balanced connection, better than single ended?

I did own the ARC VT-100 and thought it sounded better using the RCA inputs. The only balanced preamp I had (Sonic Frontiers) was not really that great anyway and the "single ended" preamp (ARC LS3) was really much better sounding anyway , imo, in my system. So, there are so many more factors that just "bal" - vs -"se".

I also tried running a Wadia CD player direct into the VT100 using the XLRs and I just dont think the two liked each other? I thought it may be causeing more than just a sonic mismatch problem.

Atmasphere,

Are there any cases in which you would recommend an RCA to balanced conversion to convert single-ended outputs to balanced inputs?

Only to run long balanced cables?

For differential amps?

Some such as Rowland Research claim balancing transformers perform better than differentially balanced circuits and simply use Jensen Transformers to attain a balanced output. Audio Research has also done the same thing with some of their preamps and line stages. Audio Research's Ref Phono Stage is an example. Anyone with a little know how can add Jensen's balancing transformers to a components outputs.

Roscoeiii, I'm not sure I understand your question... I have used transformers at the output of single-ended preamps to enable them to drive very long cables, which by default have to be balanced. You can't do it with a simple adapter though, you have to use a transformer or active circuit.

Sometimes I run into cases where I want to run a balanced preamp with a single-ended amplifier. It turns out that there is a simple mod that can be performed on most amps with single-ended inputs that will allow them accept the balanced input in the balanced domain- without input transformers. You can even do this with SET amplifiers.

Now I regard the use of transformers or active circuits to convert from one domain to the other as a degradation, so if faced with a preamp that is single-ended out, I would try to find some way to use it with the balanced input amp directly (using a short SE cable) rather than do a conversion, as most balanced amps will accept a single-ended input quite well.