Is balanced necessarily better?


Assuming fully balanced equipment that also offers single ended connections, and no RFI problems, is the use of balanced interconnects necessarily the better way to go? My forum search indicates some who say balanced is better because the connectors are inherently better and because of noise cancelling properties associated with the signal flowing in both directions; and others who say for reasonably short runs and no interference problems that rca/single-ended connections sound better in many cases, maybe because the signal has less circuitry to traverse. This has come up for me because I am considering different preamp alternatives, and if I decide not to stay with a fully balanced system, I have more choices. To give things a try I substituted some old AudioTruth rca cables for my Luminous Sychestra Sig balanced cables. Except for the 6db loss in output, I have initially found the rca cables to sound a little smoother, with more rounded images, a little plumper bass, and what initially sounds like a more "musical" presentation. The system is a Muse Model 10 source/Muse Model 3 Sig pre/McCormack DNA 500/Aerial 9's. BTW, Steve McCormack told me the DNA 500 sees the signal the same way whether balanced or single-ended, and didn't seem to think the amp would sound significantly different either way. Therefore, even though many manufacturers are now offering more balanced equipment, especially at the upper end, others such as CJ continue to make only single-ended equipment. What are do you guys think, is balanced necessarily better?
mitch2
I use XLR cabling between components and even for runs to my active speakers but I have no illusions - the sound quality is no better than RCA (to my hearing). As some have pointed out, there is indeed better noise rejection and less problems with ground loops/hiss .....especially when using long cable runs. These are very important factors to pros who have different equipment hooked up in their studio each day and cannot afford to waste time trying to trace a hum or ground loop.

In a modest home audio set up, RCA jacks can perform just as good as XLR....and they are cheaper to manufacture! (Although it is sometimes a sad reflection on audiophile equipment consumers that some extremely expensive equipment manufacturers should cut cost by not providing balanced circuits and XLR jacks whilst packaging their items with beautiful brushed metal and expensive finishes....form over function is what sells I guess)
There are some extremely high quality RCA connectors available just as there are very poor balanced connectors. As always YMMV
No, no Audiofeil.
I wasn't relating to mileage or to "sound" -- rather, to the fact that xlr clicks on and that rca are spec'd for a small number of connection-disconnection (after which they may lose some of the mechanical contact they're spec'd for).
Actually, on my CarverPro power amps there are three choices of input connections: XLR, 1/4 phone Jack, Euro-type. Euro-type is three pin sockets in line, with set screws to hold the pin or crimp bare wire. For a semi-permanent installation the Euro-type would probably be the "best".