XLR cables for a reasonable price?

@atmasphere Thanks for joining the conversation!!

RCA cables also can sound very close to each other, but usually when either they are all very bad or all very good.

All XLR cables sound the same?  A fantasy that we all wish were true.  I thought that based on a lot of talk on these forums until I started trying out some different XLR's in my system.  Then I bought some of the top of the line Purist Audio Design cables to go between my preamp and amps.  None of that cheap $100/ft stuff.  These cables cost much more than that- $500/ft and you won't pry these cables out of my hands.  The difference in sound is startling.  The soundstage is totally black.  I thought it was quiet before but not like this.  The bass came alive.  Night and day difference in the bass.  And the highs are so creamy good.  When I hear cymbals I just want to hug myself.  I could go on; but I won't.  High priced, yes but high satisfaction.  Everything matters.

@atmasphere 

I appreciate your long and sometimes technical discussion of why diffferent XLR interconnects don’t and shouldn’t matter. Sounds like you have an electrical engineering background.

My generalizations come from listening to a number of high quality components and comparing the sound quality output. The results I have experience are exactly like speaker cables, other interconnects, power cords and Ethernet and USB cables… they sound different when comparing on medium or high quality electronics. Typically better quality ones sound better… but subject the variability of the particular system.

Standards are useful… but typically are suboptimal for high performance anything… high end design engineers are aware of them, and if they do not follow them, it is usually because they get in the way of performance or funtionality. 
 

I really wish I could use cheap XLR interconnects and not take a hit to sonic performance. Each new generation of connection… USB and Ethernet for instance has been the hope that this time it will not matter. Darn if it always does.

Too bad I can't afford to test this. However, Ralph's amps are particular, there is a fan following and there are those who don't like them at all. They are also said to be very good driving electrostatic speakers.

Everyone likes VAC and Lamm, no matter the cables.