Balanced vs. Single Ended Interconnects

For whatever it's worth I have done a lot of critical listening over the years with a lot of different high-end audio equipment and at short distances (1/M - 1.5/M) and I have not noticed a difference in the music comparing XLR to RCA other than I acknowledge that when the volume is set at the same level the XLR cables are about 3dB louder. Therefore assuming your equipment has both RCA and XLR inputs and outputs I recommend staying with a good pair of RCA interconnects unless you are talking about extremely long runs.

If they sound the same, then other conclusion would be to just run XLRs.
They are more immune to noise.

 

I thought proper xlr cables used “common mode rejection”?

meaning the two half signals being 180 out of phase… thus cancelling out any real EMI/RFI when summed at the termination?

in other words, XRL cables with no shielding at all should work just the same…

but single ended RCA cables improve with proper sheathing?

 

I know I have a lot to learn in the balanced versus unbalanced cable department lol

I think you have learned it.

Though I may be mistaken, it looks to me that your Pathos Classic One Mkiii is not truly balanced. That is, it does not use differential circuitry; the balanced inputs are either transformer-coupled, or simply single-ended inputs on XLR connectors. If that's the case, you're not likely to get much (if any) benefit from using a balanced cable.

Even it is transformer coupled, one stills get the CMRR benefit from the XLRs.
(Those Jenson ISOmax couplers are used for the main reason in that they work.)

fagetaboutit

Though I might have read it wrong, I believe Ralph's (Atmasphere) belief in using equipment that adheres to the AES standard is that it minimizes cable artifacts (sound differences). Given that recording studios use such equipment, and their cables can stretch of long distances, it makes sense to use it.

So, if your equipment follows the AES standard, then XLR cables will/should not 'color' the sound as much as RCA cables. (And, from my limited experience moving between Mogami and AQ, there was very little difference in sound quality).

If your equipment doesn't follow AES standards, then any cable you use would be prone to 'coloring' the sound. At this point, it doesn't matter how much you spend, as your cable becomes a tuning method. So, you'd have to audition to see what makes your system sound the best.

HTH

Bob

Without question balanced XLR

Your equipment is true balanced design, use XLR to keep that topology intact; don’t downgrade