In my mind, I think of it this way. First: Do you need to deal with very long runs (say greater than 30 feet, and yes, I did just pull that number out of the air ;) between source and pre or between pre and amp? If so, stick with XLR. If not, go with whatever is attached to the equipment you think sounds the best. The only place XLR will hurt is your wallet when you factor in the premium most makers charge for having it and the only place it will help is on extremely long runs. Make your decision based on what equipment sounds best to you, not on what type of interconnect it uses. Hope that helps!
XLR or single ended cables and why?
Few audio equipments reviewers swear by their reputation if there is any that XLR connections improve quality of the sound sonically. Some stated there is none. Can someone scientifically help me to make a wise decision to choose between XLR and singled-ended cables?