XLR vs RCA


I recently purchased a new Streamer/Pre/Dac (Linn ADSM/3 w/Katalyst) and a PS Audio S300 power amp.  I hooked them up using some high-end RCA cables and they sounded great.  After doing a little reading and from advice for PS Audio I orders some XLR cables (Mogami).  They are decent but not overly expensive cables.  They arrived today so I got it all changed over.  I gotta say it is a significant difference.  I realize they have a higher gain, but I am amazed about the change in the soundstage.  It just blossomed.  One of my favorite albums is Aaron Neville - The Soul Classics.  I have played this hundreds of times, so I am very familiar with it.  Today I heard in a whole different light.  Awesome.

rjinaz86323

Showing 1 response by ghdprentice

For decades the standard interconnect was RCA. Somewhere around twenty years ago balanced designs started becoming common and balanced interconnects became increasingly common. Now I would say the default for most companies are balanced... some offering newer methods. So, I switched to balanced about ten years ago. 

Folks invariably end up with a number of extra interconnects laying around. Which can be useful. So, it is very helpful you standardize on what is mainstream... since that is where most component companies are going to but their greatest effort. So, for now XLR is it.