inexpensive xlr vs expensive rca

I would respectfully disagree about any Ayre product sounding better using RCA connections and would suggest sticking with your XLR cables to the QB9. Having used both the QB9 and now the Ayre Codex, both pieces sound dramatically better running balanced. I have no experience with Parasound products and I won’t speak to the effect on them. But if the Parasound gear is truly a balanced design I would stick with your XLR’s.

Good Luck!

As a test, I ran XLR Belden 8423/Neutrik from my JC-3+ into my #1 JC-2 input, and I ran a pair of Goertz Micro-Purl CU RCA from the JC-3+ to my #6 JC-2 input.

While listening to the newly remastered 180G Pink Floyd Animals, I switched between input 1 and 6 on the remote. I "think" I may have heard very slightly more detail in the upper midrange on the Micro-Purl. Like the soft tapping of the ride cymbal may have been just slightly more revealed. The soundstage "seemed" to be maybe a little bit wider with the Belden 8423.

By the time I got through with the listening session, I convinced myself that I really heard no difference at all. And yes, the levels are perfectly matched between the RCA output and the XLR output between the two Parasound boxes. I'll see if the Ayre outputs the same levels between the XLR and RCA and try the test there as well. 

I'm not a cable non-believer. I think well constructed cables using the right gauge, inductance, capacitance, shielding, etc are necessary. I've got an AudioQuest Diamond between my Mac Mini and the Ayre because there was an obvious difference in clarity and detail over the Belden Gold USB cable I had been using. The only thing I can think of there is that the Diamond reduces the self-correcting error rate between the USB receivers by sealing the signal inside a DBS path. Honestly, I really have no idea and I hate the fact that it sounds better, but it does, so it was money well spent. 

I wonder how I would compare XLR vs XLR and not get confirmation bias. The way I did the XLR vs RCA, I get immediate feedback since I'm listening to the exact same piece of music at the exact same level and switching back and forth on the remote is instantaneous and seamless. If I'm taking time between listening to the same track during a physical cable swap, I'm not sure if what I'm hearing is real or imagined. 

Sorry, I know I think I switched gears here, but I'm just re-thinking my current cable setup. I might be good to go with what I've got. 

@marktrav - exactly what is your goal?

1. to get the best performing cable?
- in that case try cables from KLEI
2. to prove there is little if no difference between XLR and RCA?
- you have done that with your test, so stick with the cable you felt performed the best.

Having said that - your test has compared two mediocre cables and as such there will be very little difference between the two. I would have thought the XLR would have sounded better out of those two cables.

Neither of the cables you tested are in the same price point (i.e. $600 - $1500) as those you mentioned in your original post, so your findings are really not "transferable" to higher priced cables - regardless of the connector type.

So I guess you were more "generally" curious as to which connector type might offer the best performance?
- From what you observed there is little difference at those price points
- From what I observed, as stated in my earlier post, it is more about the cables than the type of connector

Good luck with your quest - Steve :-)

@williewonka yes, you are correct. I have decided to audition the lineup of 3T van den Hul cables over the next week. XLR is the connector of choice. I’ll post back once I’ve had a chance to listen. God, I hope I don’t fall for the Mountain. Wallet is pretty light lately.