Unbalanced and Balanced output voltage

the true balanced compoonents most-likely will have double voltage out of XLR. in case with RCA the voltage is measured between ground and positive while in XLR the voltage is measured between positive and negative pins +2v and -2v with respect to ground.

Milpai,

The idea of balanced circuit is to separate negative signal from positive and from the ground. In conventional RCA unbalanced connection we only have one signal terminal and ground while in balanced circuit we have Negative, Positive signals and ground.

If RCA output in the same component let's say CD-player is specified 2V, than for balanced it's +2V on positive 'leg' and -2V on negative 'leg'. The total output voltage is sum of magnitudes giving 4V. Very simple math.

Component must have a true balanced circuit otherwise having XLRs are just for adapter purposes. McIntosh amps/preamps are example of having XLR with no true balanced circuit.