First Foray into XLR

The first thing to be skeptical of is manufacturers who install XLR I/Os, but their component/s ae not balanced internally. How is one to tell anything in tht case? 

Reviewers who are tasked with reviewing actual XLR kit seldom have differentially balanced systems. How many times have I read them say "I hear no difference" Meaning Editors should be shot, then hanged, then shot again for such stupidity, and yet, it has gne on this way fo decades. I used to send nasty letters to such editors, but finally gave up. You can't fi stupid. 

tweek1
"Reviewers who are tasked with reviewing actual XLR kit seldom have differentially balanced systems. How many times have I read them say "I hear no difference" Meaning Editors should be shot, then hanged, then shot again..."

...then disemboweled and hanged too? How Medieval!

Another transgression is to have vastly different impedances on the UnBal vs Bal inputs.

Unless one can, or bothers to obtain and, read a schematic, making evaluations between the two may be specious.

ieales
You make a good point there!
It might just be my cynical nature but, it seems to me that XLR I/O connectors on high end consumer - audio gear is nothing more than Bling.

I’ve tried a full loom of XLR-terminated cables in a fully-balanced home audio system. In terms of noise levels, the balanced, XLR-based system really didn’t afford advantages over an unbalanced, RCA-terminated system. And for those who claim otherwise, I would ask them to survey the EM-RF fields in their home to ascertain whether it’s even safe to inhabit.