My first Sunfire...now what?

paymontna
paymontna Posts: 188
edited June 2008 in Speakers
I did it. It was too hard to pass up the close out deals the the Sunfire TGP 5 :Dand a used Sunfire Cinema Grand 7 from Agon:D. Now I need a quick lesson in interconnects. First question, is it worth is to use the balanced connectors right away. I do have all of the connectors for the mono-RCA jacks. Will I notice a big difference between the two. I would only need 7 @ 3 ft inter-connects. I would not want the supper expensive stuff, nor would I want the Walmart version either. So, what am I looking for brand wise and price wise?
And I mean calling all cars, blackhawk down, mushroom cloud, Three Mile Island, lock the door behind you kind of mad.:mad:
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  • TNRabbit
    TNRabbit Posts: 2,168
    edited June 2008
    Congratulations~ you won't be dissapointed!

    Why don't you try with RCA connections first & see what you think? That's what I use now. Unless you have interference issues or long runs between the processor & amp, it doesn't make a lot of difference.

    I used Blue Jeans Cable for my XLR connections....I have no issues with them.
    TNRabbit
    NO Polk Audio Equipment :eek:
    Sunfire TG-IV
    Ashly 1001 Active Crossover
    Rane PEQ-15 Parametric Equalizers x 2
    Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature Seven
    Carver AL-III Speakers
    Klipsch RT-12d Subwoofer
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited June 2008
    If you have any hum or ground loop issues (or have in the past) it may be worth using balanced. Balanced is also about 6db louder than standard RCA. - may be worth it for that alone (unless when you calibrated, you were already in the -5 area for each channel...)

    Sound wise, it is debated as much as any other cable war if it is worth it or not going RCA vs Balanced. If you have to purchased cables anyway - I would get balanced so to ensure I do not have any Ground loop issues.

    If you already have cables - just use what you have and see what you think.

    If you do need to purchase them, I would (and have) look at getting them from Signal Cable, Blue Jeans Cable or have Ben6267 make you a set of braided silver cables with balanced ends. (I just purchased cables from him and like them alot over both signal and blue jeans, but I have not heard his balanced cables - I purchased standard RCA's) PM him for club polk pricing.

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited June 2008
    Now what?

    Hook them **** up!!!
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  • paymontna
    paymontna Posts: 188
    edited June 2008
    amulford wrote: »
    Hook them **** up!!!

    Amen, but they are in transit. I feel like I am going to be a dad again:p...Post #66 in honor of Mario Lemieux, my former neighbor. I often wonder where his stats would be if he was healthy. He cold see the ice like no other. Hell of a nice guy too!
    And I mean calling all cars, blackhawk down, mushroom cloud, Three Mile Island, lock the door behind you kind of mad.:mad:
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited June 2008
    Just because they have provisions for balanced cables, doesn't mean they're fully balanced. So spending that extra money may not be worth it unless you have a hum problem as mentioned above.

    Signal Cable makes good interconnects for a great price. If you mentioned you're a Club Polk member, there's a 5% discount also.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited June 2008
    I have the Sunfire TGA5400 attached to a Sony 7100ES with RCA cables. Mainly because the Sony does not have XLR connectors. I think it sounds great with 4 LSi 15s and an LSiC. However, I have wondered if there was any advantage to using XLR connections.

    Along the same line, do RCA to XLR cables exist? That would be a connection I could try, and hear if there is an improvement or not.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited June 2008
    Why would you want to do that? It would do zero...
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,019
    edited June 2008
    Maybe even less than zero........
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited June 2008
    amulford wrote: »
    Why would you want to do that? It would do zero...

    If so then it probably isn't worth trying. I had never even thought about XLR connections until I purchased the Sunfire. So, I wondered if there was some way to use them in my current situation, and if there was any benefit to doing so.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • paymontna
    paymontna Posts: 188
    edited June 2008
    From my readings, xlr cables are only needed for long runs. Lik eI said I am only going a total of 18 inches. RCA it is.
    And I mean calling all cars, blackhawk down, mushroom cloud, Three Mile Island, lock the door behind you kind of mad.:mad:
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  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited June 2008
    No, not really. They have better noise rejection and as a result a lower noise floor. But you really won't get anything out of one set. The whole system would need to be fully balanced for you to realize any benefits.
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,186
    edited June 2008
    BlueFox wrote: »
    I have the Sunfire TGA5400 attached to a Sony 7100ES with RCA cables. Mainly because the Sony does not have XLR connectors. I think it sounds great with 4 LSi 15s and an LSiC. However, I have wondered if there was any advantage to using XLR connections.

    Along the same line, do RCA to XLR cables exist? That would be a connection I could try, and hear if there is an improvement or not.

    Yes. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hosa-XRM-105-5-RCAXLR-Male-Cable?sku=333031
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited June 2008
    Another Vote for SignalCable Interconnects. Awesome product
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
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  • paymontna
    paymontna Posts: 188
    edited June 2008
    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Yes. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hosa-XRM-105-5-RCAXLR-Male-Cable?sku=333031

    I don't think you would get any sound quality improvement, BUT those would be perfect for bi-amping.
    And I mean calling all cars, blackhawk down, mushroom cloud, Three Mile Island, lock the door behind you kind of mad.:mad:
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,019
    edited June 2008
    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Yes. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hosa-XRM-105-5-RCAXLR-Male-Cable?sku=333031

    Exactly how does an add for a cable,tell you if the sound quality will improve on a partialy balanced system? :(
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited June 2008
    That RCA jack looks like something that comes with a VCR.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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