Unbalanced Pre into Balanced Power

[Tony8377]

Hi, quick question for the knowledgable among you. I have an ATC CA2 pre amp with XLR outputs on it only, the amp isn't truly balanced. I am just about to buy a balanced power amp and want to know if I can buy an XLR to XLR cable and use the balanced/XLR inputs on the power amp. The power amp manual on line says is must be a balanced XLR input cable and signal but i'm guessing I can use it anyway, it just wont be true balanced.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Tony

[applevenus]

Your main concern will be the mismatch between the -10 and +4 (unbalanced vs. balanced levels)

You can buy devices that will convert balanced to unbalanced

[Tony8377]

Originally Posted by applevenus

Your main concern will be the mismatch between the -10 and +4 (unbalanced vs. balanced levels)

You can buy devices that will convert balanced to unbalanced

Thanks applevenus but could you clarify further as I'm not sure what you mean? Does that mean the volume output levels are different? It's an active pre if that makes any difference?

Could you buy a device to convert the signal from unbalanced to balance (wouldn't the box be expensive and degrade the sound)?

[eviljohn2]

Both volume and impedence will be mismatched which are bad things.

A stereo direct injection box (DI box) will be what you need between your pre and power to change the signal, they're often used in studios to connect something like a guitar straight into a mixing desk so good quality ones aren't too hard to find.

[Tony8377]

Thanks eviljohn, that doesn't sound good. The power amp has got a single ended input as well and I have had a piece of Nordost Blue Heaven made up to be XLR to single ended. Should I just use that or are there any advantages to using the power amps balanced input from an unbalanced pre?

Thanks, Tony