XLR to RCA plugs or cable

@lohanimal ask if pin 1 and 3 are being connected to the RCA shell, or just pin 3 please.

4. make a custom cable.

On a StarQuad I wired it as:

XLR RCA
Pin1 - Cable shield (And ran the shield out before the RCAs and tied it to the phono stage chassis ground.
Pin2 - RCA Center
Pin3 - RCA barrel

It would be interested in to know how your option 3 is done, and whether the option 2 and option 1 differ. I am a fan of Neutrik…

I think you could be better off with option 3 if your cable length is ideally just over a standard size.

OK that assumes good solder equipment
and skills no?

It is not very hard, but the custom cable (option 3) is easier.
A good iron, solder, some desolder wicking, flux, and a vice is maybe $100.

What lengths do they need to be?
And how much does the custom cable cost?
Do you have other cables that could benefit from custom lengths?

It is not hard, so it is whether you would ever use it again, which I do, but you may not.
No easy answer here.

One thing to keep in mind is that RCA inputs prefer to see an unbalanced consumer -10 dB level. Most balanced XLR levels are at bare minimum +4 dB output. Without stepping down that level, it’s possible you could overload the RCA input, not to mention creating some nasty ground loops, by using a simple XLR to RCA converter cable.

@dpop I don’t think a phono cartridge to phono stage is close to -10dB.

You’re right @dpop - I has read it as into the phono stage, rather than out of it.
(Sorry Mate.)

That Jensen isolator is making a lot more sense now in that context, but also I would try a Neutrik first, and then the OP already has the XLR cable in case they need the Jensen.