Differential Balanced Sound Quality


I've read where running a true balanced (differential) amplifier as such sounds much better than running it single ended (I'm assuming the same amp has both balanced and single ended inputs here).

Why would that be the case? Is it merely the improved SN ratio, etc. from being balanced, or is it something circuit related with running each channel's plus and minus through separate amplification stages?
greg7

Showing 2 responses by oldears

Here is a quote from the late Charlie Hansen in The Stereophile, talking about their Ayre Codex, their cheapest electronic component having a linear power supply: "remember that every circuit is a modulated power supply....When you run balanced, it is like making the best power supply 1,000 times better."

For those of you who might be technically less adroit, I suggest to search for "pints with Ayre" and listen to why balanced is one of their design constructs (along with "no op-amps", zero feedback, etc).