Experiences With Costly Balanced XLR Interconnects Above $3,000


I’ve had great success going with quality (and costly) mains power cables in the main system. In my experience power cords bring the most significant difference in comparison to interconnects and speaker cables. However, I have not really tried the best interconnects out there.

I currently have the Wireworld Silver Eclipse 8 XLR and an Acrolink 8N-A2080III Evo XLR in the system. Both sound excellent although different in their presentation. I’m wondering if the top-of-the-line WW Platinum Eclipse 8 XLR or Acrolink Mexcel DA6300IV XLR will bring a noticeable or worthwhile improvement to the sound.

Any experiences would be appreciated.

ryder

The funniest thing is that the “Box” cables like Transparent and MIT are frequently bashed as being snake oil.  Those are precisely the only cables that actually offer a musically significant increase in performance.  Otherwise, I agree with fact that wire is wire.

I am very happy to find there is a person who is really sensibly correct. The person is "rtorchia". I wish everybody should be like him!

Therefore, unnecessarily-expensive audio components will be perished from the Earth!

My Cardas Clear Beyond XLR smoked Clarus Crimson XLR in a direct shootout yesterday.

The difference was huge.

I just bought the Acrolink DA6300 after comparing with Jorma, Vertere, Argento Flow and MIT. The DA6300 was the quietest and had more depth and separation. Vertere was also very good the others smooth but homogenous sound in my system. The DA6300 was a no brainer beautiful cable very involving and transparent. Tight bass, crisp highs with out being bright, and smooth mid range.

 

@presmara thanks for the post. Is your Acrolink the latest DA6300IV? I’m seriously considering this but need some time to recuperate from my recent spending. It’s a very costly cable where the price is higher than some of my components, but it’s still slightly cheaper than the WW Platinum Eclipse 8 XLR.

Hi Ryder I am in Australia and access to a large range of second hand cables is limited. The ones I bought were the DA6300II, but I was happy to go with these as the performance jump was in no doubt. I did not “think” I heard a difference - it was night and day transformation. I do not buy HiFi unless there is a significant no brainer improvement.

I assume the DA6300IV will be better again but I would have to buy brand new. I saw there were some DA6300IV ( not many) for sale via HiFi Shark, but I did not want to take the risk of fake cables which has happened to a few of my buddies. 

I am running the DA6300 between an Antipodes K50 and Mola Mola Makua DAC/Preamp. The change to the DA6300 this weekend transformed the sound to a whole new level and I am no longer analyzing the sound, it is so sublime, relaxing and non fatiguing, but still very transparent and detailed.

I have a fully fleshed out sound field, with very solid deep bass, lightning fast dynamics with more space between performers and a very wide and deep soundstage. I am using DA6300II interconnects from the Makua into a Vitus SS101 power amp and synergistic research UEF atmos level 4 speaker cables into Gauder RC7 Mk2 diamond tweeter speakers. 
 

I feel sorry for people who want to attack others here, saying wire is wire. Because that is not true - I am a scientist and know we cannot measure everything, but still do value what we can measure. And in the end it is all about synergy, what is best in one system is not the best in another. What I do like about Acrolink is they are very transparent with what is in their cables, they are beautifully constructed and they give you a lot of measurements which show significant measurable differences. And yes there is a lot of snake oil out there where the secret sauce is hidden. I do trust Acrolink based over many decades of experience and their scientific approach. I would have liked to try the Cardas beyond probably very nice also. 
 

Hope this helps. Trust your ears! 
cheers

mark