Regardless of whether or not the component has a balanced internal signal path (i.e., is "fully balanced"), a well designed balanced interface will reduce susceptibility to ground loop effects; will to some degree reject noise/RFI/EMI that may be picked up in the cable; and may also reduce sensitivity to cable effects and cable differences.
Having a fully balanced internal signal path provides additional benefits that are essentially unrelated, including reduction of certain forms of distortion.
However, the potential advantages of using a balanced interface between components having unbalanced internal signal paths will in some cases be outweighed by adverse sonic effects of the circuitry required to convert the unbalanced internal signals to the balanced signals that are provided to output connectors, and to convert the balanced signals at input connectors to unbalanced form. Also, I suppose that at least a few highly compromised designs may exist that don't bother to include any conversion circuitry, and instead provide unbalanced signals to XLR connectors, which would negate the potential advantages of a balanced interface.
So if the components provide both choices, and are not fully balanced, the only way to determine which interface will perform best in your particular setup is probably to try both of them.
Regards,
-- Al
Having a fully balanced internal signal path provides additional benefits that are essentially unrelated, including reduction of certain forms of distortion.
However, the potential advantages of using a balanced interface between components having unbalanced internal signal paths will in some cases be outweighed by adverse sonic effects of the circuitry required to convert the unbalanced internal signals to the balanced signals that are provided to output connectors, and to convert the balanced signals at input connectors to unbalanced form. Also, I suppose that at least a few highly compromised designs may exist that don't bother to include any conversion circuitry, and instead provide unbalanced signals to XLR connectors, which would negate the potential advantages of a balanced interface.
So if the components provide both choices, and are not fully balanced, the only way to determine which interface will perform best in your particular setup is probably to try both of them.
Regards,
-- Al