Atmasphere is corrent in that there is a lot of confusion about balanced operation. The proplem being that too many manufacturers do not clarify the type of operation used in their "balanced" connections.
I have been inside a lot of equipment over the years only to find some components claiming to have balanced connection simply tie pin #1 and pin #3 together. This is no more than a single ended circuit with a XLR connector. Some manufacturers do this because they don't think there is a difference between single ended and true balanced and don't beleive consumers can hear a difference. Others do it simply for marketing to those who are looking for balanced. Unfortunately, these are the products that created all the confusion and they are deceiving consumers.
All of our Purity Audio Design preamps are true balanced and do agree with others that when done properly, it will make a difference as long as it is being used with associated components that also uses true balanced circuitry.
You have to be careful not to judge say a preamp with true balanced outputs when it is feeding an amplifier that simply has pin 1 and pin 3 tied together on a XLR connector. You are not getting the benefits of balanced in such an arrangement as you are back to dealing with the ground so you cannot put any blame on the preamp. It happens far too often.
I have been inside a lot of equipment over the years only to find some components claiming to have balanced connection simply tie pin #1 and pin #3 together. This is no more than a single ended circuit with a XLR connector. Some manufacturers do this because they don't think there is a difference between single ended and true balanced and don't beleive consumers can hear a difference. Others do it simply for marketing to those who are looking for balanced. Unfortunately, these are the products that created all the confusion and they are deceiving consumers.
All of our Purity Audio Design preamps are true balanced and do agree with others that when done properly, it will make a difference as long as it is being used with associated components that also uses true balanced circuitry.
You have to be careful not to judge say a preamp with true balanced outputs when it is feeding an amplifier that simply has pin 1 and pin 3 tied together on a XLR connector. You are not getting the benefits of balanced in such an arrangement as you are back to dealing with the ground so you cannot put any blame on the preamp. It happens far too often.