Balanced or not

[RoA]

Does it make sense to go balanced with cables on shorter lengths or if not, from what length on?

 

[staticV3]

If you experience mains hum or other interference noises coming out of your loudspeakers or headphones, then switching to balanced would make sense.

 

[boxerfan88]

Yes, go balanced if possible.
Differential signal plus higher transmission voltage, in my view are good reasons to use balanced connections.

 

[Verig]

If your headphones and amp have balanced option then go for it. If neither has the option I wouldn't change gear just to get it.
Of course I use balanced working with audio but I must say I've never ever missed it at home even though I know it's technically better.

 

[DVDdoug]

If your equipment has balanced connections, use them! But personally, when selecting/buying equipment for home use I wouldn't put a high priority on balanced connections. (Nothing in my home theater setup has balance connections.)

from what length on?

There's no simple answer. For long runs between rooms it might help (if you have ground loop hum or other noise issues). Between buildings or across a football field, I'd say it's a really-good idea.

In a pro setting, balanced XLR connections are pretty-standard for everything (except speakers) so you generally only need one type of cable.

 

[Saponetto]

If the OP asks in relation on headphone cables, maybe some advantage on going balanced could exist, but honestly I didn't find yet...

 

[zonk]

Usually I use balanced interconnects (DAC <> headphone amp/pre amp). Therefore I had never a hum issue.
My active speakers are connected by balanced cables too.

Some of my headphones came with balanced (xlr, 4.4mm) and unbalanced (6.3 or 3.5 mm) cables. Sonically for me makes no difference.

 

[DonH56]

Does it make sense to go balanced with cables on shorter lengths or if not, from what length on?

As all the others have said, it depends upon the application and environment. A ground loop can cause hum with a 1" cable if the problem is not the signal path. A single-ended cable 100' long may be fine if there are no noise sources that couple to the cable.

For me, if the source and receiver are differential or at least balanced, then I would use a "balanced" cable always just to be safe and to preserve the performance of the components. The cost difference for a short cable is usually small, and is a one-time buy, so I'd just get a balanced cable and be done with it, instead of always wondering if a balanced cable would be better.

If the source or receiver are single-ended, chances are a balanced cable will not help, so I would not spend the extra money.

FWIWFM - Don

 

[InfiniteJester]

Audio Myth - Balanced Headphone Amplifiers are Better

This Myth Goes Something Like This: "Balanced headphone amplifiers are better." "If balanced line-level connections work well, balanced headphone outputs should also work well." We disagree! Benchmark does not offer voltage-balanced headphone outputs on any of its products. The reason for this...

benchmarkmedia.com

 

[markanini]

It doesn't matter a lot for headphones cables, but when it does it's for higher output power. Unbalanced cables are in theory more susceptible to EMI/RF, but in practice it's not picked up audibly through headphone cables.

 

[DonH56]

It doesn't matter a lot for headphones cables, but when it does it's for higher output power. Unbalanced cables are in theory more susceptible to EMI/RF, but in practice it's not picked up audibly through headphone cables.

Higher output power, or lower? Higher output usually implies more gain through the amplifier, but higher signal level and lower amplifier output impedance is usually less sensitive to noise -- except ground loops, which can sneak in at the input.

Coax can be pretty resistant to induced or coupled noise, but that very much depends on the ground (return) path of the devices. People tend to forget that RF receivers operating with uV down to fV of signal are usually single-ended so it can be done.

 

[RoA]

Thanks all. Am I correct in assuming that the signal is passing through extra circuitry and amplification when going through balanced? Couldn't that itself be detrimental to sound (S/N)?

 

[markanini]

Thanks all. Am I correct in assuming that the signal is passing through extra circuitry and amplification when going through balanced? Couldn't that itself be detrimental to sound (S/N)?

No, balanced can't hurt the sound quality.

 

[voodooless]

Couldn't that itself be detrimental to sound (S/N)?

If poorly designed, yes, but the same goes for single-ended electronics. The trick with balanced is that it's supposed to increase SNR, because:

1. the signal voltage is generally higher
2. the cables and signals are set up in such a way that external noise sources cancel each other out, meaning that it's more immune to these sources.

 

[RoA]

Great advise, thanks all

 

[dasherzx]

Yeah you’ll be thankful on the odd chance you are at someone’s old house with bad hum from ground loops

 

[56suited]

Do I even need XLRs for cabling that will run 1.5m or less between components? If "yes", is using XLR cables important end-to-end? If "no", is it more important to have a balanced connection FROM my source, or TO my speakers? Here's why I am asking...I am interested two different TTs, the Pro-Ject X1 B. The TTs are interchangeable, except for options #2 and #4 that take advantage of the X1 B's balanced outputs.

I *think* #4 is the best set-up, with tons of scalability if I move the system out of my ~6m sq office...but obviously the most expensive, and there's 5 different pieces of equipment. Option #1 is the easiest to swallow, and considering I am running with less than 1.5m of cabling between any of the components...maybe XLR doesn't matter?

I was also toying with the idea of a miniDSP SHD...but that blows up my budget just for the sake of having XLR inputs and outputs. Damnit WiiM. Why couldn't you make the Ultra with XLR.

I have a PS4 and a Samsung TV that will be in very close proximity, but they would never be used simultaneously with the audio system (except for HDMI eARC, or SPDIF so I can use the speakers for audio).

COMPONENT	#1 (all RCA)	#2 (XLR TT to Phono)	#3 (XLR Pre-Amp to Speakers)	#4 (all XLR)
Turntable	Pro-Ject Debut Pro S	Pro-Ject X1 B	Pro-Ject Debut Pro S	Pro-Ject X1 B
Phono Stage		Pro-Ject Phono Box S3 B		Pro-Ject Phono Box S3 B
Streamer			WiiM Pro Plus	WiiM Pro Plus
Amp/Pre-Amp	WiiM Ultra	WiiM Ultra	Topping A70 Pro	Topping A70 Pro
Speakers	Kali Audio IN-5	Kali Audio IN-5	Kali Audio IN-5	Kali Audio IN-5
$$$	~2,000EUR	~2,440EUR	~2,333EUR	~2,800EUR

 

[RoA]

I have received my balanced cable. I can't hear any difference to single ended other than more power (which I don't really use). Still I got it and will use it.