Interconnect advice - Balanced XLR leads
Discussion
My 30 year old Amp has started playing up so I will be shortly changing my setup to a pair of Audiolab 8300 monobloc amps and the matching MDAC plus to future proof connectivity with digital audio sources, the manuals suggest linking them together is best done using balanced XLR leads.
To date I have been pretty happy with a mixture of lower end audioques/chord phono RCA leads so would appreciate any advice on which XLR cables to consider, is their truth that when using balanced XLRs you just need a decent cable and connectors (Van damme with neutrino plugs is often suggested) vs £100-300 hifi leads with lots of marketing blurb. Audio quest mackenzie or Yukon were a consideration as I can get them at a good price but reviews are scant
Any advice welcomed!
Adam
To date I have been pretty happy with a mixture of lower end audioques/chord phono RCA leads so would appreciate any advice on which XLR cables to consider, is their truth that when using balanced XLRs you just need a decent cable and connectors (Van damme with neutrino plugs is often suggested) vs £100-300 hifi leads with lots of marketing blurb. Audio quest mackenzie or Yukon were a consideration as I can get them at a good price but reviews are scant
Any advice welcomed!
Adam
No affiliation to him but I'm using Mark Grant XLRs between a £3K processor and £5K power amp - £25 each, well built with canare cable and neutric plugs and they're absolutely spot on.
Just about to order some more.
The pile of Nordost, Van den Hul and Chord are going on eBay.
To be perfectly honest, unless you're using lengths over 5M and/or you equipment is in an electrically noisy location you'd probably be able to use the RCA cables you've already got saving you even more.
For normal listening in the home the extra line level of balanced connection offers no real benefit.
If you insist on nice looking cable that you won't ever see behind the equipment I'll sell you some Nordost Red Dawn Rev II for £250
Just about to order some more.
The pile of Nordost, Van den Hul and Chord are going on eBay.
To be perfectly honest, unless you're using lengths over 5M and/or you equipment is in an electrically noisy location you'd probably be able to use the RCA cables you've already got saving you even more.
For normal listening in the home the extra line level of balanced connection offers no real benefit.
If you insist on nice looking cable that you won't ever see behind the equipment I'll sell you some Nordost Red Dawn Rev II for £250
legzr1 said:
No affiliation to him but I'm using Mark Grant XLRs between a £3K processor and £5K power amp - £25 each, well built with canare cable and neutric plugs and they're absolutely spot on.
Just about to order some more.
The pile of Nordost, Van den Hul and Chord are going on eBay.
To be perfectly honest, unless you're using lengths over 5M and/or you equipment is in an electrically noisy location you'd probably be able to use the RCA cables you've already got saving you even more.
For normal listening in the home the extra line level of balanced connection offers no real benefit.
If you insist on nice looking cable that you won't ever see behind the equipment I'll sell you some Nordost Red Dawn Rev II for £250
Many thanks, I checked out his site and the Canare L4E6AT star quad balanced leads look great for the price, are they the ones you use Just about to order some more.
The pile of Nordost, Van den Hul and Chord are going on eBay.
To be perfectly honest, unless you're using lengths over 5M and/or you equipment is in an electrically noisy location you'd probably be able to use the RCA cables you've already got saving you even more.
For normal listening in the home the extra line level of balanced connection offers no real benefit.
If you insist on nice looking cable that you won't ever see behind the equipment I'll sell you some Nordost Red Dawn Rev II for £250
?Certainly won't be over long distances 0.75m max but the DAC and mono power amps would link together neatly with XLR cables and should be a nice pairing.
Do you have any recommendations on digital optical vs digital coax interconnects; my tv and any newer tv I'm likely to get tends to only give optical out for audio but my sonos connect has optical and coax.
Cheers!
Adam
AdamD said:
Many thanks, I checked out his site and the Canare L4E6AT star quad balanced leads look great for the price, are they the ones you use ?
Certainly won't be over long distances 0.75m max but the DAC and mono power amps would link together neatly with XLR cables and should be a nice pairing.
Do you have any recommendations on digital optical vs digital coax interconnects; my tv and any newer tv I'm likely to get tends to only give optical out for audio but my sonos connect has optical and coax.
Cheers!
Adam
Yes, the Canare is the one.?Certainly won't be over long distances 0.75m max but the DAC and mono power amps would link together neatly with XLR cables and should be a nice pairing.
Do you have any recommendations on digital optical vs digital coax interconnects; my tv and any newer tv I'm likely to get tends to only give optical out for audio but my sonos connect has optical and coax.
Cheers!
Adam
Worth mentioning that the price (around £26) is for a single run - you'll need a pair for stereo.
Opt -vs- Co-ax - I have no real preference and use a mixture of both but if the equipment offers both outputs I tend to stick to 75Ohm co-ax simply because I already have a few cables from times when optical wasn't an option.
I've used a single run of RCA in place of digital at times too without any perceived change in sound - I'm sure the electrons don't really care which type of conductor they're being forced to run through
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