For the sp200 the single ended out and balanced out are pretty much the same imo. The balanced is slightly better from memory but really tbh I don’t have enough time with it to confidently say that because they were so close
Sorry, I mean, on one amp with, let’s say, only XLR inputs, but with XLR and 1/4 outs, any amp, should XLR sound better or the same as 1/4… just with added protection against, like, the tiniest of interferences?
So a balanced headphone out actually has no common mode rejection, so you wouldn’t get any advantage there. For most amps with both balanced and unbalanced out, I would use the balanced out since that’s most likely what the designer put more effort into, really depends on the amp tbh.
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So they’re not cheating, never mind. 
Again, depends on the amp. If your definition of cheating is putting an xlr out with no real balanced benefits because the amp isn’t really balanced, then the sp200 is cheating. I’m just saying that using balanced if your gear has it is a good rule of thumb, on some amps it’s way more impactful (any balanced cavalli amp I have tried has had pretty bleh single ended out performance, but the amps are actually balanced there)
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I had read a little about that… Looks interesting for sure…
Yes… my thoughts too… I don’t have my stand alone stuff stacked… the three of them are horizontal across the top of the CD player… the SP 200 shape is not obvious… put two in there and I may start to think my rack is crooked.
Might need some modern art next to it and/or a small Pisa tower
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Slant? What slant? Looks fine to me!
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First impressions are really good. I have listened to music that is complex and I am very familiar with and I can definitely hear more detail especially in the mids and highs… Those subtle intricate sounds seem to be more apparent. I am also sensing more depth…
I do have a question. The D50s does seem to be adding some gain over the Modi 3. I am using the DAC strictly for streaming Qobuz and playing FLAC files from a computer. I have left the D50s set at the default 0.00db. There are three places where volume can be adjusted… Software, DAC and Integrated Amp. While using the Modi 3, I typically had the software volume maxed. Should I be backing off on the software volume or at the DAC?
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I would suggest maxing digital volume and keeping dac volume also high, adjust the volume with your amp. But if you think you don’t get enough volume range on the amp then bump down the dac a tad
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Thanks… there is plenty of range… I just don’t have to turn the amp up as much as I did before… about an 1/8 of the dial difference.