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 the balanced analog interconnections between your Classé components wherever possible.
The pin assignments of these XLR input 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 power amplifier with a Classé preamplifier/ processor, you’re all set – just remove the supplied shorting pins (between Pins 1 and 3) from the amplifier’s XLR connector(s), take standard balanced interconnect cables and plug them in.
If you are using another brand of preamplifier or processor, please refer to its operating manual to verify that the pin assignments of its output connectors correspond to those of your amplifier. If not, have your dealer obtain cables with the appropriate output pin connecting to the equivalent input pin.
2Single-Ended (RCA) Input
Single-ended cables using RCA connectors are the most common form of analog connection used in consumer electronics. When implemented carefully and with use of high quality interconnecting cables, this standard can provide excellent performance. Classé has gone to extraordinary effort to ensure that the single-ended (RCA) input of your power amplifier is as good as possible. However, this connection standard cannot offer the immunity from interference that balanced interconnection does—hence our recommendation to use the balanced inputs when possible.
3Speaker Outputs
Two pairs of high quality five-way binding posts are provided on the amplifier, in order to facilitate bi-wiring.
In practice, bi-wiring involves connecting two (preferably identical) sets of speaker cables between each amplifier channel and its corresponding loudspeaker. In many cases, the benefit is a subjectively improved level of clarity and detail from the speaker, as a result of being able to feed the two separate sections of its crossover and driver complement with identical, yet separate signals.
