Herman, balanced and single-ended only apply to analog signals. It is perfectly possible for a CD player or D/A converter to have truly balanced analog output signals.
Balanced has its virtues, but it has a downside of requiring a doubling of amplifier circuitry. This adds to the complexity and cost of a component. It's not at all clear that balanced signals are truly superior to unbalanced designs.
Balanced has its virtues, but it has a downside of requiring a doubling of amplifier circuitry. This adds to the complexity and cost of a component. It's not at all clear that balanced signals are truly superior to unbalanced designs.