We sometimes form incorrect conclusions based on logical leaps.
For example, just because a balanced interconnect is quieter than a single-ended type doesn't mean single-ended systems are noisy.
A single-ended system using the standard RCA interconnects can be as quiet as the proverbial mouse. It's the system many of us have for years been using as our reference standard.
It wasn't until fairly recently that we in High-End Audio began adding XLR connectors and their supporting circuitry so that we could take advantage of the benefits of balanced audio. (Balanced interconnects were for many decades the exclusive purview of the pro-industry: recording studios, live events)
So, to set the record straight balanced audio is, IMHO, the better way to connect your high-end audio system. It sounds better and is quieter. It offers the ability to separate the source gear from the amplifiers so that we might place the amps next to the speakers and keep the preamp and sources close to the listener.
And yes, balanced audio is quieter.
But that doesn't mean that single ended systems are noisy.
