If I make a connection to a db via ADO, I would need to then make a reference
to a recordset that I wished to interrogate / interact with.

Using the recordset object you don't necessary need to using the Connection
object to get at the same data as in the example above.

I can see that if you wish to manipulate data in several recordsets in the
from the same source then opening a connection would make sense.

What, if any, are the real differences??

TIA.