Should I switch to a preamp with balanced outputs

The only reason to use XLR is if there is no other option. I have switched to ARC, which only has XLR inputs on a power amp, so no choice. What you have to avoid is RCA to XLR conversion cables, that will degrade the sound

I have a CJ pre and a amp that takes both RCA and XLR. One of the amps had the RCA go out. I was told to get a switching controller. Went to Ebay and found a used Henry Engineering Matchbox HD for under a $100 that allowed a interface from CJ RCA to the amp XLR inputs. What a difference it made I could hear the skins of the drums vibrate. (Read my forum on How do you like the Parasound P5) That one experience was a huge eye opener and has me asking the same question. You may want to try just getting a separate controller that allows the cables to be interfaced.

Stupid question can a preamp be a balanced design/topography and have only RCA inputs?  I’m considering the CJ GAT2 premap and my system is all balanced.  The GATv2 has gotten rave reviews and I don’t want to feel like I’m not getting the full benefit from my Dac/amp. 

I recently purchased a preamp with balanced circuitry and outputs paired with an amplifier that has balanced input connections.

The gain and dynamics using good quality XLR cables is far superior to connecting with very good RCA interconnects.
Music has more life and energy in spectacular fashion.

The other thing a balanced preamp offers is more flexibility when choosing partnering amplifiers. Some well regarded amps only have balanced connections.

This is for reference as someone bumped an old thread.  

@skipper320 

If your amplifier has balanced input circuitry or is fully balanced, it will be lower distortion if provided with a balanced source.

The balanced line system was devised for several reasons and one of those reasons is to eliminate interconnect cable artifact. If you've ever heard one cable sound better than another then you know what I'm talking about.


To achieve this the preamp must support the balanced line standard. This is a rarity in home audio. There are a lot of balanced preamps, but very few of them support the standard (a.k.a AES48). If the standard is not supported then you will hear artifacts from the cables; this is why there is the balanced vs single ended cable thing going as we see in this thread. If everything supported the standard, there would be no argument: balanced line would simply be better and that would be the end of it.

So it is worth a try.