Suggestion on XLR Cables

@bradluke0

Had a absolute top flight Ayon Preamplifier come through here a few years ago - it had balanced connectors on the back - but - a quick look inside - pin 3 had no termination :-) US standard has pin 3 as the inverted signal.

Balanced equipment either for home or professional use have several advantages and if executed properly will outperform a single ended system. Typically less noise, better transients and dynamics all things we strive for in music reproduction. If the system is balanced through out from cartridge or DAC (and here I mean the actual IC (BB1704K) or (ESS9018) for examples) to speaker the benefits of Fully Balanced design approach easily shine through.

Good Listening

Peter

First to start, if you dont find your higher end cables, I suggest that you dont waste money and agree with many comments here about Canare Star Quad, and Benchmark media builds them very nicely for a great price.

The all round second best cable i have tried is actually middle priced and it's the Cerious Tech Graphene Extreme XLR. It has it nearly all, resolution is just astounding, just lacks some dynamics and a little bass. You can get them new in your budget.

The best high end cable I have tried and tried and tried against dozens including cables costing HUGE amounts of money and that surpass them all and that I now use in all my systems, is to me without a doubt, the TelluriumQ Silver Diamond. I'm not sure you can find these second hand, but really worth a search. 

@gdhal  and @muses,
I miswrote in my previous post. My Belden/Neutric cables are actually Gotham PUR/Amphenol. I plan on doing a closer comparison with the Zus in the near future. Zu always recommends 250 to 400 hours to burn in the dielectric on new cables. I figure I'll give them about 60 hours before the face-off.

the high end cables (RCA or XLR)  warrant such premium prices because they are made out of confirmation bias

I figure enough "burn-in" has taken place to compare the Gotham PUR/Amphenol XLRs (I paid $35 on the Bay) to the Zu Missions (List $215 I think; but I paid $46.50).

I do believe I can tell a difference; that it's not bias or unbelievably short audio memory. The Gothams have been warmer since the beginning; but now the Zus are presenting a more profound bass and they are more dimensional and transparent. I prefer them to the Gothams, because I am a detail junkie; but I can't say they are clearly "better", or would be everyone's choice. In fact on a few tracks I (mellow acoustic guitar, Cello) I prefer them. I would have been quite happy with the Gothams on all fronts if I was faced with paying full list. Fortunately, I got a better deal.