XLR cable placement

@jeffreyw yep….i’ve had the top 4 in my reference system for an extended loan… and it’s a toss up…. even “ lowly Pegasus “ is a fantastic value imo…

to the OP… experimentation is free…

without knowing the cables in question…a general rule I follow…If both cables are copper with one model just higher up the line from the other, best interconnect should be between the preamp and amp. If you have silver and copper I would put the silver between source and pre then copper between pre and amp. If both are silver…good luck!
 

I am a believer that the most important and best cable should be between the preamp and amp, then the most used source and so on.

I'd start with DAC to Preamp. Then move. While it is logical that the furthest up the chain will have the greatest impact, components are different and react differently.... so, it still might make a bigger difference elsewhere. But I'd start with the DAC.

@marshinski15 

I have always had the best results placing the best cables from the source into the preamp. I just did a demo of Audioquest's Dragon compared to my Thunderbirds (from my preamp into my amp). I was surprised that the Thunderbirds held their own and were not bettered significantly by the Dragons. 

I might be crazy but I’ve always bought into; you get the sound relative to your worse component and cable in the chair. Based on that premise I would start at the source, DAC to Pre.  I want my Pre to start with the best signal that I can afford to feed.  At some point you will probably change the XLR between your pre and amps.  Not sure if this makes logical sense but it does to me.  I also believe in over investing in speakers if you over invest in an individual component.  Your speaker cables should always be your best cables.  If they aren’t you may not be able hear a component or interconnect change.  Sorry for running on.  

I’ve found putting my best/most resolving interconnect between my DAC and pre to be by far the best way to go, but YMMV so try both ways. 

Easy! Put it between the DAC and the preamp and listen to it for one week, then move it to the other location and listen to it for another week. If you still can’t make up your mind then the location doesn’t matter. You can’t lose. Good luck and have fun. 

It depends on sensitivity of specific unit to cable change. Tube gear is typically most sensitive, with older, simpler designs being most sensitive.