Lacee, with respect to the volume control, it will work better if it is buffered in some way from the amp or interconnect cable it is driving.
For this reason I do not think that having an outboard phono section is a good idea. It works better when integrated into the same box as the line stage. In this way you avoid connectivity issues and troubles with the volume control that otherwise offer colorations that are very difficult to avoid.
Now with regards to the balanced input on an amplifier. All amps (even SETs) have two inputs, non-inverted and inverted. However usually only one connection is used to accept the signal. All I am suggesting is that the second connection is used as well. Many designers of amps have no idea this is possible; for them I recommend looking into the early circuits of George Philbrick, the inventor of the OpAmp. For those that say its not possible I have been doing it for years.
For this reason I do not think that having an outboard phono section is a good idea. It works better when integrated into the same box as the line stage. In this way you avoid connectivity issues and troubles with the volume control that otherwise offer colorations that are very difficult to avoid.
Now with regards to the balanced input on an amplifier. All amps (even SETs) have two inputs, non-inverted and inverted. However usually only one connection is used to accept the signal. All I am suggesting is that the second connection is used as well. Many designers of amps have no idea this is possible; for them I recommend looking into the early circuits of George Philbrick, the inventor of the OpAmp. For those that say its not possible I have been doing it for years.