Suggestion on XLR Cables

Yup - that can happen 

I wonder if Cary used some cheap op-amps that caused that?

I don't know what they did . Its like a $7 or $8k preamp so there shouldn't be anything cheap in there . Its a good thing my F6 amp only has single ended inputs otherwise I probably would have used balanced there also , it would have sounded doubly wrong . The only reason I removed the balanced cables and tried single ended as it had a ton of gain and I could only use about 1/4 of the volume knob , now I can use over half . Glad I tried them as it sounds mo better .  

So I bought a pair of KLEE Acoustics TruBalance Interconnect XLRs that arrived today to use with my NAT Audio Magnetic Preamp. I got that preamp about a month ago to replace a PS Audio BHK. I like the NAT better but thought I could use a cable upgrade. I’m running Duelund wire XLRs from my PS Audio DSD to the NAT and Audioquest Columbia XLRs from the NAT to my PS Audio BHK amp. Not that it matters for my question but my speakers are Wilson Duettes.

Anyway, I swapped the Duelunds for the KLEE cables and switched on my system. Hmmm. More like hummmmm and volume ~6db lower than with the Duelunds. Put the Duelunds back in, everything’s back to normal. I called the dealer who was really cool about it. Suggested I put the Duelunds back and swap the Klee for the Audioquest(running NAT to Amp). I was feeling lazy but plugged the Klees into OUT2 of the NAT, disconnected the Audioquest from the amp and plugged in the Klee there. Still low volume issue and hum. Put back the Audioquest (NAT to amp). Low volume still exists, same for hum. Weird I think. Until I remember Klee cables are still plugged into OUT2 of the NAT (though not plugged into anything on other end). Unplug the Klees from OUT2 of the NAT. Volume back to normal, hum gone. Plug the Klees back into OUT2 (unconnected at amp end). Hum and lower volume issue return.

Either a) something is seriously wrong with the KLEE cables (left & right) which I doubt (as does dealer) or something about the KLEE really upsets the NAT. Almost like the NAT is shorting out though obviously not fully. Dealer has been a prince and offered to take the KLEES back but I’m curious if anyone that has a lot more knowledge in this area than I do has any idea what’s going on.

Thanks in advance.

High Fidelity Reveal XLR
magnetic have beat out all I have tried. They are $1k. Their RCA IC’s for $700 are just as good. 

My recommendation in your budget would be HiDiamond 2 XLR’s. Very open and musical sounding, very good bass. Punches well above it’s weight, besting some cables at twice the price. Well constructed and reliable.