When to choice XLR over RCA ICs.

I do use balanced cabels only in the critical connections. Between the preamp and the amp between my digital streamer and the preamp and from my turn table to my phono preamp and from the phono preamp to the preamp. The rest of my connections are rca. I do hear a difference. Now my tape deck my tuner and my TV to my preamp I use rca thoses pieces ate not going to sound  any better

 Also when you get cabels xlr I. Peticuler get pure silver stranded wire cables they make a huge difference in the sound

 I use silver wires for all my cables even the rca and ho with the silver  rca ends  .I bought all my inter connect cabels at morrow audio except my phono cabel. They don't make them with xlr ends . So I searched the web and found it at Westbury audio in the uk. Hope this helps Michael 

Silver 😳 is for tinsel 🎄

Keep it up I am learning.

Again Thanks,

Bob

2. Slight Volume Increase. No ’better’ or ’preferred’ or ’different' sound, but a discernable volume increase, IF that makes a difference. btw, other equipment, no volume difference, so it’s the Sony xa5400’s output that is slightly stronger, not the cable.

@elliottbnewcombjr If this is the case, it means the Sony doesn't support the balanced standard. Instead, what it has is two single-ended outputs, one out of phase with the other. So when you run balanced you get 6dB more output.

If it supported the balanced standard, the output level would not change.

When this sort of thing goes on, you lose most of the benefit of going balanced. You retain the noise aspect, but the choice of cable will become important to get the best sound and you might have to deal with a ground loop (since ground is being referenced by the output of the player). Neither is an issue if AES48 is supported.

atmasphere

... it means the Sony doesn't support the balanced standard ... When this sort of thing goes on, you lose most of the benefit of going balanced.

What is the greatest advantage of using balanced components? There are multiple advantages, so the answer is subjective and debatable. In my view, the answer is lower noise. That would explain why we see so many differntially balanced components that do not comply with the AES48 standard that you tout.

There are several ways of designing an AES48 compliant component, and some have negative sonic effects. So the AES48 standard is not itself a guarantee of performance.