Turntable to Phono to Pre connections

My understanding is that an RCA cable output is likely balanced if the ground wire is separate.  If it's incorporated into the cable one must assume that it is not balanced. My phono pre (Austin Audio Works) has a switch for balanced vs. unbalanced input. I don't know if there would be any benefit for running a balanced out from your preamp even if the input from the TT was unbalanced, although  guess you could always hook it up either way way and listen to it. 

This question is related to the first.  I run RCA from my VPI Prime to PsAudio phono pre, and XLR to Rogue RH5 preamp, RCA to the amp.  The RH5 has only one XLR input so I used it for phono rather than DAC reasoning that anything that lowers noise in the phono section is a good thing.  But is there any point in using XLR in the middle of a line that includes RCAs on each end? 

My Phono Pre has both outputs, usable concurrently.

I use the XLR to my Preamp, and the RCA feeds a headphone amp. This allows be to listen while the preamp is in use by other sources, or in bypass mode for TV and streaming video.

Wow! It’s tough to sort out all the different concepts contained in the above posts.

An RCA IC can be used to carry a balanced signal, BUT not a good idea if the "ground" conductor, which becomes the negative phase in a balanced circuit, is carried on the shield.  I would only do it if you know that the ground conductor inside the IC is a discrete wire identical to the wire used to carry the "hot" or positive phase in a balanced circuit. And then the RCA male plug at the output end of an IC carrying a balanced signal must be connected via RCA or an adapter to a balanced circuit. There actually are a few pieces of gear that offer RCA female input jacks that feed a balanced circuit, but it is not usual.

An XLR cable is not inherently balanced. It doesn’t know what it’s carrying.  An XLR cable can only carry a balanced signal if it is fed from a balanced output and best if it is feeding also a balanced input.

OP says his Sim has "a dual mono fully balanced differential circuit output." That’s good, but it needs to have a balanced INPUT in order to deal with the balanced output of a cartridge connected in balanced mode.

To derive a balanced signal from a phono cartridge, connect its hot pins to pin2 of an XLR. Then connect its ground pins to pin3 of the XLR.  Pin1 is available for equipment grounds, but the pos and neg phases of the audio signal float. The tonearm does not care.