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Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables

76.206.10.165
Posted on November 26, 2016 at 18:30:46
scruffy_
Audiophile

Posts: 1665
Location: Los Angeles
Joined: August 5, 2005
 Does anybody know of a good set of budget XLR interconnects for around $100 (.5-1 meter)? Wyred 4 Sound has them on sale for $129 but I'm a little unsure of the quality.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous

 

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RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 27, 2016 at 05:49:40
hawaiiguy
Audiophile

Posts: 154
Location: island of Oahu, State of Hawaii/USA
Joined: July 17, 2001
 Pangea audio in audio advisor..what do you have to lose?

 

Thanks! This looks great!, posted on November 27, 2016 at 11:02:14
scruffy_
Audiophile

Posts: 1665
Location: Los Angeles
Joined: August 5, 2005
 They use Cardas cable, which I trust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 27, 2016 at 13:39:51
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002



If you are interested in building a pair of XLR cables well-within your budget, I know of a great XLR connector that outperforms all others I've tried; head and shoulders above typical Neutrik XLR connectors, and it would better optimize pro audio balanced bulk interconnect cables, not to mention audiophile-quality bulk XLR cables and re-termination projects.

 

Tempting!, posted on November 28, 2016 at 02:56:48
scruffy_
Audiophile

Posts: 1665
Location: Los Angeles
Joined: August 5, 2005
 I have two pairs of solid silver single ended RCA interconnects that I can re-terminate to XLRs, but I just don't feel up to it right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 28, 2016 at 03:19:59
paco
Audiophile

Posts: 1520
Joined: April 26, 2000
 did you compare them to the Ramm Audio ones, also screw style?

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 28, 2016 at 09:46:57
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 No, but I've compared the platinum plated EIZZ XLR with the gold plated EIZZ XLR, and clearly prefer the platinum plated version.

 

RE: Tempting!, posted on November 28, 2016 at 11:10:29
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002



Image: EIZZ platinum XLR, Mogami 2549 Neglex cable

Be aware the Wyred 4 Sound cable features silver plated copper conductors, which is a different animal than pure silver when used as an audio conductor. The stock XLR connector appears to either be Neutrik or Switchcraft, with performance equivalent to that of an ordinary Neutrik or Switchcraft RCA connector. As a substantially inexpensive option, I would suggest a set of platinum plated EIZZ XLR connectors for a solderless DIY termination project using cryo treated Mogami 2549 Neglex from Take Five Audio. The eBay seller shown below is reputable IME and offers the EIZZ XLR at a substantially lower-cost than the going price. Disregard the information indicating rhodium plating; the EIZZ XLR features platinum plating:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4Pcs-viborgaudio-Tellurium-Copper-Rhodium-Plated-XLR-Plug-Connector-audio-/131964457435

http://www.takefiveaudio.com/products/1239-mogami-2549-neglex-cryo-treated

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 28, 2016 at 13:48:23
paco
Audiophile

Posts: 1520
Joined: April 26, 2000
 could you please explain us why in some detail?

 

Agree, just bought a pr!! , posted on November 28, 2016 at 13:48:51
gregwalshfmc@gmail.com
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 56
Location: Massachusettes
Joined: November 30, 2015
 Havent arrived yet.

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 28, 2016 at 15:47:21
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 Essentially, the platinum EIZZ XLR provides more clearly defined image outlines and other spatial cues. The gold EIZZ XLR sounds a bit veiled when compared with the platinum EIZZ XLR. A correlation can be made in the comparison of the gold plated Oyaide 079 AC connector vs. the palladium over gold Oyaide 046 AC connector. The 079 sounds warmer, less focused, less coherent, less vivid, with a bigger but looser bottom end vs. the 046. YMMV

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 29, 2016 at 02:18:47
paco
Audiophile

Posts: 1520
Joined: April 26, 2000
 i see, thanks; i carefully compared long ago the Oyaides 079, 046 and 004, and the 079 resulted much better to my ears, in my system and for my music; the 046 was dry and lifeless, and the much more expensive 004 gave me a lot of details but also a lot of listening fatigue...

so, since a similar proportion should be found between the EIZZ platinum and the RAMM gold, i'll stick to the later, definitely!

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 29, 2016 at 11:13:32
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 It's all good. Metal plating can be, and should be used as a tool for custom system tuning purposes, evaluated by an individual listener. It's a fascinating aspect of the audiophile hobby.

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 29, 2016 at 11:24:34
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Hi Duster,

Platinum has the conductivity of cooper and the corrosion resistance of gold. I have often wondered why it is not used more often for contacts in audio. Does anybody make a platinum plated RCA?

Dave

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 29, 2016 at 11:38:34
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 Platinum is within the rhodium family, so it shares many of the benefits of a rhodium plated connector. The WBT NextGen WBT-0102 Ag rca connector features a platinum plated silver return contact.

See link:

 

Duster: How do you think these cables would be?, posted on November 29, 2016 at 16:47:33
scruffy_
Audiophile

Posts: 1665
Location: Los Angeles
Joined: August 5, 2005
 I really do not feel up to building my own at this point, and these looked great for the price. THANKS!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous

 

RE: Duster: How do you think these cables would be?, posted on November 29, 2016 at 17:35:50
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 Sure, that build is a cut-above others, even some well over that price point. Should be a good sounding cable for the price.

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on November 30, 2016 at 15:09:49
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Nice but a serious investment!

Dave

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on December 1, 2016 at 05:39:55
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 Nothing to lose UNLESS your source is wired "Pin 3 Hot" like my Otari tape decks. At least some Marantz gear are also wired Pin 3 hot. Since the Pangea people assume that everything is "Pin 2 Hot" and use their best wire only into the XLR plugs' Pin 2 connections, I had to cancel my order for some of these Audio Advisor cables.

If you're new to the world of XLR/balanced connections, what I just said won't make much sense :-)

 

As noted above,, posted on December 1, 2016 at 05:43:59
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 they use the Cardas wire only into their plugs' Pin 2 connections.

 

RE: Duster: How do you think these cables would be?, posted on December 4, 2016 at 04:08:15
scruffy_
Audiophile

Posts: 1665
Location: Los Angeles
Joined: August 5, 2005





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous

 

RE: Tempting!, posted on December 6, 2016 at 06:41:43
Mel
Audiophile

Posts: 2993
Location: New York City Area
Joined: February 21, 2001
 Duster,

Best to screw the XLRs down and not use solder?

Also, how would the cryo Mogami 2549 compare to the "original" Discovery two conductor cable currently being offered for about the same price? This for a long run, about 15 feet.

Thanks.

 

RE: Tempting!, posted on December 7, 2016 at 09:35:11
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 My suggestion of Mogami is based on the universally accepted reputation within pro audio and home audio circles as being a safe-bet for an entry-level balanced XLR cable. I am not familiar with the Discovery cable.

Termination methods are up to the end-user to decide what sounds the best. In my experience of the EIZZ XLR, I'm pleased to use the set-screws without soldering, and did not wish to experiment with a solder method.

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on December 9, 2016 at 06:12:16
drkingweeb@yahoo.com
Audiophile

Posts: 55
Location: new hampshire
Joined: May 25, 2004
 where can you get the platinum plated xlr cables

 

EIZZ Platinum XLR and EIZZ Gold XLR, posted on December 10, 2016 at 13:40:33
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 The prices range according to individual eBay sources are rather broad, so the cost of either the platinum or the gold version varies from seller to seller. The price of platinum vs. gold options are also unpredictable, but the gold version tends to be considerable lower, but a superior gold plated XLR vs. pro audio XLR make/models, IME.

Best prices at this time via eBay:

EIZZ Platinum XLR:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Premium-Male-Female-3pin-XLR-plug-connector-HIFI-Audio-MIC-Snake-Cable-Jack-/201632777815

EIZZ Gold XLR:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-HIFI-audio-XLR-Tellurium-copper-Gold-Plated-XLR-Connector-Plug-male-female-/252497315843

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on December 11, 2016 at 20:25:41
SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3537
Joined: April 23, 2007
 I would check ClearDay cables...my favorite at that price level. Only very expensive Wireworld stuff is better (and not by much at all)

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on December 12, 2016 at 14:58:26
Mel
Audiophile

Posts: 2993
Location: New York City Area
Joined: February 21, 2001
 Do they make interconnect? The web page that I found shows only speaker cable.

 

RE: Best Budget XLR Balanced Cables, posted on December 12, 2016 at 20:37:27
SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3537
Joined: April 23, 2007
 Surely do....just contact him.

 

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