Balanced cables

@elizabeth,
Though I respect Kimber, I would have a hard time justifying $3K for interconnects. 
Do you notice such a significant difference in sound reproduction?
And, I only say this as a question.
Bob

@stringreen 

Back to the intent of your post...

What are you using for power distribution? I’d maybe try an Ayre 5-Lxe in front of your source components. Yes, “Ayre-conditioning” is already part of each component of your Ayre stack, but I recall the late, great Charley Hansen touting the benefits of double-conditioning on another forum. I believe he claimed the transformation was so significant that the pairing of a 5-Lxe and an AX-7e was part of his personal reference system (before the R series was released). It’s why I use that factory-modified combo with my Vandersteen Quatro CTs. 

I was wondering if/when this was going to happen? Was this wrong?

Just last year I bought a $3,100 XLR cable.
Seven meter Kimber KS1116

For that money you could get a preamp with high output (around 18 volts vs the regular 2 volts). A better higher output component will be unaffected by either the type of XLR cable and/or length. Usually it is interconnect capacitance that affects weak low cost consumer (low-fi) gear resulting in less dynamics. RCA is terrible but of course no serious audiophile would ever use RCA. 

Again it is sad to see folks misplacing blame on interconnects when it is the components that are at fault for any audible degradation.

gdnrbob, yes the Kimber KS1116 was a significant improvement.
Compared to Kimber Hero the KS1116 has a lot less grunge (the Hero has great bass btw, just not even close clean sounding)
The Parsec was anemic, and just no damn good at seven meters. though at one meter as I mentioned, Parsec sounds great)
The home made with Kimber wire had almost the clarity, but alas, has that slight lean through the midrange problem.
It took me two years to decide yeah I wanted to splurge on the Kimber KS1116. And I am glad i bought it. And Yes it made a difference I can easily hear.
I also bought four 1.5 meter sets of Kimber KS1016, which are the RCA version with the same wire used in the KS1116 XLR.
(so in total I spent $7,500 on Kimber KS interconnects
I would say the KS wires are (probably) the 'last IC' I will ever buy.
(PS I still use and enjoy a Cardas Parsec one meter XLR, and the combo of a few/one Parsec and some Kimber KS really are synergistic.)
The Cardas thrown into the KS gives a hinted at, but noticeable, tiny pearl like touch to the edges of the notes.. Just amazing and particularly can be heard on piano sonatas. I have the Parsec from my Audio Research Sp-15 preamp I keep around just to use the wonderful 3 tube phone section in it. (from Kuzma Stogi Stabi S, Dynavector 17D3)

And to bring it back to the topic at hand:
But for the wire is just wire folks, naturally this is all just in my imagination. LOL