XLR waste of time ?

It sounds as if the conclusions being voiced here are based more on philosophical creed, rather than on experimentation----at least not recent experimentation.

Since either type of connector can be used on either type of cable, the comparison should be pretty straightforward.

I've done the direct comparison of Eichmann silver vs copper RCAs. and in a good enough system, the superiority of the silver is quite clear.

I'd be interested in knowing if anyone has done a similarly direct comparison between the Eichmann silvers and high-quality XLR connectors.

Hello,

I've found the following highly informative:

http://www.rane.com/note110.html

It's entitled, "Sound System Interconnection" by/for Rane Technical Staff. If you haven't come across this in your research, I would respectfully encourage its perusal!

Best regards,
Sam

Does anyone know of a manufacturer that makes XLRs with pure silver pins?

Based on their low price, it doesn't look like the Neutrik silvers are made this way. (Unlike the Eichmann silver RCAs, which are pure silver, with a price that reflects this.)

Jimjoyce25 All the subtle design parameters, like cable geometry, purity of materials, conductors spacing, the use of platings in connectors and the like vanish as variables when you use the low impedance balanced line system.

In high impedance single ended setups, all these things make a difference and bring you closer to the truth of the music, as you have experienced.

IOW, in single-ended systems the cables are a sort of 'hidden cost' and are paramount to the performance of the cartridge or preamp in that system. In a balanced setup, the cable cost and impact it has on the sound is insignificant. In short (if done correctly, as we have seen from prior posts that is an issue) its a transformation to go from RCAs to balanced.

I share Ralph's philosophy on this one. If you buy the right equipment and match it correctly then who cares about cables.

Some equipment designs do not need $100's or $1000's of dollars of cabling to perform perfectly - nor is this type equipment necessarily less resolving.

The important thing is to get equipment that is designed to preserve every detail on the recording while adding as little distortion or noise as possible and whilst minimizing the effect of all extraneous variables (cabling, operating temperature, AC power, humidity, RF/EMI interference etc. etc.) Equipment that is so sensitive that it is influenced by nearly anything and everything is a liability IMHO - it is simply not well designed for accurate audio reproduction of the source.

Frankly, it is a bit of a travesty that the serious design challenges faced by world class audio designers to build outstanding components is even compared or discussed in the same conversation as an piece of wire with two connectors on the end.

There are several orders of magnitude difference in the design & technology required by the component designer versus those simply making cables....but you would not know this from reading the marketing claims of those who just make cables. Some cables seem to run on some kind of 22nd century dilithium crystal technology...