Looking for a preamp with XLR connections

LA4 is AES48 compliant.

I think you should expand your choices by considering a tube preamp.  Specifically, Atmasphere does fully balanced designs and that’s where I’d go first.  Tubes in a preamp are very low maintenance.  But, if you must do solid state I’d look at Ayre, or maybe Boulder.  I’m not 100% sure either is fully balanced, but my guess is they are.  Best of luck.  

Benchmark Media outstanding equipment balanced design thru out including the XLRs.  You are correct in looking for A balanced design, it has many benefits. The comment that was made that balanced doesn’t matter at home Is false. It’s a quieter system period over and unbalanced system. His system just can’t resolve it. Tube sound is a preference not a performance spec. And a CTO to of a big company.

Im an Ayre user as well.   Highly recommended

It’s a quieter system period over and unbalanced system. His system just can’t resolve it. Tube sound is a preference not a performance spec. And a CTO to of a big company.

While balanced and differential circuits are usually superior, it is not universally so. I’ve seen measurements of at least half a dozen products for which the single-ended connections resulted in the same or better performance than the balanced option. Case in point is the Cary SLP-05 preamp (which is fully differential even). 

What matters most is compatibility between the separate components in order to minimize ground loops. Well designed gear does not induce ground loops regardless of circuit and connection type. It also helps to avoid using “boutique” or audiophile brand cables, since many of them have completely ineffective shielding and poor quality terminations.