Rowland Continuum 500, RCA vs. XLR

Balanced cables provide three benefits. You get locking connections in every case, and if you are running a significant distance you will have less signal loss than single ended, and better quieting capability as both poles are within each run. That's it. All other benefits are imaginary.

If your cables are only a meter or two, don't waste your money on the changeover. You might be able to imagine an improvement, but nothing will have changed.

Hello Kijanki: If I understood your last post correctly ( I am not sure if I did ) then you are correct. My system is not fully balanced (nor did I ever claim it). The key is in your own phrase: "If you need to reverse input signal - it means that at one point you use the same signal to create different polarities " - yes and from THAT point (input to the amp to be specific) to the speakers binding posts - its fully balanced signal transmission.

Enourmous (IMMENSE!!!!) advantage of this approach is (as oppose to balanced cable WITH true balanced input which reduce RANDOM upstream noise) the distortion caused by amplifier are NOT random - this is very specific function of the design (and, of course, tolerance of the parts and craftsmenship). Almost identical but of phase - and when they arrive to speaker - they cancel each other (while signal double and noise increase by square root only - which is fine but not big deal as proponents of balanced inputs/cables try to make - see the question of the thread and post above mine).
So in principle you have (amplifier's) distortion-free music coming from your speakers. Consequently, your presentation not only will have better detail bit much more noticeable - three dimensionality i.e. space and palpability of the instrument.

Regards
Simon

Simon - I understand advantage but you have to pay for it. I'm more experienced on electronics side of things than audio.

Let's get back to a practical discussion of does it make a difference. I moved from unbalanced to balanced ICs with my C-500 (congrats on you purchase, BTW). My run is only 1-meter, but the CD/SACD player and Rowland are only an inch apart from one another in a relatively congested cabinet. I figured with all the potential for RFI and EFI with speaker cables crossing and ICs running every which way, why take a change? I use Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval.

Could I hear a difference? No. I suspect that the C-500's operation in DC mode has much to do with that. My initial impression, with unbalanced ICs, was of absolute background silence. That silence got no more absolute when I went to balanced ICs. If you change brands of ICs you'll hear it with the Rowland. If RFI is relatively low in your area and around you audio equipment, then you're not as likely to benefit.

Dave

Thanks Dcstep, that's helpful. The response I got from JR suggested that XLR will always be quieter, though this did not seem to be a factor in your case. My I/C length is also only 1M.

I guess I should do this upgrade only if I really wish to upgrade the I/C in absolute terms, rather than for the reason of moving from RCA to XLR. One question though.. was your source fully balanced. In my case I think the Accuphase DP500 CDP is stated to be fully balanced, at least on the brochure. Maybe this would account for some difference.