I want to upgrade my Turntable to something heavier

@lewm 

The OP has a PS Audio integrated amplifier which accepts one balanced input, but at a price point that suggests the amplifier is not fully balanced internally.  From my brief reading of the specifications, the first version handles Moving Magnet cartridges while the Mk 2 version also accepts Moving Coil.

All other things being equal, I would use balanced cables from the deck because there is nothing to lose, and more immunity from EMI directly affecting the cable.  I note that balanced cables can be terminated in RCA connectors as well as XLR, provided the RCA connections are not grounded. 

If I were running a Moving Coil cartridge from my Holbo, I would use cables with RCA connectors at one end and XLR at the other. I know the Holbo RCA connectors are not grounded, because they support the powered DS Audio optical cartridge range.

I have an XLR balanced cable for my SME tonearm which will provide a straight run from the cartridge to the phone stage, when I get around to installing it.  Oddly, with my current Moving Magnet cartridges and SoulNote phono stage, the balanced cable will work but only in single-ended mode!

You can probably answer this question for me.  When balanced cables are used as interconnects, the effective signal voltage is twice as high as a single ended cable.  I suspect there is no such advantage with cartridges.  Am I right?

As you imply, at this price point most home users are very satisfied with the sound quality they get without bothering about balanced anything.

Tend to agree with the above my perferance is wall mount for the stated reasons however I live in a mining town withusually scheduled "earthquakes" and large truckes transiting. Currently the table is on a heavy dresser which seems to reduce the sprung floor trampoline effect from children - still requires care and descretion ...

Re balanced - personally think your going down a "rabbit hole" noted you have an excellent amp. Suggest spend time investing in a high quality phono stage for example I use a Dynavector in Dr T mode which is excellent. Also re the table suggest if you need to change look for one open to step by stepupgrading allowibg tweaking and fiddling. Regas and Linns are good for this. Also if you have tge urge have you thought about buying a kit or build your own? This can be entriguing and interesting and through it you learn a lot hands on about audio gear?

RB, Yes you can use RCA connections in a balanced system, but not only must the ground side of the cable not be grounded, it also has to be carrying the negative phase of a balanced signal. (Obviously, if the signal is SE and the ground end of the RCA is not grounded, you would have horrendous loud hum, anyway.) The disadvantage of using an RCA for balanced, if all else is correct, is that many RCA cables use a conductor for the ground side that is not as good as the conductor for the hot side and may even be the shield itself.  So, if one is going to use RCA for balanced, I would make sure the ground conductor is separate and equal to the hot conductor and not synonymous with the shield.  You don’t get any benefit in terms of gain from using a balanced cable with XLR termination unless both ends of the cable are hooked to balanced devices.  That Raven linestage referenced earlier is very unique.  I looked at the schematic, and it seems they take a single-ended input and produce a balanced signal internally with their input transformer, 1:1, so no gain from that transformer but just creates a balanced signal internally.  Then they amplify the signal in balanced mode, and at the output they use another transformer to both convert the signal back to SE and reduce output Z, converting signal voltage to current. Very simple but elegant. Would that device give you a bonus for gain in balanced mode? I dunno. The gain benefit of balanced operation is linked to driving a balnced device with a balanced input. 

My Boulder integrated does not have RCA inputs. I have absolutely no issues using XLR cables in that connection. I realize that neither one of my two phono stages, one tubed and one solid state, is a true balanced design. In a system where both RCA and XLR connections are possible, the selection of phono stages is much wider than it is in my case. You can explore less costly options. 

My rack is a beauty, bentwood frames, curved cornered glass shelves, each isolated above it’s wood frame, but the end supports were physically stupid. 

Combine that with the fact the floor is not only springy, it is not level.

If the rack and all the weight is slightly tilted, the floor vibrations will get that entire off-center mass moving, not just small vibrations transmitted to the TT.

So I decided to make it level, and extend the front and rear fulcrum points further. Notice the shadow under the original end support.

Wall Shelf.

Now, my rack and TT are level, but, like the song says, 'give me 3 steps', because if the floor is springy, it's not just vibrations, it is in/out of level more than if we had solid floors. A wall shelf would be better for me also.

That's why I have to take my JVC's arm lift to VAS, to refill the oil and slow down it's 'too fast' self lowering, give me time for 3 steps, especially when using light tracking cartridges. Now, that arm, with the lightest tracking cartridge, I know to turn my body, reach back, start the drop and 'Get Back'.