Interconnect Recommendations for XP-15 -> XP-30?

[Crumhorn]

Hi All,

Does anyone have a recommendation for a balanced interconnect to run from a Pass XP-15 phono stage to my XP-30 preamp?

The rest of my system is wired with ancient, 1st-gen MIT Shotgun, which will all get replaced eventually, so this new cable will be the first of a new loom.

As an interim solution, I'm using a balanced Burley(?) IC, but it sounds significantly worse that my 30(?) year old MITs.

I've been considering Audience AU 24 SX, Shunyata Alpha NR or Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 3, but am open to any brand. I am hoping to keep the price at $2K or below, but might stretch that a bit...

Thanks in advance...

[Mr Peabody]

I use a full loom of Clarus Crimson. You can try one of their XLR, the Clarus did sound better the more I had in my system. I had the Clarus wihen I had both Pass pre and power. I liked the Clarus with Pass.

[Crumhorn]

Thanks - I'll add them to the list!

[KeithR]

Unpopular opinion: balanced ICs in a fully balanced system don't sound much different,

I would replace with Mogami golds and focus on other upgrades.

[Speedskater]

Unpopular opinion: balanced ICs in a fully balanced system don't sound much different,
I would replace with Mogami golds and focus on other upgrades.

Not unpopular at all in the pro audio/recording world! With cables up to 100 meters long, it's important that they are accurate. All well designed balanced interconnect systems (output stage >> cable >> input stage) should sound the same.
Note that there is a lot of stuff out there that doesn't meet this criteria.

[Mr Peabody]

Keith, that is not always true. When completing making all connections balanced it was a noticeable difference in my system. Maybe it was mixing the type of connections, I had single ended from CDP to pre and then XLR to power amp, when I replace that RCA with a XLR, it was an improvement. Not "night & day" but enough I wasn't taking the XLR back out.

If someone wants to lend me the RCA's by Clarus needed to A/B, I'd be glad to do that.

I really doubt those manufacturers who build true differentially balanced gear do it just in case the occasional person wants to place it at the other end of the house from their speakers.

Industry engineers can't agree so I doubt if we will. As in all cable issues I encourage a person to try for themselves, then they will know.

[KeithR]

Mr P- I meant different brands of balanced ICs. Certainly switching from SE to XLR or vice versa can have large implications.

[Mr Peabody]

So are you saying no difference in cables in general or is there something abot XLR that would prevent hearing any difference between brands?

I'm really surprised that cables is still a point of debate for those with the type of gear I see on this forum.

Mr P- I meant different brands of balanced ICs. Certainly switching from SE to XLR or vice versa can have large implications.

[Mechnutt]

I use these Belden 8402 XLR's. They sound better than my Cardas Parsec and AQ Columbia 72v DBS XLR's. And they are cheap. They can be bought at these 2 places-


https://www.takefiveaudio.com/produc...-cryo-treated/

https://btpa.com/IC8402XLR-XX.html



They sound crystal clear with a very black background and just get out of the way. Very detailed. I bought from btpa with copper connectors. A friend of mine bought from take five and loves them.

[Crumhorn]

I use these Belden 8402 XLR's. They sound better than my Cardas Parsec and AQ Columbia 72v DBS XLR's. And they are cheap. They can be bought at these 2 places-

[Links removed]

They sound crystal clear with a very black background and just get out of the way. Very detailed. I bought from btpa with copper connectors. A friend of mine bought from take five and loves them.

Thanks! I'm surprised that such a (mostly) off-the-shelf cable can better offerings from such well-regarded companies, but I'll keep an open mind...

By the way, which generation of Pass X250 do you have? ".5"? ".8"?

[KeithR]

So are you saying no difference in cables in general or is there something abot XLR that would prevent hearing any difference between brands?

I'm really surprised that cables is still a point of debate for those with the type of gear I see on this forum.

No, I'm saying that various XLRs didn't make much difference in my fully balanced system - both today and back in 2004 when I had an all BAT system. There are reasons for this as Ralph @ Atmasphere has espoused over the years. Single-ended stuff has been/is much different.

[Jack]

You might want to take an inexpensive flyer on a pair of Balanced Dueland IC's and see what you think. I have been using them and the 12 gauge speaker cable in my main system for about two months and have been impressed. For $175 and free shipping it is worth a try. I bought three pairs from this seller and delivery was quick and build quality was excellent. The speaker cable you have to buy from Chris at Parts Connexion by the meter.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DUELUND-DCA...YAAOSw4A5Y2HiL

Triode Wire Labs is also worth a try and Pete has a trial program.

[Mechnutt]

Thanks! I'm surprised that such a (mostly) off-the-shelf cable can better offerings from such well-regarded companies, but I'll keep an open mind...

By the way, which generation of Pass X250 do you have? ".5"? ".8"?

I have the first Gen X250. I am going to upgrade to the 0.5 sometime in the next year. Thought about the 0.8 but the 0.5 seems more to my liking based on reviews of it being warmer sounding which I prefer.

I was surprised by the fact that the Belden XLR's sounded better than my Cardas and AQ. The Cardas are no longer in my system. There is a whole thread on the Belden 8402 RCA's on the Audio Circles forum. I figured for $60pr they were worth a try and they were a pleasant surprise. They took about 20 hours of break in. By the way, music direct has the AQ Columbia 72v DBS XLR's on sale for about $170pr for 0.75m. They normally go for over $400pr. They have a very black background and are crystal clear. They seem to tame sibilants.

[Crumhorn]

You might want to take an inexpensive flyer on a pair of Balanced Dueland IC's and see what you think. I have been using them and the 12 gauge speaker cable in my main system for about two months and have been impressed. For $175 and free shipping it is worth a try. I bought three pairs from this seller and delivery was quick and build quality was excellent. The speaker cable you have to buy from Chris at Parts Connexion by the meter.

Triode Wire Labs is also worth a try and Pete has a trial program.

Thanks! I "took an inexpensive flyer" on the balanced Burley ICs, which my Pass Labs dealer recommended as great for the money (~$150/m.) They have almost exactly the same tonal balance as my MIT Shotgun(!), but NOT the air, bloom, subtlety, etc. Everything sounds more artificial, reproduced, no sense of space... (In MY system – not casting aspersions...) So I'm not enthused about going down that road again. I'd rather spend some bucks & get cables that will last me another 20 years...

[Jack]

I understand though the Dueland cable is a bit more respected and favorably reviewed than that and right now they are pretty easily re-sold.

[Crumhorn]

I understand though the Dueland cable is a bit more respected and favorably reviewed than that and right now they are pretty easily re-sold.

Thanks, Jack.

I Googled the Dueland cables & read a long article about them - very interesting! Did you buy the "Fry Baby" to burn them in? The article I read seemed to suggest that they wouldn't sound their best without it.

[Jack]

No I'm doing it the hard way and I haven't honestly noted any great change in them and they are approaching 200 hours on the speaker cables and a bit over a hundred on the IC's. I think some of the guys have the Audiodharma Cable Cooker and maybe one of them will cook them for you.

[Crumhorn]

No I'm doing it the hard way and I haven't honestly noted any great change in them and they are approaching 200 hours on the speaker cables and a bit over a hundred on the IC's. I think some of the guys have the Audiodharma Cable Cooker and maybe one of them will cook them for you.

Jeff Day, in his Positive Feedback article (Issue 92, 8/17), made the comment: "However, the Duelund DCA tinned-copper cables haven't responded as predictably to combined voltage/current conditioning as previous cables in my experience had, and tended to become leaner and less musical with conditioning, which was definitely not the desired outcome." However, he also opines that: "It turns out that voltage-only conditioning works like magic on the Duelund DCA tinned-copper cables, making them sound richer, warmer, more textured, more naturally nuanced, and altogether more musical, while at the same time maintaining or enhancing their superb sonic qualities." Apparently, the Hagerman Audio Labs FryBaby2 gives one this option. This is the first time I have ever heard of "voltage-only conditioning" or the FryBaby2, but who knows?