Balanced or Not

Well I'm a manufacturer so you have to take my comments with a grain of salt on this one: once you've heard a fully balanced setup there is no going back to single-ended. I've said that a lot over the last 20 years and it continues to be true.

Well I'm not a manufacturer, but you can still take my comments with a grain of salt. I have heard AND owned fully balanced setups. I am now back using single-ended, so obviously, there IS going back. The main reason for going back to single-ended designs was economic reasons.

That being said, my current system is still very quiet and revealing. I will admit that the noise floor using a fully balanced system was lower, but once you factor in all the other noises in a real world listening enviornment, I can't say that I'm suffering.

My current system is about 20% of the cost of my old big rig days, and to be honest, I'm embarassed by how close it is sonically. To think....all those years of what I was sure were "upgrades"... Sure makes me wonder what I spent so much time and money obsessing over.

Tube/SS, Vinyl/Digital, Balanced/SE, just relax, have fun and enjoy the music.

Tube/SS, Vinyl/Digital, Balanced/SE, just relax, have fun and enjoy the music.

By jove, I think he's got it!!!

Thanks for the topic as I happen to be wondering if Bal or Unbal cables should be used for the female XLR to RCA outputs on my Fostex D5. The cable runs into my Denon DRA- 395.

Any suggestions are appreciated. r

Swampwalker,
Agree!
I`ve heard exceptional sound from both fully balanced and single end RCA systems. Can`t say one bettered the other.
Regards,