Who makes super quiet XLRs around $1k?

For under $1k, seriously consider the Silent Source Signature.  The top model, the SS Music Reference, brings on much more of the ambiance that you mentioned, but the Signature is a heck of a great start.  It will handily destroy the lower priced Purist, Nordost, Wireworld and Transparent, in both detail and clarity.  There is no smearing going on here/  And, because of its shielding, it worked incredibly well for me some years ago between an MC phono step-up and MM input stage of preamp.

PS Audio, though I do not recall which model, and Surf Cables silver
If you nodle around WWs site I think you will see they know what it takes to make quality cables

hth

Hi @tweak1 . Which other brands/models did you compare the WW Eclipse 7 up against?
My last communication with Lan from Transparent and Aaron from Purist yesterday, based on the specific models that we discussed about, they both could not confirm that XLRs are necessarily quieter (less background noise) than RCAs design but it relies (entirely) on front end electronics aka system dependent- so, that sounds to me, for myself, is to try/trial both RCA and XLR in my system.
Note: Transparent Cables now offering 30-day in home trial.

XLRs should be quiet by their very design, which has separate ground

WW Eclipse series 7 or better still 8

Audioquest Water use it with my Aesthetix

Inakustik

WW Eclipse

Thank you @ebm 
I currently have Purist Venustas RCA pair using as reference (to compare with others), and I really like it much.
 Also have Purist Aqueous Aureus RCA and Purist Museus XLR, while they’re  decently good, Venustas keeps them sitting on the sideline. 
Thank you @grannyring . I may look into DIY and your recommendation in the future when I settle down with a good pair for reference and use DIY as trials  and errors 

It’s all about how the cable is shielded without hurting the sound. Most shielding closes in the sound even though it makes for less noise. Shielding is there to reduce noise and make a cable “quiet”.

The quietest cable one can hear, based on my experience, is building one with a sort of faraday cage around it that has no sonic degradation properties.

To that end, read about the helix design principe talked about here.....

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/duelund-conversion-to-diy-helix-geometry-cabling


Feel free to contact me if you are open to new ideas.

Want something  much better look at PURIST.

Two things with NORDOST in my experience

(1) I upgraded to the FREY in their NORSE 2 model series and dumped the lower LEIF series models. Their upgraded models are a BIG STEP-UP in audio performance (... I’ve had both ....)

(2) I experimented with a lot of different major cable brand options. Eventually, I upgraded to a full all-FREY cable loom that produced that ethereal transparency, openness and “ quietness” (an ill-defined, subjective and biased descriptive term ) in a $30K 2-channel system.

Like with every other audio system, system synergy - including cables - is an experimentation hands-on trial and error bespoke journey down the Yellow Brick Road to audio OZ .... the full matched loom array bested the many contenders and pretenders at their price-point in MY system ( emphasis added).

@akg_ca I thought Nordost was the last brand designed for quietness but as for this hobby, anything is possible .

NORDOST FREY work for me 

Hi @erik_squires ,
is there a specific Wireworld model you recommend?

Well, Wireworld mid-grade cables can act like this, they tend to be dark.

If you like quiet though, you must audition Ayre electronics.

Personally, I'm into pure silver IC's which are more open and transparent, so lose on the "quiet" feeling.