Thanks again for chiming in Galen.
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Yes Galen, thanks for chiming in here! I really appreciate it.
weedeewop, that goes for you as well. Thanks for the input!
As for the cables, I just put in an order for the BJC LC-1 cables. They should be here in a couple of days.
It would really be something if these cables alone solved both of these buzzing issues. Only time will tell.
Will definitely keep you guys updated.
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I was thinking… If this works out as planned, should I also switch my Altair G1 over to unbalanced as well?
I mean, what’s the point of running only one piece of equipment balanced if everything else is unbalanced, especially when I can use a 1m or less interconnect from the streamer to the preamp?
Plus, that would just be balanced circuitry having to convert over to unbalanced in the preamp anyway. Am I right in this thinking?
Try it both ways with equivalent cables and let your ears inform the decision.
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I used to use BJC LC-1 for longer runs but I tried the BAV cables and the improvement was stunning! Clearer sound and better dynamics. The LC-1 are fine in a pinch but the BAV are worth the extra money for the long term investment. I ended up replaced all of my RCA cables including Kimber PBJ with BAV. I plan to get a 15’ pair of BAV XLR because my preamp and amps have balanced connections and I’m curious to compare them.
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I had (and may still have) a 32’ long set of BAV XLR’s and they were plenty acceptable for top level sound.
I replaced them with Iconoclast but could have lived with the BAV’s without a problem.
Excellent product hand crafted in the good old USA
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Yup!
As I said a few posts above, I’m only getting these LC-1’s essentially as a “proof of concept”, and the fact that I’m conserving my cash flow for other upgrades and a couple of bills.
With that being said, I just got a promotion at work today and a rather substantial pay raise, so bills will be getting paid down MUCH quicker and things like a full loom of ICONOCLAST cables for the system as well as BAV power cables will also come much sooner.
Who knows… A possible upgrade from my Maggie 1.7i’s to the 3.7i’s within a year or two! 
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And the folks at Belden are so good to work with. “Always a pleasure” as they say.
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The BJC LC-1’s came in today, promptly got installed about an hour ago, the amps got moved back a little so the 1m Wireworld power cables would reach the front outlets, each amp turned back on one at a time, feverishly standing by the tweeters on the Maggies, and…
NOTHING! As in nothing but sweet sweet silence!
I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting to still hear that buzzing, but it’s totally gone.
The only downside, that loud buzzing that comes and goes like it’s on a timer, still comes through, BUT… It’s extremely quiet now. With nothing playing, you can just barely hear it at the listening seat.
So for me, this is an almost total win-win situation.
I want to thank everyone for all of the advice and suggestions! Now I can concentrate on the other needed upgrades. The fun never stops!
A slight invasion. LOL
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This isn’t magic, it is the shield loop DCR being far lower even on the LC-1. Volts = I * R. We can’t control the ground differential current but we can control the amount that drops across the shield and with the current making the voltage drop go up across the cable, increasing the buzz we hear. Get R as low as reasonable and this mitigates the ground differential between devices and keeps the noise low (less current with lower DCR).
If we put a wire between RCA components, we create a resistance potential difference based on the wire DCR. This should ideally be ZERO. This is why RCA are best with shorter runs where near zero can be done. XLR use a floating ground between the equal and opposite signals that ride across the ground potential, but doesn’ change the difference between the signals. We can have 1 and -1 volt differential or 1,000,001 and 999,999 and it is the same thing but rides on a 1,000,000 "referene to ground voltage. The “difference” between the signals is always the same, even if the ground moves.
We have a measurement called transfer impedance, measured in milli-ohm/meter, that tests shield resistance across frequency. Lower is better and every frequency has a different shield resistance.
XLR used as RCA can’t use, and really don’t need, the super low shield resistance at DC. An XLR shield is a true RF shield and need low DCR at RF frequencies. The balance properties in an XLR cancels the magnetic portion that isn’t blocked by the shield (which blocks electric E fields only). Don’t need dual braids for RF frequencies (electric E field versus magnetic B field).
OK, some will suggest an XLR cancel RF, too, and it does, but it is the RESIDUAL, measured in dB that is left from the shield. No shield is infinity attenuation. The magnetic B-field isn’t attenuated at all by and XLR outer shield. Here the balance signal does the magic.
Now don’t panic with RCA, that attenuate RF, but not magnetic fields. Usually we don’t have magnetic issues but we ALWAYS have RF going around and more now than ever. So to get that job done, we use a double braid to lower ground differential noise, and also to act as a good RF shield at the same time. Technically we could use a braid +foil for RF but that hurts the RCA cable’s loop DCR, raising it. It is cheaper to do it foil+braid but a poor design in a premium cable.
That’s some on shielding. I do have more information on the ICONOCLASTCABLE.com web site. Yes, all data so no marketing speak. - http://iconoclastcable.com/techpapers/shieldsandgrounding.pdf
If you understand how all this works, it is easier to figure out how a cable will work for you…and how good a cable you may need from the signal perspective and the shield perspective. Each is superimposed onto the other. That balance defines the cable.
Best,
Galen
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Thank you, Galen.
And thanks to my father, I do in fact understand a lot of what you just wrote. Well, a little more than half honestly. LOL
I will be sure to follow the link to your ICONOCLAST site and read those tech papers.
Also, kind of off topic at this point, but what can you say about your BAV power cables, and why would I want them over say something up the line from my Wireworld Aurora 7 power cables?
Again, thank you for all of your helpful information. I really appreciate it!
-Charles
Chops,
Go here; http://iconoclastcable.com/techpapers/bavpoweranalysis.pdf
Power cords need to be invisible to voltage drop (low DCR based on length and current draw) and pass basically DC (50 and 60 Hz). Anything above that needs to be filtered out from the wall or ingress in the room.
The EPDM 600 V (heavier dielectric thickness than 300 V cordsets) was tested against the usual suspects and did really well and best, it is a larger volume made cord so it is cheaper in large industrial volumes. Just because it was never tested for RF properties doesn’t mean we can re-apply it’s target use to audio as well as industrial.
This is a win-win for us, a cable that is already made and tests very well. 14, 12 and 10 AWG available. These are really durable cords as they are $$$ solid EPDM insulation and jacket.
Read the tech paper as we do indeed test the cables and publish what we find.
Best,
Galen
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Once again, thank you sir! I’ll check out the link!
Much appreciated.
-Charles