Processes and apparatus are provided that provide high yields of xylenes per unit of aromatic-containing feed while enabling a high purity benzene co-product to be obtained without the need for an extraction or distillation to remove C.sub.6 naphthenes. The processes of this invention include a transalkylation section and a disproportionation section in the benzene and toluene-containing feed is directly provided to the transalkylation section and in which a benzene recycle loop in the transalkylation section isolates the disproportionation section from C.sub.6 naphthenes.