[martingitdave]

Hi Dory,

I'll start my response with my "take" on the balanced ES:

The latest evolution of the Expression System eschews the balanced output for the very reason you're describing. Their early marketing suggested that a balanced signal was vastly superior to an unbalanced signal from the guitar. A balanced signal provides better shielding from noise and a quasi noise cancelling benefit. But that benefit is only realized when you have long lengths of cables. The balanced signal only effects tone if there is a large mismatch in impedance. The balanced ES signal is designed to be connected to mic preamps.

The confusion comes when people try to hook up the balanced ES systems to small acoustic amplifiers and sound systems. Most acoustic amplifiers have a high impedance guitar input. This is actually a good thing because most pickups, including the ES unbalanced connection, expect to "see" the higher input impedance.

When you plug in via the balanced ES connection to your mic channel, you are using it as Taylor intended, but not as Fishman amp designers expected.

In other words, to get the best signal chain (in theory) you would take your balanced output to a mixing desk and to a high fidelity PA system.

However, the older ES system is primarily a magnetic pickup system. And, as such, may not be the most realistic representation of your guitar. Even if you had the most pristine signal chain to the world's best PA, you might be dissatisfied.

Taylor no longer uses that design and now uses piezos behind the saddle to make it sound more realistic. I happen to like the sound of the new ES2. And, recognizing their balanced guitar output was a solution looking for a problem, they dumped that too.

In your case, you have two limitations: the older ES and the small amplifier. I suspect what you're hearing from the balanced connection to the mic input is probably the best you will get from that combination. I'm not sure more money spent on direct injection boxes or basic preamps will clean it up. Some people report better performance with modeling technology, body Rez, etc. Those preamps are designed to alter the signal to make it sound more realistic.