the plus and minus "tone controls" are global [correction appreciated if I'm wrong about global]. With the EQs in the circuit I can "A-B" with the bypass in and out of the EQ.

In order to do this I think I would go "bypass" most likely...and play with crossovers, though I would want to try one thing at a time for comparison.

However, reardless what I find out it doesn't mean it would be "right" or ideal for anyone else.

BTW I love my 990/755

According to the manual, you cannot use both the balanced and the unbalanced output of the same channel simultaneously. No reason is given though.

It may be due to differing outputs levels.

Thanks for the clarification!!

I guess it is the Y-connector solution after all....

In this thread ("990 Questions: 232, DD/DTS, Audio ADC, Rack Mount, & Zone 2 Vol Control")Scott said that the balanced and unbalanced output are in fact available simultaneously.

Greg :rolleyes: