I ran into this issue with my Bryston SP 1.7. It has balanced and RCA. I use Pro Audio gear and it is all balanced. But even though the Sp 1.7 has balanced out puts the analog path is unbalanced. To use balanced the Bryston breaks off the unbalanced path / to make it balanced. I would check the equipment. If the analog path is unbalanced and you do not have very long runs..... unbalanced is the way to go. Puting things in the signal path is really not "the best" suggestion .... my opinion. Cables...speaker wire..ect...and other things to "alter sound" is a lot of times not the cure. The BEST/first thing to do if you run high end gear is to have dedicated 20 amp circuts put in. ( I run 2 ) When picking speakers.....find out what the maker uses ( plus any other suggestions they may have ) I run powered near field monitors in my studio. I guess in short... the issue of balanced and not may not be the solution to get the best sound. I use Pro Power Company products by Richard Grey. For me it seems to work as claimed. I am no expert...... so take any of this based on that. I know it..... when I hear it..... I trust my ears and not specs of equipment.