Balanced cables

Stringreen, I tried a 7 meter Cardas Parsec which from day one was thin sounding. And yeah they said 'it needs to break in'. After a month (and I listen all day every day to music) It was still the same story.
I returned it as unsuitable. I went eventually with a 7 meter XLR Kimber KS1116 and from the moment it was in the system all was good.
So I have to say (and yes I am highjacking the thread a bit) Sometimes folks need to realize break-in can be used as an excuse for stuff which just does not work.
Now IMO the 1 meter Cardas Parsec XLR are wonderful, just they fail when it is a lot longer. (My theory is the small gauge of the wire they use in the Parsec is just too thin in the balanced configuration at long lengths, but is fine for short one meter XLR  IC)

And I really wanted to just put a note in to Stringreen, so forgive my taking the thread off topic.

Stringreen, I, too, own Vandy (Treo's) and am currently using the Atma MP-3 and MX-R amps (non Twenty).
Ralph sold me a set of XLR cables (25foot) to go from the preamp to his MA-1's. They weren't expensive and I find them to be very listenable (no shrillness). 
Perhaps you should give him a call, and get his take on this. His take, if I recall correctly, is that if the equipment is designed properly (like his and Ayre's), then an XLR shouldn't affect sound quality.
Bob

I have an Ayre preamp and an Ayre CDP and the quality of XLR cables most definitely do affect the sound character of my system.

Dave

gdnrbob.....who is Ralph?

Atma-Sphere is Ralph Karsten, http://www.atma-sphere.com/AboutUs