Using balanced xlr cables increase volume??

Ghostrider45, great explanation! I might add that we're talking about dB volts NOT dB watts. If I remember correctly, it takes a 6 dB gain to double the voltage, while it takes only a 3 dB gain to double the wattage.

Thanks Ghostrider..

When properly implemented a balanced connection is 6db stronger than a single ended connection. A balanced cable carries a differential signal consisting of a positive leg and a negative leg (also called hot and cold). The negative leg carries an inverted (180 degree out-of-phase) copy of the signal on the positive leg. The balanced receiver inverts the signal on the negative leg of the balanced connection and adds it to the signal on the positive leg, thus doubling the recovered signal.

If you do a search you'll fing that this has been covered in more detail in other threads.