Balanced versus single ended


From my experience, every situation that had both options, the balanced connection and/or increased gain sounded better, regardless of the bolume knob’s final position. More detail , air, emotional connection etc. The single ended cables used were good, not the bargain or so called high end extreme.

Sometimes using balanced or xlr it involved just the source, but optimally it carried through thd entire chain.

Anyways, my question is: has anyone ever thought that single ended sounded better?given the 2 options. Im only referring to a truly balanced connection.

I ask, because a manufacturer who makes tube amps, recommends single over balanced connection. Is there something else involved in this decision, additional parts or labor complexity? Is the signal path extended?

Thanks in advance

 

recluse

Showing 3 responses by zlone

@ditusa 

The wiring diagram below shows the correct way to make balanced cables compliant to the AES48 standard.

Interesting. Are you saying that both amplifiers and cables that are billed as balanced might not be to standard? 

If audio components are "truly"  built to the AES balanced standard then there is minimal to no sonic differences heard with various balanced cable regardless of their cost or claims. 

My components say they are balanced, but how does one really know if they are built to the AES standard? I have never seen this mentioned in the specs.

 

Just for the purposes of discussion, what if you used an AES48 compliant cable between compliant devices, but used such poor quality wire that both signal wires  in a cable negatively affected the sound in an equivalent fashion.