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When to choice XLR over RCA ICs.

If your IC connections are 1m or less is there a difference between using XLR over RCA Interconnects?

As one moves up the ICs cable lines with a manufacturer (ex. Audioquest) which connections would you upgrade first and in what order.

My system is McIntosh (C12000 two part preamp, Men220 room equalizer, MC611 mono-amps), Audioquest (AQ) Niagara 5000 line conditioner, and Hi-Fi Rose 150b streamer. 

I am currently using AQ Black Beauty XLR ICs. I have a pair of 1m Firebird RCA ICs and would like to replace one of the Black Beauty ICs in system configuration. Future upgrades looking for recommendations. 

Presently using a AQ 2m Thunder 20A power cord from wall socket to Niagara. 

Using 4ft AQ William Tell (Silver) bi-wire combo speaker cable (mono-amps to 800d3 speakers. 

Thank you, Please advise.

Bob

128x128farne230
carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
1,382 posts
 

@vinylshadow I use RCA for that reason.   I'm always a less-is-more guy.

Also, "longer" is at least 30 ft.  

Jerry

ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,729 posts
 

@farne230 Wrote:

When to choice XLR over RCA ICs.

See article below:

Mike

http://www.atma-sphere.com/en/resource-why-balanced.html

dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 

Only if components are truly balanced designs, then you will have increased S/N and a perceptible increase in dynamics and contrast.

davetheoilguy
117 posts
 

Literally everything in my system except the turntable have balanced connections, and I’d do that, too if I could find a turntable Inlike that was balanced.  (Pro-ject has some new ones, but I’ve never seen them in person.)

Nothing fancy.  Made with top line Mogami wire and top Furutech connections.

Makes a huge difference.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,658 posts
 
davetheoilguy

... everything in my system except the turntable have balanced connections, and I’d do that, too if I could find a turntable Inlike that was balanced ...

Phono cartridges are inherently balanced or, if you want to be strictly accurate, they are floating. That is, there's a separate positive and negative for each channel. All that's needed to maintain that is a balanced phono preamp. It may be the best place in an audio system to use balanced lines and truly balanced components, such as ARC.

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