The short answer is no, you don't need to have fully balanced connections from the tonearm. I am not sure if there would be benefits there or not. I would have had to change the design a bit to allow this to be done. There are very few TT's with balanced tonearm cables that I know of, so I did not include this option on our PH 9.0/ PH 9.0X.
We offer both a 'Balanced Upgrade' version and the PH 9.0X which includes fully balanced outs by design. The first is a standard PH 9.0 that we add a pair of cap coupled 1:1 output transformers to create a fully balanced output signal.
The PH 9.0X uses high grade Lundahl output transformers as part of the output circuit, direct-coupled (eliminating coupling caps) and involves a totally redesigned output stage for much better sound and +6dB net gain.
Because the unit is SE in, whether via SUT (MC) or MM, the output transformers convert single ended to fully balanced via the best way possible. The impedance matching and galvanic decoupling inherent in transformer coupled phase splitters make them the ideal way to achieved fully balanced operation, in my opinion.
Thanks,
Dan W.
