What is the benefit of balanced xlr cables

See the discussion of this question here.

Regarding selection of a modestly priced balanced cable, I suggest that you consider Mogami Gold Studio. I and a number of other A'gon members have obtained excellent results with it, and it is the de facto cable of choice for the majority of studio and other professional applications.

Regards,
-- Al

This comment is not directed at anyone in particular. But I find it interesting that in another current thread, as well as in similar past threads, a number of members, including some who are particularly experienced and well respected here, strongly assert that just changing the direction of a symmetrically designed cable (i.e., one that does not have its shield grounded at just one end) will perceivably affect the sound. Yet at the same time many knowledgeable and experienced audiophiles insist that if the components being connected are not internally balanced it will make no difference whether they are connected via their balanced or unbalanced interfaces. This despite the facts that regardless of whether or not the components are internally balanced changing from RCA to XLR interconnections will:

1)Change the circuit configuration that is being used to drive the cable.
2)Change the circuit configuration that is being used to receive the signal from the cable.
3)In many cases change the paths and the impedance through which the circuit grounds of the two components are interconnected.
4)In most cases change the cable type.
5)Change the connector type.
6)Reduce susceptibility to ground loop issues, which may affect high frequency noise and background blackness as well as susceptibility to hum.
7)In many cases reduce sensitivity to cable differences, depending on the output impedance and drive capability of the component driving the cable.
8)Reduce susceptibility to noise pickup in the cable, that perhaps being the most often mentioned but the least significant difference between the two interfaces, in most home applications.

Personally, while I am a skeptic when it comes to cable directionality (assuming the cable is symmetrically designed), I wouldn't be surprised if several of the foregoing factors were to result in audible differences in just about any decent quality system at pretty much any price point, regardless of whether the components are internally balanced or not. Which is not to say, however, that an XLR interconnection will necessarily be either "better" or preferable compared to an RCA interconnection. As I said in the link I provided in my post dated 11-23-14, "if the components provide both choices, and are not fully balanced, the only way to determine which interface will perform best in your particular setup is probably to try both of them."

Regards,
-- Al

Thoughtful and knowledgeable post by Dr. Marks; thanks!

I concur with most of it, but I would differ somewhat on a couple of key points:

1)Here is one example of how properly designed balanced cables can sound different: A balanced cable will have some amount of capacitance, both between the two signal conductors and between each signal conductor and the shield. If the cable is driven by a component having high output impedance at high frequencies, and if the combination of the length of the cable and its capacitance per unit length results in a relatively high overall capacitance, both of the signals in the balanced signal pair will be rolled off to at least a slight degree in the upper treble region. That will reduce the voltage difference between those signals at high frequencies, relative to what that difference would have been at lower frequencies, resulting in a corresponding rolloff at the output of the differential receiver circuit. The amount of rolloff will vary as a function of the capacitance per unit length of the particular cable.

In this post dated 3-22-13 Ralph Karsten of Atmasphere has described the circumstances under which, in his opinion (and mine), a balanced interface will result in elimination of sensitivity to cable differences. His post also provides what I consider to be a compelling proof of his contention. Also see his post in that thread dated 3-28-13, in which he responded to some questions I raised about his initial post.

2)Regarding "balanced interconnects are always the way to go if you have the option," my perception has been that there is a compelling body of anecdotal evidence supporting the notion that in many component designs, especially many of those that do not have "fully balanced" internal signal paths, the quality of balanced driver and receiver circuits that may be provided is often inferior to the quality of the unbalanced interfaces that are provided. With the anecdotal evidence suggesting that that difference will in many cases overshadow the potential advantages of balanced connection.

Regards,
-- Al