Classe Audio CP-500 owner manual 7Balanced XLR main outputs

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7Balanced (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.