The balanced connections are new to me. I'm curious what difference it makes if there's no ground-hum issue to take care of. Is it more purist? If the DVD player is not balanced is there still a benefit? Is it only used to address the ground hum issue? I looked around and didn't see a whole lot concerning this subject and would like the best connections since I just ordered the 7900 and am waiting for the 978. Thanks for any input! If I upgraded from the BPD-93 to the BDP-95 using balanced for two channel audio would I see a benefit even though the 978 will have the ESS Sabre DAC's?

Balanced cables are best if the runs between components are long and could be subject to electrical interference which generates noise in the line. Balanced cables are able to reject the noise because the signal generated is cancelled in the opposite conductor. The connectors themselves are also much more robust and able to take more wear and tear. Musicians and stage groups use balanced XLR connectors for almost all of their hookups for these reasons. If your processor and amp are within ten feet of one another then the balanced connections probably won't provide any help. The ground loop hum is usually due to a difference in ground values between two connections. If a common good ground is used for all components then the ground loop hum issue is much less likely. Balanced connectors are also able to provide a somewhat lower noise floor because of the noise rejection and give about a 3db better signal.

Thank you very much XenonMan. Do balanced connections always provide a lower noise floor? If so, maybe that's the way to go regardless. My connections will only be about 3 1/2 feet, so unless the noise floor is lowered regardless of the situation, it sounds as though RCA's may provide just as good a connection.

The RCAs will work best as long as you don't run them parallel to the power cords. I usually run my power cords on one side of my HT and the speaker wires and interconnects on the other side 2-3 feet away. You likely won't see any benefit in using the XLR connectors.

A good shielded RCA is all you need. XLR if you have noise or hum problems as Xenonman said above. There will be no difference in sound quality. Also don't mortgage your family for interconnects by getting 3 pairs of Nordost Valhalla 2. Get Blue Jeans Cable or that other company that sues a lot.

I like the individual copper mesh shieled XLR cables from Blue Jeans cable, they run about $10/foot so it gets a little pricey to wire up seven channels. That said I do believe that even for short runs in a relatively "noise free" household the minimal upcharge for XLR vs RCA is worth it.

Of course Blue Jeans uses pretty ordinary cable made by mere mortals like Belden. http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/balancedaudio/

As much as I "wanna believe" in the mostly earnest 'research' that some firms honestly seem to do I have to admit that even if I won MegaUltraSuperPowerBall I would have a real hard time parting with 100x that for interconnects hand made out of custom drawn wire woven in such a way as the fancy stuff from some firms -- http://shunyata.com/Images/Reviews/RobertHarley_012012.pdf

Ditto!! Folks over on the Polk forum are, in StevenB's words, cable happy! I mean a few are in a cult of sorts, snobbish, on that stuff.

Mind you I'm NOT down on upscale ICs and speaker cable. But some SEEM to preach anything less than car payment to connect a single channel is a wa$te or not worth the effort. C'mon, this guy just want sound! Further, never mind the internal* wire* & XO** components** cost less than a fast food lunch or the OP's AVR/power is not quite up to task for his speakers.
* though they've never tried it, some preach this upgrade is a waste of time.
** some downplay this upgrade too prefering to spend 3-5X that on ICs or cable, unfortunately, getting less than an single, inexpensive cap & a little solder would net.

Oh well... Sorry for the rant. We can dream! Everything in perspective, please...

Tony

Just for perspective, say you plunk down mega-bucks for the super whamadyne connections for your equipment. Is that same super oxygen free counterclockwise organic silver shielded WIRE still getting its input from whatever plain old 16 gauge copper inside the gear or in the speakers.. Wire is wire and for the distances we usually see any 12-14 gauge copper lamp cord from Home Depot works for speakers and interconnects from BJC or Monoprice save me big bucks i can spend elsewhere. The same kind of niche group exists for all hobbies. I refuse to read articles in the various review mags once they proclaim that they are experiencing nirvana from some new cable wrapped in some sort of material that is obtained only from comets.

You know, I think I need to go on one of those forums and suggest a system with three tanks, one each of compressed oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, along with a pressure regulating system so that you home theater will have the proper atmosphere for transmitting non-distorted sound.

Or perhaps I'll post it on the new product ideas in this forum.

Better yet, I think I'll just go eat some more Christmas cookies...

Don't forget the Argon. It lifts a veil.