With todays design technologies applied to interconnects. I feel the choice to use balanced and unbalanced would be a personal and an application choice. In pro gear I could easily see the need. Long runs and the power used. That having a connetion come loose would be a liability issue. But for home use. If one starts with a quality designed cable the concern is mute. Also as more processing that is offered in todays Rec/Pre-pros. I could only imagine how large the chasis would be and the cost passed onto the consumer. I've looked at alot of displayers at the CES show. And very few use Balanced connection. Just my opinion.