Bartok with external headphone amp

[PAR (Pete)]

There are two slightly different issues here. The first is what a balanced circuit is and does . Phil’s response above deals with this.

The second issue is the specific implementation of the circuit or circuits. This FAQ from this forum deals with this aspect:

[FAQ] Which DAC output is better – balanced or unbalanced?

The balanced output uses complex class-A stages, they give noticeably better sound quality than the much simpler unbalanced output stages. The balanced outputs behave like coupling transformers so they can drive an unbalanced input provided that XLR connector pin 3 is connected to pin 1 at the end of the cable farthest from the DAC. Used like this, you may find that muting clicks are more noticeable. We recommend using the unbalanced outputs to drive an unbalanced input.