Kijanki raises a good question of Ralph. And if all of the fussing with materials and geometry don't make a difference with balanced connections so long as the electronics comply with standards...well, what about unbalanced cables?
At what distance are balanced XLR cables needed?
I've been looking for a new preamp for my 2 channel system, and I'm debating whether I need balanced inputs if I want to eventually connect it to my home theater processor. I plan on moving soon, so I can't say for sure what distance I would have between the two systems. My preamp options quickly dwindle if I require XLR cables.