Just a note Re. AB test, May KTE DAC balanced vs. unbalanced output. All cables ultra-premium Clarity Cable including ca. $2500/pr "Natural" (DAC to preamp) balanced and unbalanced cables.
Preamp: Atma-Sphere fully balanced differential MP-3.3 current model with stock Chinese tubes (Hexfred rectifier) the best preamp I have had at home by huge margin (ca. 2 clear steps beyond my good DIY 5842 tube preamp with Magnequest output transformers which outperformed a good commercial 300B preamp and good commercial 6SN7 preamp.)
MP-3.3 unbalanced output > Pass designed 140W AB stereo amp > AudioKinesis Gina main speaker parallel wired with discrete high-impedance Space Generator reverberant field speakers. Two kilowatt sub amps in Dr. David Greisinger’s phase quad tuning > four AK Tall Subs in distributed array. Large, symmetrical lightly treated moderately lively room.
Both balanced and unbalanced output of the May KTE simultaneously drove two MP-3.3 inputs, allowing instant switching. I estimate the balanced connection ca. 20% better. In this specific application it was no contest, balanced was absolutely better throughout, esp. quieter, blacker silence, more explosive, natural, etc.
Someone borrows my regular balanced input mono blocks: $5200/pr Atma-Sphere new patented class D GaN which outperform my backup amp by huge margin. I must presume my regular amps would magnify the difference in my AB test.
Prior to hearing MP-3.3 I discounted the cost to performance ratio for balanced connections; no more!
MP-3.3 user manual states input is more sensitivie to cable quality than its output. I generally suffer very little noise/RF problems.