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Is balanced necessarily better?

Assuming fully balanced equipment that also offers single ended connections, and no RFI problems, is the use of balanced interconnects necessarily the better way to go? My forum search indicates some who say balanced is better because the connectors are inherently better and because of noise cancelling properties associated with the signal flowing in both directions; and others who say for reasonably short runs and no interference problems that rca/single-ended connections sound better in many cases, maybe because the signal has less circuitry to traverse. This has come up for me because I am considering different preamp alternatives, and if I decide not to stay with a fully balanced system, I have more choices. To give things a try I substituted some old AudioTruth rca cables for my Luminous Sychestra Sig balanced cables. Except for the 6db loss in output, I have initially found the rca cables to sound a little smoother, with more rounded images, a little plumper bass, and what initially sounds like a more "musical" presentation. The system is a Muse Model 10 source/Muse Model 3 Sig pre/McCormack DNA 500/Aerial 9's. BTW, Steve McCormack told me the DNA 500 sees the signal the same way whether balanced or single-ended, and didn't seem to think the amp would sound significantly different either way. Therefore, even though many manufacturers are now offering more balanced equipment, especially at the upper end, others such as CJ continue to make only single-ended equipment. What are do you guys think, is balanced necessarily better?
mitch2

Showing 2 responses by gregm

gregm
3,415 posts
 
*Bsic balanced is slightly more expensive for obvious reasons (complementary circuits)
*Balanced is useful because you just have to match circuits -- not components (so easier to implement linearity) + you get common mode rejection.
*Of course, in balanced you get twice the circuit noise
*Single-ended, in "ultimate" implementation, would be extremely expensive -- it would require component matching for each channel and extremely careful ground to ahcieve ultimate linearity. Forget it -- but that would be the best.

Finally, the rca connections are horrible; the xlrs are much better & reliable. No wonder pros use balanced as standard.
gregm
3,415 posts
 
There are some extremely high quality RCA connectors available just as there are very poor balanced connectors. As always YMMV
No, no Audiofeil.
I wasn't relating to mileage or to "sound" -- rather, to the fact that xlr clicks on and that rca are spec'd for a small number of connection-disconnection (after which they may lose some of the mechanical contact they're spec'd for).
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