When to choice XLR over RCA ICs.

^ +1

My attempts with XLR: if you don’t have an interference problem, don’t waste your time or money. I ran 25 ft RCA’s and 25 ft XLR, zero difference, because I didn’t have any interference to start with, and the RCA’s didn’t get noisy either.

A stage, multitude of wires, sensitive mic cables, XLR for sure!

I did find two slight advantages using XLR from my Sony xa5400 SACD/CD player

1. XLR is a secure connection, so mess with other cables, they will not be disturbed like RCA connectors occasionally are.

2. Slight Volume Increase. No ’better’ or ’preferred’ or ’different' sound, but a discernable volume increase, IF that makes a difference. btw, other equipment, no volume difference, so it’s the Sony xa5400’s output that is slightly stronger, not the cable.

I do use balanced cabels only in the critical connections. Between the preamp and the amp between my digital streamer and the preamp and from my turn table to my phono preamp and from the phono preamp to the preamp. The rest of my connections are rca. I do hear a difference. Now my tape deck my tuner and my TV to my preamp I use rca thoses pieces ate not going to sound  any better

 Also when you get cabels xlr I. Peticuler get pure silver stranded wire cables they make a huge difference in the sound

 I use silver wires for all my cables even the rca and ho with the silver  rca ends  .I bought all my inter connect cabels at morrow audio except my phono cabel. They don't make them with xlr ends . So I searched the web and found it at Westbury audio in the uk. Hope this helps Michael 

Silver 😳 is for tinsel 🎄

Keep it up I am learning.

Again Thanks,

Bob