balanced vs unbalanced output

Assuming a differental input on the receiving end, balanced is a superior choice and there is no technical reason to not take advantage of it.

There are those who might argue a bit with that statement. A differential circuit, by definition, is more complex than an unbalanced one. Some designers believe simplicity and a reduced parts count benefits their design sonically. They would argue that a balanced circuit helps with a specific type of noise issue, and, if your equipment is not going to be used in an environment which has that problem, why complicate the circuit?

I've got a Lavry DA-10 DAC with balanced outputs. I recently switched from an amp with balanced inputs (which I was using) to a different amp that only has unbalanced inputs. It made zero difference in the background noise. With either amp I could put my ear directly to a speaker and hear no noise. Specification-wise the old amp had a 20% better S/N ratio but there is no audible noise difference between them in use.

That is a good example of a home situation where the balanced/unbalanced issue is irrelevant in contrast to other attributes.

Martin Colloms has tested large numbers of both balanced and unbalanced and has found that in 95% of the cases the unbalanced sounds better. See current thread in the HIFICRITIC forum.

Sonically I agree with Stanwall, but the connectino is better with XLR connectors due to the size variation in RCA connectors. Thus, I like to use pin 1, the gnd, and pin 2(+) and avoid pin 3 (-) and connect with XLR, and avoid the problems with RCA connectors, and get the benefits of an XLR. A hybrid of sorts with RCA sound and XLR connections....works for me. I use balanced for long runs if noise is an issue. JALLEN

I certainly have a lot of respect for Martin Colloms, but there is a problem with such a generalized comparison.

If you are comparing the balanced vs unbalanced inputs on the same piece of equipment, you've got a very high probability that the unbalanced circuit is already disadvantaged with the extra circuit complexity needed for the balanced design. Not many designers are going to build two separate inputs circuits on a device.

If you are comparing a piece of equipment with balanced inputs against a different piece of equipment that has only an unbalanced input, you are comparing a myriad of other variables besides that one factor.

When I searched for the article, the very first sentence of the very first comment that came up said: "I found this article too full of caveats to make the argument for balanced connections" and it then referred to the cheap integrated circuits some equipment uses to make a balanced connection but keep cost down.

So we are back to how the circuit is implemented in a specific design. If you love the sound of your favorite preamp or amp and it lacks balanced inputs, I'd say it is not worth obsessing about.