XLR vs RCA

Impossible to generalize, but I would definitely always at least try balanced connection on any gear that is *truly balanced* interally. On gear that is not, but provides for balanced connection anyway, experiment at your option - it's really the only way to know what you'll get.

BTW Audioengr, I take it from your comment about male/female connectors and not being able to hook up things 'backwards' that you are down with the theory of wire directionality - or were you just referring to not being able to accidentally plug an input into an input or an output into an output?

Ernie, the Pass Aleph products aren't truly balanced, are they? I mean, single-ended was sort of the raison d'etre of the Aleph line, wasn't it?

I believe the Pass Aleph line used a single gain stage in a fully balanced configuration.

I believe that Pass uses double single ended stages for each channel to create a true balanced system.

Yup, Alephs are truly balanced, and the EMC-1 likes 'em!