• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Crap XLR vs Decent RCA

  • Thread starter Deleted member 23424
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 23424

Guest
Apologies for the latest in a long line of idiot questions, but.....

I have a D90MQA.

I'm looking at a balanced dual mono amp (Primare i30). The amp is way over budget as it is.

So, without opening the can of worms that is sonic characteristics of cables, my question is:

.... would basic run of the mill cheapo XLRs and a balanced connection sound better than an unbalanced connection using decent(ish) RCAs?

Or is that impossible to know in advance? I have no way of setting up a concrete AB blind test and just know that I'd convince myself I prefer the XLR connection because it looks sexier.

Told you, idiot questions are my forté.
 

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Active Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
285
Likes
256
Location
Corpus Christi, TX
The problem with cheap XLR’s is that they have cheap connectors that don’t hold up. Often they are not even made to spec and will easily wallow around in the chassis connector.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,524
Likes
37,057
The problem with cheap XLR’s is that they have cheap connectors that don’t hold up. Often they are not even made to spec and will easily wallow around in the chassis connector.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
But we need a context for cheap. I think Wayne would agree if you had an XLR with Neutrik connectors it will be just fine. You can get such XLR cable pretty inexpensively .
 
Last edited:

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Active Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
285
Likes
256
Location
Corpus Christi, TX

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
Why would they be audibly different unless there's an issue in play? Of course, if it falls out of the connector that would be an audible difference :)
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,524
Likes
37,057
Why would they be audibly different unless there's an issue in play? Of course, if it falls out of the connector that would be an audible difference :)
Wayne is referring to some connectors being terrible. I've seen some that within a dozen or so insertions they fit so lousy they start to have iffy contact. Some aren't made to spec and can be iffy immediately.

Now if you get your connectors to connect, then there isn't an audible difference for most home uses.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
Wayne is referring to some connectors being terrible. I've seen some that within a dozen or so insertions they fit so lousy they start to have iffy contact. Some aren't made to spec and can be iffy immediately.

Now if you get your connectors to connect, then there isn't an audible difference for most home uses.

Yeah there are some crummy rca connectors, too. I do prefer Neutrik for my xlr/speakons....
 

JeffS7444

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
2,347
Likes
3,508
.... would basic run of the mill cheapo XLRs and a balanced connection sound better than an unbalanced connection using decent(ish) RCAs?
Depends. How long do the cables need to be?
 

JSmith

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
5,153
Likes
13,218
Location
Algol Perseus
would basic run of the mill cheapo XLRs and a balanced connection sound better than an unbalanced connection using decent(ish) RCAs?
Cables aside (a well constructed cable is not expensive), it would depend on how XLR has been implemented... and much of the time it's not implemented well. There's nothing wrong with well setup unbalanced RCA connections.

There is also this aspect;
Drawbacks of Balanced Connections

At first glance, balanced connections appear to have many advantages over unbalanced, so clearly balanced must be the audiophile’s choice! Unfortunately, nothing is quite as easy as it seems. Although in certain applications a balanced connection is, in fact, superior, it doesn’t come without drawbacks.

While balanced connections reduce hum and interference, the usual differential approaches to driving balanced outputs can also impact audio quality because the source output impedance is effectively doubled. The random output noise will also double because there are two amplifiers rather than one.

“The damping factor will degrade by a factor of 2 because both amplifiers contribute to the source impedance of the balanced amplifier (output impedance is doubled). Distortion will usually increase because each amplifier is required to drive half of the impedance that would be seen by an unbalanced amplifier.” – Benchmark Media Systems
Balanced differential connections and circuitry are by their very nature more complicated than unbalanced single-ended. This can further introduce audible imperfections. Although the on-paper effects of the additional circuitry are usually considered inaudible, it is possible that the sound may be degraded due to how the circuitry is implemented.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/05/balanced-vs-unbalanced-audio-connections/



JSmith
 

Human Bass

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 25, 2018
Messages
653
Likes
660
There are plenty of high quality affordable xlr cables. I recommend Audioblast

 

Speedskater

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
1,610
Likes
1,333
Location
Cleveland, Ohio USA
Depends. How long do the cables need to be?
Well pros often use 300 foot (100 meter) XLR cables, so long cables need to be rather long to be long.
Reasonable XLR cables have a Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) with a symmetrical construction, but some audiophile/boutique don't meet this standard.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,524
Likes
37,057
There are plenty of high quality affordable xlr cables. I recommend Audioblast


I've done somewhat similar testing only I wrapped the cable around a high wattage computer power supply out of its case being used to power a PC running a video benchmark bit of software on repeat. Whether it is a fully valid test or not, there was a clear difference in the noise signal picked up by cables with a foil shield versus those that were only twisted pairs or star quad. Those with a foil shield were much better.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
It's realtively easy to make your own, too....just get good cable stock for your application and connectors that suit your purposes. Audiophilia can make this mystical I suppose....
 

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
There's no bad XLR. Only difference is starquad or not starquad. All starquad have better interference reduction. All other XLR are similar with worse level of interference reduction.
The main difference between RCA and XLR is that XLR doesn't rely on the ground to transfer signal hence no ground loop issue. Also if the gain of next stage is large, balanced is also better like microphone to mic pre. For interconnects, RCA is better if there's no large interference source and no ground loop. But XLR is more no brainer because it's basically immune to these issues.
RCA if you can create ideal environment.
Starquad XLR everything else.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
There's no bad XLR. Only difference is starquad or not starquad. All starquad have better interference reduction. All other XLR are similar with worse level of interference reduction.
The main difference between RCA and XLR is that XLR doesn't rely on the ground to transfer signal hence no ground loop issue. Also if the gain of next stage is large, balanced is also better like microphone to mic pre. For interconnects, RCA is better if there's no large interference source and no ground loop. But XLR is more no brainer because it's basically immune to these issues.
RCA if you can create ideal environment.
Starquad XLR everything else.

Well like was mentioned before, the connector quality/execution can play an issue, not just the design/idea.

Ps but why deal with wire if you don't have to?
 

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
Well like was mentioned before, the connector quality/execution can play an issue, not just the design/idea.

Ps but why deal with wire if you don't have to?
I have tested multiple XLR cables(6+ pairs) varying from 3 dollars to 30 dollars. Only issue I saw is the plug sort of got stuck in the socket. But with experience it's easy to solve. These cables are in the day to day use, reliability is also good.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
I have tested multiple XLR cables(6+ pairs) varying from 3 dollars to 30 dollars. Only issue I saw is the plug sort of got stuck in the socket. But with experience it's easy to solve. These cables are in the day to day use, reliability is also good.

Doesn't surprise me but I do appreciate this from someone making gear connected by such....which I've never had an issue with particularly.

Thanks for your participation at the very least!
 

cursive

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 13, 2019
Messages
237
Likes
423
There are plenty of high quality affordable xlr cables. I recommend Audioblast


Hadn't heard of this brand, but they look interesting, definitely a good price. Interesting how their packaging looks exactly like the worlds best cables packaging, not sure if they're somehow affiliated. Either way, thanks for sharing.
 
Top Bottom