The primary determinant of which will sound better is how the equipment is designed (balanced or not… as MC and others have noted), The manufacturers might tell you which is better… but the reality is the difference… particularly if your equipment is <$2K per box is not likely to be big. I would guess, that it would be more cost effective to stick with single ended RCA) until your individual components cost more than $5K. Mine are closer to $20K each and my upgrading to XLR was not real noticeable although this is what the manufacturer recommends.
RCA vs XLR and Balanced vs Unbalanced
Newbee needs some help understanding the benefits (if any) of using RCA vs XLR connections and using a balanced vs unbalanced components. What are the benefits of using balanced components (DAC > pre-amp > amp)? Does balanced sound better for some reason? It is my understanding that to take advantage of a balanced system, you need to use XLR cables. Correct? RCA cables will negate the benefits of a balanced system? For example, if I have a set of cables that are terminated with XLRs on the DAC end and RCAs on the pre-amp end. If I have a balanced DAC should I be using a balanced pre-amp? A balanced amp? As my line of questioning indicates, I have no understanding of how a balanced system works and why it is preferable to a non-balanced system. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated. Cheers.