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balanced vs unbalanced output

Can anyone explain difference (technical or in sound quality) b/w balanced and unbalanced outputs? Is the image clearer on balanced? Thanks
aarif
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
The primary benefit of balanced connections is reduced noise. Correct balance cancels any noise riding along with the signal.

Sometimes, depending on the circuit, you may also get higher gain.

Sound quality with this lower noise floor you get better detail retrieval which helps soundstaging to.

BUT !! Balanced doesn't always equal better sound. It depends on the equipment, the circuit design, etc etc...don't assume balanced is better. It's not black and white...
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Also be aware that not all equipment with an XLR connector has true balanced circuitry. That should be verified with manufacturer
mlsstl
1,452 posts
 
As an added note, balanced interconnections are more commonly used in professional environments. The reason is that equipment is located all over the place and you might have a long run of wiring, say a 75' microphone cable. A unbalanced cable of this length would be much more subject to noise pickup. A true balanced circuit has a high "common mode rejection ratio" that makes it much quieter with long cable runs or in a noisy EMI environment.

Most home systems don't have these problems to the same extent so the primary advantage of a balanced mode isn't as big an issue. That is not to say you will not hear a difference between the two connections. However, it could turn out that you might prefer the unbalanced connection. The only way to find out is to try your setup both ways.

If you currently don't have equipment that offers a balanced connection it is not something I'd lose any sleep over if you like the way your system sounds.
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