I have heard from the equipment hotrodder's that the single ended output is the best. I have not found this to be the case for me however. My preamp and amp are both balanced designs (Pass X1 and X350), alternatively Bat VK-5i and Ayre V-1x. The balanced nature of these components probably has more to do with the quality than not.
If you are using a passive, I would definitely go with the balanced outputs. The more power you have going into a passive unit, the better. It is true that higher output sources give better dynamics with a passive unit. I would also recommend that you use short lengths of an extremely fast and transparent ic, such as nordost red dawns or above.
If you are looking for another passive unit, I am pretty impressed with the placette units, which I owned for a few months. Sold mine because it was single ended only.
They don't have the harmonics of a good tube preamp, nor the sense of drive that a megabuck preamp has, but they are the most transparent thing I've heard.
If you are using a passive, I would definitely go with the balanced outputs. The more power you have going into a passive unit, the better. It is true that higher output sources give better dynamics with a passive unit. I would also recommend that you use short lengths of an extremely fast and transparent ic, such as nordost red dawns or above.
If you are looking for another passive unit, I am pretty impressed with the placette units, which I owned for a few months. Sold mine because it was single ended only.
They don't have the harmonics of a good tube preamp, nor the sense of drive that a megabuck preamp has, but they are the most transparent thing I've heard.