Classe Audio CP-500 - V2.4 Owner's Manual page 16

16
7 Balanced (XLR) main outputs
These XLR outputs provide a high quality, balanced stereo analog signal to your
power amplifier. Connect them to corresponding balanced inputs on your power
amplifier, using shielded high-quality balanced interconnects. Your Classé dealer
can provide assistance in selecting appropriate balanced cables for your system.
Balanced audio interconnections were originally developed in the professional
audio world for preserving the delicate nuances of extremely small microphone-
level signals. For many years now, they have also been used by performance-
oriented consumer companies like Classé to preserve every nuance of the finest
audio performances in your collection.
Technically, balanced audio interconnections provide two distinct benefits:
they double the signal's strength as it travels from one component to the next,
increasing the potential signal-to-noise ratio by 6 dB; they also do an excellent
job of rejecting noise and interference that might otherwise be picked up between
the components, due to either EMI (electromagnetic interference) or RFI (radio
frequency interference). In the world of wireless telecommunications, there is
more potential interference around than ever before—it makes sense to keep it out
of music and movie soundtracks.
For this reason, we strongly recommend using balanced analog interconnects
between your Classé components wherever possible, especially if you plan to use
long interconnect cables between your preamplifier and the power amplifier(s) in
order to minimize the length of the speaker wires.
The pin assignments of these XLR output connectors are:
Pin 1: Signal ground
Pin 2: Signal + (non-inverting)
Pin 3: Signal – (inverting)
Connector ground lug: chassis ground
These pin assignments are consistent with the standard adopted by the Audio
Engineering Society (AES14-1992).
If you are using your Classé preamplifier with a Classé power amplifier, you're all
set – just take standard balanced interconnect cables and plug them in.
If you are using another brand of power amplifier, please refer to the operating
manual of your amplifier to verify that the pin assignments of its input connectors
correspond to those of the CP-500. If not, have your dealer wire the cables so that
the appropriate output pin connects to the equivalent input pin.