So I got my Chinese balanced isolation transformer from AliExpress yesterday and has been burning in since. It's showing an open ground on the outlets so that's probably proof that it's running balanced.
Anyway, first listening experience is that there's an improvement in soundstage imaging front-to-back, my reference classical CD (Le Sacre Du Printemps XRCD24) I believe shows better separation between instrument sections and the brass are better defined -- also I believe decays are longer / more audible. Mind you this could be in my head and there's been a few other changes in my setup too so this bears further investigation so this impression shouldn't be taken as definitive truth yet.