Balanced vs RCA between amp/preamp

" The problem with this approach" Do you mean Transformer coupled approach?

@runwell No. If you are dealing with a ground loop, the transformer can fix that, but take @ieales' post seriously.

My Ayre electronics sound better using the differentially balanced outputs/inputs than the RCA's

 You suggest to use transformer isolation and you deny the way to use it. 

What is your opinion?

Audio Research reply directly that I should use transformer coupled  to connect RCA pre with their XLR only power amplifier.

@runwell If you are using a single-ended preamp, using a transformer might be the only way to drive certain power amps with a balanced input. ARC is often one of them. I'm not familiar with their current lineup, but it was only 5-6 years ago that some of their gear was only offered with a balanced input, but that input had a poor CMRR (Common Mode Rejection Ratio) according to a personal friend of mine who used to work there (Kalvin Dahl). Apparently it was only about 20dB. This meant that if you tried to drive it with a single-ended source, the distortion of the amp was very high and the output power was much lower. So a transformer was the only game in town if you had a single-ended preamp with that amp (which otherwise got good reviews).

If you have an ARC amp and a single-ended preamp, from what I've seen of their circuits I would advise the use of a transformer like the Jensen to do the conversion from single-ended to balanced, so I agree with ARC's advice above.

I don't like using transformers in the signal path which is why I designed a direct-coupled circuit that supports AES48. But transformers have their place; most of the classical LPs or CDs of recordings from the Golden Age of stereo (1958 to 1963) have several transformers in the recording signal path. Jensen and Lundahl arguably make some of the best transformers for this purpose.

Based on what you've told me so far, I would use the transformers! 

So that's it. I will feedback when I receive and install the transformer in my system.

I tried the direct  RCA to xlr cable before, and I can hear the soundstage is not good.