Balanced/Unbalanced question

The quoted statement will often be true, but like most such generalities it can be expected that there will be many exceptions. It depends on the design of the specific component, and on the specific system in which it is being used, and especially on how well the conversion from unbalanced to balanced is implemented. The only way to know for sure is to try it both ways.

The following excerpt from the manual for your P7 seems worth noting:

The P 7’s balanced outputs enable you to take full advantage of the inherent noise-rejection capability and superior sound quality of Parasound Halo power amplifiers, especially when the power amplifiers are located near the speakers, far from the P 7. The balanced inputs on the P 7 also insure the best possible analog connection to source components which are equipped with balanced outputs.

We generally recommend balanced connections if your power amplifiers or source equipment are located more than 10 feet from your P 7. Many serious listeners prefer the sonic characteristics of balanced connections because their lower inherent noise floor contributes to a more defined and spacious soundstage.

Keep in mind, also, that there are some potentially significant additional differences that balanced vs. unbalanced interconnections may call into play, regardless of whether or not the components have balanced internal signal paths, and regardless of whether other interconnections in the system are balanced or unbalanced. Those include susceptibility to ground loop issues (balanced generally being less susceptible); cable differences; sensitivity of the components to cable differences; impedance differences in many cases; and often a 6 db difference in system gain, which may have audibly significant consequences in some systems.

Regards,
-- Al

The benefits of a balanced connection are a reduction in common mode noise, that is the noise common to both signal lines. This will ONLY be the case when the source impedance of both lines are equal and the terminating impedances are equal. Any imbalance will convert common mode noise to some differential mode noise. Thus even in the case where a true differential stage is on the receiving end it will amplify this noise or visa versa. So both connections need to be true balanced connections to receive this benefit.

In light of all this, many manufacturers provide convenience balanced connections. These are usually implemented with an OP amp and won't present equal source impedances to the connected device or in the case of an input equal load impedances to the source device.

Like Al said above, you need to read the fine print and know just what you're dealing with. That said, it sounds like from reading the above response that the Parasound units are truly designed as balanced. I wouldn't stake my life on it though until I saw the schematics.

All of the above is true, but the bottom line is if you do have true blanced circuits (seperate + and - and not XLR inputs for cosmetic reasons), then it will sound better. My Ayre equipment sounds better with XLR connections utilized.

Al mentioned:

; and often a 6 db difference in system gain, which may have audibly significant consequences in some systems.

+1
Applies to TVCs. This was required in my system. I experienced this when I removed the RCA between the TVC and power amp, and used XLRs instead.
I am not sure how this will work when I get a CDP with XLR and connect it to TVC. Currently all sources only use RCA to connect to TVC.