Matching fully balanced with unbalanced.

surfmuz OP
Hi, using Fully Balanced VS Unbalanced Preamp between Fully Balanced Source and Unbalanced Amp with all XLR Interconnections including amp.... Does it wort it or not ?

First off, you got to ascertain by looking at a circuit diagram of the input and output of the equipment in question.
To see if the balanced input or balanced output is "just a balanced opamp" used to give balanced output or inputs.
Because then the rest of the amplification circuit is probably SE (single ended).
If this is the case then the SE (single ended will sound better).

And if it’s is truly a "true balanced circuit throughout" from input to output with no opamps doing it, then it’s only got a noise advantage over SE if the interconnects are >5mts.

A very nice Classe DR** poweramp had just this opamp for it’s balanced inputs and the SE inputs did sound far better.

Cheers George

In my experience only listening will really tell, as it also depends *how* the balanced is IMPLEMENTED in the source equipment(s). 

This unless some very long IC connections will be the case and RF issues adding to the mix. 

With my equipment (all ML) feeding PASS poweramp, and having tried unbalance, balanced *always* by tiny SQ improvement won the day.
This, mind you, with no IC longer than 5' and the shortest less than 1'.

At the same time folk with diffent equipment and set up, having different synergys, will tell you, unbalanced will improve air and spaciousness, as oppose to a more dence and firmly focused image presentation.

Long story short, only testing and listening will tell it, is my learning.
Michélle 

Of course testing and listening that for sure, but could any body throw scientific base under this topic?

I prefer the single outs/ins on my system. Long cable runs are not an issue for me, and really the primary reason to run the “balanced” outs/ins is mostly this. Also, as mentioned, few systems are truly “balanced” anyway...