Why so few balanced phono inputs?


I have been through the posts regarding whether a phono cartridge is a balanced connection or not and per Ralph Karsten etc. I agree it is balanced. It finally hit me why someone like Pass Labs doesn't offer a balanced input on a balanced unit (I wanted one until I saw they only had rca)...There are so few turntables that offer a balanced out connection. I got mine from VPI and it was easily switched and was a huge improvement... but are there other TT brands that offer a balanced connection? I was in a high end shop the other day...first time in a while... and saw none. Even SME didn't show one as an option on their site. Not trying to open the balanced vs. single-ended thing but maybe it is endemmic to the conversation. Thanks
sm2727
If I was really smart I would not have to roll tubes either. I'd know the right one right off. Unfortunately, I am not that smart. So these things take me awhile. :^{
Aqvox

They have some info on their website on which tonearms are wired for balanced operation.

I have a balanced phono stage on my wish list to replace my Trigon Vanguard II. Speakers first though.
2 things:
If you choose to replace an RCA male plug with an XLR, the convention is that the hot wire into the RCA plug should go to pin2 of the XLR. The "other" signal-carrying wire goes to pin3. Ground and only ground attaches to pin1. But as John Tracy intimated, the shield of a typical RCA-terminated single-ended cable, if used to connect to pin3 (carrying the negative phase), may cause issues in sonic quality. Which I suspect has something to do with why many say that balanced is inferior to SE. If you choose to connect the cartridge in balanced mode, best to have two conductors of equal quality for the plus and minus phases of the signal. It's not hard to make such a cable for yourself.
Maybe that was only one thing, not two.
Well length does matter a lot in professional audio and that's why they use XLR, much lower noise floor and 110ohm vs 75ohm. If your trying to FIX a problem with detail and/or sound quality by switching from RCA to XLR, it dose not always make things better. If your company uses balanced circuts for its audio products that's great. That is a designers choice...But to say that all balanced designs are going to sound better than unbalanced ones is horse shit! Talk to EveAnna Manley at Manley labs who among many others who don't see using unbalanced as a step back in sound quality over balanced. IMO balanced is not the last word in sound quality.
I agree that balanced connection is not per se necessary for superb sound reproduction. But where do you get the "110 ohm vs 75 ohm" idea? The impedance in a typical audio system will be only be that which is reflected by the interconnect, depending upon the output impedance of the driving device and the input impedance of the driven device, no matter how you slice it. Further, I thought "pro audio", where distances are great at times, use 600 ohms.

Further, it has been my experience that those manufacturers who offer true balanced connections are prone to say why it is superior to SE connections. Conversely, those who make only SE devices (like Manley Labs) are prone to diss the notion of balanced connections. So, I would take Ms Manley's opinion with more than a grain of salt. If done well and properly, there is no doubt in my mind that there is an advantage in noise issues associated with balanced connections, especially from cartridge to phono stage, if only because of fewer problems with grounding. That's just a "feeling" based on 3 decades of experience with both types.