Phono Pre-amp with XLR

As long as you understand that the type of input or output jack (RCA vs XLR) makes very little difference per se. What I think you want is a balanced phono stage that truly processes the phono signal in balanced mode. Such a preamp will typically provide XLRs in and out, but some of them also provide RCA inputs, for tonearms that have only RCA terminations and customers who are not competent to change over from RCA to XLR. A single-ended phono stage will almost never have XLR inputs but might have XLR outputs as an option. Sometimes XLR outputs on an SE stage actually sound less good than the native RCA outputs, because to generate the balanced output signal, the phono output has to be processed one more time, either by going thru a transformer or thru a buffer of some kind. Maybe you know all this, and if so, I apologize for the pedantry.

Try one of the BAT tube phonostages. I have used both (run balanced in and out) with the balanced junction box on a SSM signature. Great sound, super quiet.

Thanx for the responses everyone

Grinnell - I checked out the unit you mentioned and am a little confused as to how to wire this up - it appears to only have a total of 2 XLR jacks - I would have assumed that you would need two sets one for in from the phono and one for out to the pre/pro.

What am I missing - this is the source of my confusion for a number of phon stages I have seen

Thanx again

Shouldn't ALL phono cartridges be balanced/low inmpedence? It seems like all TTs should have balanced/"low z" outs as the signal is so tiny from the cartridge it could assuage the loss issue...and issue assuaging is good. I want to live in a balanced, low impedence world...is that so wrong? ASSUAGE I SAY!

Wolf_garcia ALL phono cartridges *are* balanced, and any MC is also considered low impedance. But you knew that, right?