XLR Connectors

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Which Neutrik plug is the best?

My preference is CMC or Cardas for RCA connector and Neutrik for XLR connector with 4%Ag WBT solder paste. Emphasis on the purity of copper material with plating for oxidation. Personally, I cannot listen to any significant difference in sound quality with different branding.
Impendence matching is not a major concern in home audio system, but mainly in large infrastructure telecommunication project.
A truly balanced home audio system started from DAC output to power amplifier. (i.e. balanced design + differential amplifier). For any RCA-to-XLR conversion at the mid of system, you may get benefit to some extent. Personally, I prefer truly balanced for whole system. Unbalanced and balanced audio system behaves two different quality of sound which is subject to individual preference. There is no absolute answer which is right or wrong.

Rather than start a new thread thought I'd ask my question here

Which Neutrik plug is the best? and which pins gold or silver plated?

Thanks :)
 
Here's an alternative. My system is balanced throughout. The sound card in my computer has balanced in/out via 6.5mm stereo jacks (one stereo jack per channel - 2 phases per jack, rather than 2 channels). This gave me the idea to copy this across my system, except that I use 3.5mm jacks. My phono stage, dac, and amplifiers now all sport 3.5mm stereo jacks, used in a balanced configuration. All interconnects are made from braided wire (single core winding-wire, 3 strands per channel) terminated in 3.5mm stero plugs.

This works well for me. XLRs are too big and bulky. These jacks and plugs are cheap, and I hear no sonic penalty. Is there any reason why i shouldn't do this?
 
Here's an alternative. My system is balanced throughout. The sound card in my computer has balanced in/out via 6.5mm stereo jacks (one stereo jack per channel - 2 phases per jack, rather than 2 channels). This gave me the idea to copy this across my system, except that I use 3.5mm jacks. My phono stage, dac, and amplifiers now all sport 3.5mm stereo jacks, used in a balanced configuration. All interconnects are made from braided wire (single core winding-wire, 3 strands per channel) terminated in 3.5mm stero plugs.

This works well for me. XLRs are too big and bulky. These jacks and plugs are cheap, and I hear no sonic penalty. Is there any reason why i shouldn't do this?

No problem at all. Your only problem is converting unbalanced to balanced which you've obviously dealt with. My main issue with 3.5 mm connectors is they don't stay as firmly seated as RCAs and lock like XLRs. I have had a few issues with erratic connections with 3.5 MMs, less with RCAs.

For short cables with units all powered from the same circuit I don't believe it's as big a deal as you do. I've lived near 50 kW AM stations that got into the telephone but never into my stereo.

 
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