You could also speak to a dealer to see if they've tried different cables during demos and have found any that work particularly well with your amplifier. Here's the deal. Balanced XLR type cables, when used properly, have great noise immunity (as he said). They accomplish this noise immunity through something called common mode rejection. Inside the balanced cables are two signal wires (where an RCA style has only one) and a ground. When something hits both signal wires at the same time (like noise and hum might) it can be said that this is a common signal and it will be rejected. Thus the term common mode. Make sense? It is certainly true that the common mode rejection inherent in balanced cables will reduce RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and to a much lesser extent EMI (Electromagnetic Interference). As Paul mentioned, the performance of the “circuits” used in your equipment can have a significant effect. Studio equipment uses 150 Ohm or 600 Ohm input and output transformers. Many AV manufacturers do not use transformers, probably due to the added cost.. They deliver a step-up in quality from the cheaper C-ine mentioned above, but they do cost more and their talents will be heard more obviously in systems that are at mid-level price and above. What this means is that unless you are completely sure about the CMR effectiveness of your equipment, you're better off with a shielded version. Further, even if you have something that's as good as ours (and others) shielding the cable removes even more so that when you combine the CMR with the shielding, you get extremely quiet results.

BillActually I took 4 tables and smoked a tree so as to make sure I was self opinionated and knew everything and would be guided by some myth blind testing an inconsistent placebo effect, but thanks all the same I know what happiness is, as do all those millions that have walked the cable path. cheers mate. 🙏 Reply Did you do a double blind test on the cables with everything level matched so as to rule out inconsistences and placebo effect, if not then your claims are just opinions and not facts, so your assertion that a child could hear a difference is totally nonsensical. A good starting point is to consider getting in touch with the manufacturer of your stereo amplifier and asking if they recommend a particular brand or model of interconnect. After all, engineers will have spent hours experimenting during the development process and you might be told some valuable nuggets of information which might make your job of finding something suitable more simple.Well actually, I am a musician and have also worked in Post Production for 10 years and so work with a lot of balanced cables also. Sometimes I get strange hums in my home studio set ups that could be cable related RFI etc, but generally, I agree that interference has not been an issue. Kane this is Paul from PS Audio. I would have to disagree with the last poster about shielding. While he is correct that balanced XLR cables are inherently better suited to get away without shielding, saying they don't require shielding and that in pro applications they are not shielded is a bit misleading - although I am sure his intentions were good. The PS Audio Reference cables are probably going to be what I go for (PCOCC), as I just can't afford the Chimera's. If I had more money, I'd probably give em a go though.

Van Damme Tour Grade Classic XKE Starquad is specified for analogue audio signals in areas of high electronic interference. Ideal for outside broadcast in areas that may be subject to EMI and RFI – for example in close proximity tolighting dimmer circuits and major power feeds. This cable combines electrical integrity withmechanical strength without compromising flexibility. So you are saying you agree with Phlog and not Paul from PS Audio, that balanced cables are immune to noise/interference? I have a fair few decent XLR mic cables, as I am a singer/musician with a lot of nice mics. I also have balanced cables for my monitors already. Otherwise known as a balanced lead these clever cables minimise noise interference by using two twisted cores. The signals are sent perfectly out of phase with one another and then re-inverted at the destination. The interference collected along the cable length is also then inverted, so put out of phase and made silent.

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I have now upgraded the AMP to a MF M3i and run a M-DAC+ and have tried a couple of cables Digital Chord Clearway and Tellurium blue Q digital and the Tellurium is better although cost a fair bit more. High quality leads for interconnecting devices such as microphones, mixing desks, home AV systems, sound cards, monitor speakers, amplifiers, etc. Here are links for those of you that want to delve deeper into AV cable construction. I don't agree with everything Thorsten has to say, but I feel he covers the aspects of cable design quite well. Read the full Chord Company Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) review How to choose the right audio cables for you During testing, we found it really quite unsatisfyingto listen to the same songs with anything else of a similar price. They allow for our system to deliver an open, crisp and rhythmic sound and dynamics are communicated with confidence. Theprice tag might weigh heavy on many listeners’ wallets – and the cheaper C-line remains a class leader we can still get behind – but for those who can justify the outlay, the Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) is brilliantly capable of letting you hear whereyour money has gone.

My response is not meant to start an argument on cable performance, so I will focus on my opinion about shielded cables versus unshielded cables.There is some consensus that the best rejection of external EMI and RFI can be achieved with woven Litzendraht construction. Bandwidth and Noise Immunity were the reasons it was developed. In my opinion, executed properly is self shielding and provides the “quietest” cable. I still believe that the reduction of skin effect, low capacitance and possibly mono crystal structures will result in a better flow of electrons along a cable, but I'm no electronic engineer or scientist, so may be I am being taken in by the bull? When connecting them, we also pay attention to the cable directionality which is usually marked on the cable sheath of plugs via the use of arrows. These arrows show you the direction of the signal from the source to your amplifier. TheWhat Hi-Fi?team has more than 100 years experience of reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across all the products we test. I am still looking for two pair of quality 2m lengths for two sets of monitors if anyone has anything I may be interested in?

The shielding question is still interesting to me and I hope Dennis will jump in and explain his reasons for not shielding his cables. I have no idea how any cable manufacturer can get away with asking for 4 figures for any cable. I find 3 figures hard to swallow. Bright and dark sounding cables is bull to. I mean why would you even want a cable to be bright or dark? The idea of a cable is to be as transparent as possible.I realise this post will not change your mind or belief (Just like a flat earthier will always ignore the truth and keep posting easily debunked claims) but hopefully it will help others to not fall into the same trap and have an open mind so that they realise that just because you believe you hear a difference doesn’t mean there actually is a difference. (Hence the level matched double blind test) I have just got one second hand pair of the PS Audio Transcendent cables through today. Got them for a good price considering the very high price in the UK. Balanced leads minimise noise interference by using two twisted cores (1 x + & 1 x -). The signals are sent perfectly out of phase with one another and then re-inverted at the destination. The interference collected along the cable length is also then inverted, so put out of phase and made silent. Starquad leads use two cores per signal path (2 x + & 2 x -) tightly twisted around each other. This increases the surface area of the cable cores and means that noise is induced more evenly down the length. A good way to reduce RFI and some EMI is to shield the Cable. Shielded Cables can experience some problems based on the shield's distance from the conductor/s and the insulation used to space the shield from the conductor/s. Properly executed a shielded cable can offer excellent RFI shielding.