Long run XLR interconnect

Sonus

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
123
2
260
SF Bay Area, CA
Hi,

I need a 30' XLR interconnect, an "audiophile grade" cable will cost at least one kidney, maybe more :)
A friend suggested Mogami gold, but he gave me a link to a microphone cable, can a microphone cable work as an interconnect?

what about this one?
http://vintageking.com/mogami-gold-aes-ebu-interconnect-w-neutrik-xlr

i will use it between my Einstein The Tube MK.II and Krell Evolution 400 if that is important.
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
1,740
Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Hi,

I need a 30' XLR interconnect, an "audiophile grade" cable will cost at least one kidney, maybe more :)
A friend suggested Mogami gold, but he gave me a link to a microphone cable, can a microphone cable work as an interconnect?

what about this one?
http://vintageking.com/mogami-gold-aes-ebu-interconnect-w-neutrik-xlr

i will use it between my Einstein The Tube MK.II and Krell Evolution 400 if that is important.

That is actually a link to an AES/EBU digital 110 ohm cable.... which will work. I've used them all the time.
 

Sharp 1080

Member
Apr 20, 2010
284
9
18
Dallas,Texas
There is also Signal cable. Reasonably priced cables with good connectors. The same type that are on my Transparent Super interconnects.

www.signalcable.com
 

Speedskater

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2010
941
15
368
Cleveland Ohio
a] Mic cable is a robust balanced interconnect cable that is optimized for flexibility and rough handling.
b] 30 feet is a short interconnect or mic cable, while 300 feet is a long cable.
c] It takes a major bulk cable manufacturer with big expensive machines and a good quality control department to make good balanced interconnect cables.
d] Some good brands of bulk cable are:
Belden
Canare
Mogami
also
Gepco
West Penn
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
If you spent a lot in a precious stereo sound system you enjoy you should optimize the cabling system. IMHO and YMMV
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
IMO, at 30' the Mogami Gold Stage microphone cable might outperform many high-end audiophile cables. In long lengths, I find it very much more transparent and intrude less on the signal.

The microphone signal is very low level, that means that capacitance and inductance has to be low and shielding has to be excellent. At the typical impedance of a microphone, the resistance is not an issue at all. Typical lengths used professionally - up to 300'. I've even used it as a very long tonearm cable and the results were excellent. Better than a very expensive high-end cable I took out.

The Mogami AES/EBU cable I prefer as a balanced interconnect in short runs - less than 2m. I also like the Quad Neglex, but it has a little higher capacitance and a little lower inductance and I use it for greater than 2m and less than 5m.

With long XLR cables >4m, I haven't found a commercial high-end cable I like as much as the two Mogami. Disclaimer - I haven't tried them all, only the ones that other cable manufacturers have loaned me to try.
 

Sonus

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
123
2
260
SF Bay Area, CA
Thanks you all for your help

Let me make it simpler, if you had to choose a 30' balanced cable? what would you do? (i know some of you already answered, thanks)

arthurs,
No more KR, i am moving away from tubes, the Einstein is the only tube component i got left and for some reason i can't let it go.
(i do have a new room and a new system, i'll update my system thread soon)
 

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
1,577
35
970
Midwest fly over state..

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
My system needs 25 feet XLR cables and last year I got 10 m (~33 feet) Mogami Gold Stage XLR cables . I could compare it with my Opus MM2, Kimber KS1136 and Cardas Golden
Reference XLR (all of them low capacitance cables.) IMHO, used with their matching speaker cables they outperformed the Mogami . However, as pointed by Gary, several higher capacitance high end cables were not suitable for long runs. All in my system and IMHO. But yes, the Mogami Gold represents excellent value for money.
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
I use and have used Mogami 2534/Neglex Quad and W3173/110 Ohm AES/EBU cable as IC.
Recently, I had some IC's made with Gepco VSD2001 for around a 30-35' run. Haven't tried
the VSD2001, yet, although it's already been run in the walls. Very content with Mogami cable
.
 

astrotoy

VIP/Donor
May 24, 2010
1,547
1,017
1,715
SF Bay Area
Thanks for the information and comparison. According to what I can find about price, the Mogami Gold Stage is about $100 for a 30 foot pair, the Opus MM2 looks like a similar 10 m length would be around $30,000 a pair, the Kimber KS1136 for a 10m would be $30,000 to $40,000 a pair, and the Cardas Gold would be $8000 a pair for 10m. Am I correct or missing something on the pricing. Looks like you have some valuable inventory of long cables.

Larry


My system needs 25 feet XLR cables and last year I got 10 m (~33 feet) Mogami Gold Stage XLR cables . I could compare it with my Opus MM2, Kimber KS1136 and Cardas Golden
Reference XLR (all of them low capacitance cables.) IMHO, used with their matching speaker cables they outperformed the Mogami . However, as pointed by Gary, several higher capacitance high end cables were not suitable for long runs. All in my system and IMHO. But yes, the Mogami Gold represents excellent value for money.
 

Sonus

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
123
2
260
SF Bay Area, CA
Couldn't remember what I had.

Mogami Gold Studio-25


View attachment 17806

Amazing.
I received those few days back, i hooked them up, amazing results.
I did a quick test with my two other short XLR cables (and much more expensive) and couldn't hear any difference, of course i would need more time to compare but overall i was pleasantly surprised


Thanks!
 

Matt193

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2011
193
0
323
Wisconsin
Is a balanced run not as susceptible to cable coloration as a single ended cable or is the Mogami Gold cable just that good?
 

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