"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
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"Serge Auckland" wrote in
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Short cable runs especially at line levels really don't
need balancing,

Really? You ought to try to measure the dynamic range of a CD player
using a completely unbalanced connection. Sometimes it works, but often
the best possible results are only obtained by using a balanced input
cable on the test equipment.

Why should a balanced input cable make a difference to dynamic range on an
unbalanced output? Or, are you saying that a balanced output will have lower
noise? If so, that shows either poor design on the CD player or inadequately
screened cables. In normal domestic environments, I don't see any benefit
from using balanced connections if cable lengths are less than 10 metres.


and it's something of a mystery to me why
some high-end consumer products like CD players are
offering balanced outputs

Its very often a cheap easy way to ensure the best possible dynamic range.

But only if the receiving equipment (pre-amp or whatever) has balanced
inputs. Otherwise, it's just a consequence of a higher signal level, not of
balancing.

whilst phono inputs are almost invariably unbalanced,

The saving grace here is that the source(phono cartrdige) is usually
floating by virtue of being ungrounded, except at the input of the phono
preamp.

And hence unbalanced. PU cartridge inputs, especially MC inputs should be
balanced. The cartridge is, and so should the phono pre-amp, but very rarely
is.

S.


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