Knitman, I really think you should pink up a pair of XLR cables and try them out for yourself. If you and your husband hear differences in upsampling and upstream equipment changes using different cables that you currently use, it is totally worth a shot! None of us know your system, and it would be silly for us to tell you what you could hear in it.
As for me, I use both RCA and XLR from my Oppo UDP-205 Parasound Halo Integrated. I undoubtedly hear a difference between them and prefer one of the other at different times for different masterings—and different moods I am in. I have been using both for years. It was a very rewarding experiment buying some XLRs.
Cheers!
I had an OPPO 205 sometime after my brain trauma I let it go as a trade. I have I deeply regret it but I not so much that I’ll pay £5000 for one from the USA with duties on top.
When I read again the specs I found the DAC is no better than I have and I can play all disc types with what I have.
Yet I am still sad I parted with it and don’t even recall doing so.
Glad you found a DAC that is comparable! Let us know if you try out some XLRs and if they make any difference in your system…for the good or the bad.
I have. no idea if it is comparable. I don’t recall it or even if I used it as a DAC. If I had used it as a DAC I probably would not have let it go. I think I may have let it go because it didn’t support DV, HDR10 and HDR10+ etc. Anyway, done now.
I will try a pair. Trouble is a cheap pair wouldn’t be a good try or would it?
You might consider The Cable Company:
https://www.thecableco.com/cables.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwyo36BRAXEiwA24CwGaWEQtmHMi0HAjm6C-9uPBYJ6dnJeFWSm3g5tFVU0FcAZD9-YkSnLhoCgDcQAvD_BwE
You can demo a wide variety of different cables. The cost is (I think) 10% of the cable cost to demo it, and that cost is applied to the cost of a cable you buy. I’ve bought all my cables from them.
Use BALANCED XLR, you can use lower quality cheaper cables for this with longer runs due to the input circuit design, however better quality conductors will still make a Nice difference, rca still sounds good though and if you use nice silver conductors , shielded with foamed ptfe then you’ll have a maximised signal, unbalanced xlr will cost more for the cables with no benefit over rca, if this is what you have then stick to rca.
Some well reviewed or moderately expensive amps don’t even have XLR connections. Examples: most Firstwatt amps, some Pass Labs amps, the Line Magnetic LM-845IA (a Stereophile “Class A” integrated amp). If RCA connections compromise SQ compared to XLR, why wouldn’t virtually all amps in this price/quality class have XLR connections?
That’s what I have learned when listening to symphonic music…
Good point.