Balanced or single ended phono cable to Aesthetix Io?

I have used both - for me I really was not able to resolve much difference with this phono stage.

Admittedly, the balance connections were made with Hovland Music groove cable and the unbalanced everything from home brew silver and cotton to Cardas and Nordost types, so not like for like.

I have landed on the homebrew silver right now and I will try the balanced connectors on those for a definitive a-b.

The Io is phenomenal  phono stage -even today- after all these years after its introduction.

I found that there are other more obvious things that could make a difference than the balanced connectors: tube choices, isolation , dual supplies and interconnect quality between the supplies and the Io.

Good luck with it an feel free to give it a try for yourself.

Balanced in - on phono for this design is over-rated

I like the new KLE phono RCA connectors on some braided silver and cotton sheathed wire I am using now for the Io on the Kuzma 4 point and Brinkmann 12.1 arms I have currently.I have experimented with heavy metal connectors and the KLE and the advantage goes to the KLE in my experience. Heavy balanced neutrik connectors were the other choice.

 I don't nearly have the most sophisticated table on the market but it would cost many tens of thousands of dollars for me to buy all over again. So, I think I have good perspective based on what I have and what I have heard.

On a fully  balanced design there may or may not be a difference -you have to try.

I listened to the MP 3 from time to time with unbalanced connectors at al local dealer- funny they have never- had balanced phono cable on that unit ever in my experience and it sounds good.  Very infrequently the same dealer would have an MP-1 but that was never run with balanced phono either - its a much nicer preamp for the extra $$$.

I wouldn't make my phono pre amp decision on true balanced phono input capability. There are plenty of high quality good sounding designs without it. The engineering science says it irrefutably should be better.... but try to find an opportunity to compare and see for yourself.

So Jim White would explain his design as some sort of quasi balanced and Atamasphere will correctly indicate that balanced is balanced and any trickery to use a balanced connector is incorrect. Proof is in the sound - even the theoretical advantage of balanced may not prove to be worthwhile in a home environment despite the fundamental balanced operation of a phono cartridge.

Good luck