Some of the guys have made very valid points. The truth is that it all depends on the individual components. Some gear makes use of low grade "converters" (integrated circuits). This is so that they can go from what would be a normal RCA input or output to being able to accept balanced lines. IF the product was truly designed for balanced lines without the need for the a bunch of other support circuitry to "band aid" it, balanced SHOULD offer much lower noise floor, blacker backgrounds, greater dynamic contrasts, etc... This would be ESPECIALLY noticeable on longer runs of cables or in environments with the potential for a lot of interference (emi, rfi, etc..). If the gear ( meaning either or ANY of the pieces ) did make use of the IC converters, the sound COULD be worse going balanced than if it were run using high quality RCA's. Like most other audio related questions about system matching, this is no different. You really have to try it for yourself with your specific components and see the difference. Whether you like the differences or can tell that there really is a difference is a matter of personal tastes and listening abilities. Sean >
