Balanced vs. Unbalanced interconnects?

Truly balanced components make use of "common mode rejection" to lower distortion artifacts. It is very easy to just broadly say that therefore, ALL balanced components are better than unbalanced ones...not necessarily so. One thing that is accepted wisdom in the industry, however, is that IT IS BENEFICIAL TO CONNECT AN UNBALANCED SOURCE COMPONENT INTO A BALANCED PREAMPLIFIER, WHICH THEN CONNECTS TO A BALANCED AMPLIFIER. In other words, it's very beneficial for the signal from the source component to become actively balanced by a balanced preamplifier.

Put it this way... I had a truly wicked ground loop from my cable TV connection. It completely disappeared when I installed an Audio Research LS-9 into my system and ran balanced interconnects to my (also balanced) main amp. Some folks say, however, that balanced equipment tends to 'soften' the sound of everthing it plays. This is true to an extent. Still very good sound...

I also have an audio research ls9, I found that after replacing the rca output to my amp with the balanced straightwire encore balanced interconnect - the sound improved and I HAVE LOTS MORE VOLUME/LOUDNESS WITH LESS ROTATION OF THE VOLUME CONTROL.