[justanut]

Or will I be better off going SE off the bat? Asking cos some of my gear don't have aftermarket balanced cables.. But I found convertors like this http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3.0.203.QPFFQR&id=14880557172&. Will it help give me some of the SQ improvements from going balanced (say CLAS->RXMKIII balanced)?

 

[NA Blur]

I think most of the manufacturers of truly balanced amps and DAC units would agree that a simple converter is not going to give you any improvement.  I recently went from single ended to balanced excluding headphones and I notice a difference.  I have a very simply and fast way to switch between the unbalanced outputs from my DAC and amp to balanced mode.  What I hear is crisper bass, better control of the drivers, and a little more soundstage.
 
I plan on throwing in some balanced headphones soon to see if I can hear any differences there, but so far I am liking the balanced mode more than single ended.
 
Not all balanced amps are truly balanced so be sure to do your research before getting too deep into the balanced world.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Of course you'll hear a difference. It will be a little louder. And slight increases in volume are often perceived as being higher quality rather than a change in loudness. Unscrupulous audio salesmen used to take advantage of this phenomenon all the time. They'd make sure the system they wanted to sell was played slightly louder than the one being compared to. It's an old trick.
 
se