Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear enough. What I was really asking was whether you (or Ken) are using the XLR outputs on the Aqvox to your upstream integrated or preamp, as it is possible to use a balanced tonearm lead with XLR's into the Aqvox and then use the RCA outputs. I do NOT do this as I have balanced tonearm cables with XLR's and then run a balanced cable (again with XLR's) from the XLR outputs on the Aqvox into a balanced/XLR input on my integrated. So balanced all the way-both in and out of the Aqvox.
Jeff: does your Aqvox have a history with Werner Ogiers? I can vaguely recall somebody making that modification on an Aqvox in the early days and think it may have been Werner.
For what it's worth Werner, when he reviewed the Aqvox for TNT came up with a number of cartridges that were a bit "outside the box" in terms of how he felt they might perform with the phono stage. In other words, he had an expectation that they might not work very well and then they did!