XLR or HDMI for Audio Only?

One other thing.
the differential in price in HDMI cables may be the quality in the sockets. More than the wires in the cable. The sound will be about the same.

you can find 1 meter XLR cables at 100$ and you can find 1 meter
XLR cables at 1 000$ .
the sound will not be the same.

also , some people prefer digital sound.
Some people prefer analog sound.

If I am wrong, I would like to know.

To me the number one failing of HDMI is the connectors are very fragile. I do not like them at all. but use one just for the TV/disc spinner. XLR are battleship ready. Tough, very unbreakable. Designed to be kicked around in the professional studio.  
Bump a HDMI connector slightly the wrong way ...dead. junk.

BlueRay players  with both output :  HDMI  and  XLR

https://www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu/uk/products/udp-lx800

https://www.panasonic.com/ca/consumer/televisions-home-entertainment/blu-ray-disc-players/dp-ub9000....

maybe l should have written ´´ connectors ´´ rather than ´´ sockets  ´´

also , ´´ bypassing any digital processing’´ rather than ´´ bypassing the processor  ´´