balance and single ended what I heard

1. The advantages of a balanced interface are significant for long runs in an electromagneticly noisy environment. You probably don't have this situation.

2. Are you sure that your balanced wires are actually functioning in balanced configuration? If one of the signal pins is grounded, what you have is an unbalanced interface via wires that are not optimized for this mode.

Metralla's first sentence says it all. What cables were you using? Were they the same model? What gear was being used?

Even though a product has XLR connections, it may not at all use a balanced circuit topology. For cases where a single-ended signal goes through several additional stages on the input to output just for the sake of driving XLR cables is just plain senseless. Unless there are circuits for each phase, I'd stay with single-end connections.

Thoughts...maybe you are using equipment with lousy balanced cicuits?...I don't see cables causing the woes to ones system are you describing. They are just wire you know:)...

steve

thanks for your responses, My equipment is a Mac C46 into a Mac 252, also have a Mac c2200,used a Monster balanced interconnect...using a Monster rca and analysis plus rca,also use a goldmund rca...using B&Wcm4, Linn Ninkas and Khorns...get the same results no matter what speakers. All I can tell you is what I hear, regarding the Naim cd comment, I spent extensive time with them, didn't hate them per se, just found I preferred a more relaxed sound of the Linn Ikemi vs the ultra dynamic of the Naim.

I like both tube and ss thats why I have both, tried it a few times over different days....same results, with the monster balanced the system goes kind of flat and loses the sparkle...its got me stumped.

follow up I slao have Mac mc275 1V...same result also,rcas sound much better, maybe the Monster balanced cable is just a bad sounding cable, dont know it is the only one I have tried....Also read many comments on this forum from people who haven't heard the gear or casually hear it in a store (with umpteen variables) and make comments....All my comments are from actually owning the gear or hearing it my house for a reasonable time...I have heard quite a bit of gear and found,forget price..you just have to listen.