Mix of RCA Balanced Cables. Is it ok?

An RCA to XLR adaptor will not convert the audio signal from single-ended to balanced. The adaptor simply allows you to mate different types of connectors. There are real sonic advantages to fully balanced equipment. For interconnects, a balanced cable will have better RFI/EM rejection and balanced amplifier circuits typically have lower distortion than comparable single-ended designs. If you have such equipment, then by all means used balanced interconnects.

All balanced is better, but sometimes compromise is unavoidable. My BAT preamp is all blanced inputs and outputs, but my phono preamp and amps are RCA. I used adapters for a while, but when I bought new cables I had them temrinated w/ XLR at one end and RCA's at the other. Not the same as balanced, of course, but at least it avoids an extra connection in the signal path.

In the past year I have gone to a all krell/thiel system. Krell recomends going balanced if you can but the equipment must be desinged balanced. There is a 6db increase in S/N. Initally I used higher end RCA's then I ordered cheap balanced interconnects to test the therory. The cheap 15.00 balanced totally blew away the Single ended 100.00 plus cables! I later purchased more apropriate Strait Wire Bal. but surprisingly no great improvement over the cheapies but they sure look cool! Ken Martin

From what I have heard or read and in my personal experience as well, there is NO fixed rule you can go by. There are guidelines, like balanced ic often being less prone to noise, however if they are indeed musically more satisfying in a given rig is question of listening for oneself. There are plenty suppliers around, where you can borrow cables and try them out for yourself in your on home in order to make up your own mind. I personally use a happy mix of both XLR's and RCA's with no detriment to my dayly enjoyment of the music.

At this point, I feel that I have come to recognise that as Jfrech has said, it is really neither life or death and using a mix of cables shouldn't have an effect on daily enjoyment of music as pointed out by Detlof. Thanks for all who have contributed. I really appreciate your inputs. Cheers and have a nice day. By the way, I'm gonna get my first balanced cables. :)