Best XLR Cables Review & Buyer’s Guide [2023]

Many musicians do not consider an XLR cable to be necessary. They buy other quality high-quality tools but grab an XLR randomly. That is where they go wrong because these cables play a significant role in audio quality. The amount of money and time that you can save by purchasing the right cable can be overwhelming.

For this reason, I will give you tips for choosing the perfect cable. You will understand all the features that you need to consider. Furthermore, you will find out the best five XLR cables in the marketplace.

Best XLR Cables Comparison Chart

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Best XLR Cables Review

XLR Microphone Cable, CableCreation 6 FT XLR Male to XLR Female Balanced 3 PIN Mic Cables

Cable creation is one of the most popular brands that make high-quality cables. The 6FT XLR male-to-female cable plug is suitable for most equipment with a 3-pin connector. Some of the compatible equipment include mixing boards, speaker systems, and studio harmonizers.

It is a durable and robust cable balanced with a soft PVC jacket. Further, it produces high-quality and noise-free performance. Cablecreation focuses on producing high-quality and ideal designs for all its products. They also offer free lifetime technical support. You will also cable creation a lifetime guarantee on this product.

They ensure that your sound quality is not disturbed using metal braided shielding. Foil shielding is the main reason why this cable is inexpensive. It has the ability to stand up for high RFI application frequency, so 100% coverage is an assurance.

The XLR microphone cable creation cable incorporates a thin aluminum sheet. It bonds the jacket boosting its strength. That’s why it will serve you a reasonable amount of time before getting spoilt.

Some cables usually contain one method of protection. They contain a foil sheet without metal braiding and vice versa. Contrary, cable creation has combined the two methods to reduce noise interference.

Last but not least, this cable contains nickel-plated pins. They are ideal for oxidation resistance and anti-corrosion. After undergoing many plugs and pull tests, this cable is a guarantee for daily use.

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Silverback Roar XLR Patch Cable

If you are looking for a stylish cable with high performance, buy the silverback. It features rugged nylon and braided outer shielding. Perfect for setting up a studio for live streaming or video recording. Furthermore, all its metal connectors have springs to prevent bending.

The silverback Roar XLR patch cable contains gold contacts. As we said earlier, gold contacts offer the best quality connection. Your audio will have 0% signal and noise interference. The voice output is the same as the voice input and with no sluggishness. This makes it an excellent tool for both studio recording and live performance.

After buying the silverback Roar cable, it will serve you for a long time. The reason is that the gold contacts erode over time as compared to other metals. Additionally, it has copper shielding inside the jacket. It prevents it from getting worn out hence increasing lifespan. The Roar XLR patch cable is flexible because of the nylon braiding outside of the jacket.

Silverback Roar XLR patch cable is a great premium choice. Other cables will wear out or lose quality before it. It offers excellent value for your money, so it’s worth going for. Perfect for live performance and studio recording.

You will also note that all its conductors come from copper. There is no other metal that has the capability of passing on quality sound than copper itself. I recommend buying the silverback if you are looking for a long-lasting cable.

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Cable Matters 2-Pack Premium XLR to XLR Microphone

Whether you are interconnecting, stage lighting studio equipment or microphones go for cable matters. This 2-pack premium XLR cable is a soft PVC jacket. So it can move around the stage or your recording studio. Besides, it is very convenient and cost-effective because it comes with a spare cable.

If you have a set of microphones, you can use the spare cables. Cable matters 2-pack premium cable contains copper conductors. They are individual conductors designed in such a way that no oxygen remains in them. By doing so, cable matters have been able to provide products that deliver a pristine sound.

Cable matters have made these cables using copper braided shielding design. This allows it to produce hum and noise-free sound. Additionally, these cables feature polythene insulation capable of improving high-frequency response.

The connectors come from heavy-duty metal. Furthermore, they are designed with grip treads. You will find this cable easy to plug in and unplug without losing quality. They have gold-plated pins hence will serve you for a long period.

Each wire of the cable matters has insulation. The gold-plated pins are useful because they prevent oxidation. Oxidation or corrosion can cause loss of signal over a long time. If you are looking for quality and affordable cable, consider it.

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Monoprice Premier Series XLR Male to XLR Female

This is one of those products for you will get free amazon support. For example, if the cable you’ve purchased doesn’t work as expected or unable to use it. Within a period of 90 days, you can request support over the phone. It shows that the mono price premier series care more about you the user.

The mono price XLR premier cable has balanced. This means that it has the ability to deliver quality sound over a long distance. You don’t need to worry about noise interference or signal loss. The mono-price brand is able to achieve this by making sure that there is a low signal-to-noise ratio.

Balanced cables are able to filter the RF and EM noise by utilizing impedance-balanced lines. Moreover, they have incorporated braid shielding to increase resistance to interference. Note that it holds it without interfering with the signal hence preventing all loop issues.

Monoprice premier XLR male to female are quality cables at an affordable price. Besides, they are thick because of all the quality features that make them. Unlike the standard cables with pins, the mono price is gold-plated.

Gold-plated connectors give you an assurance of using your cable for a long time. This is because gold does not give room for oxidation which can tamper with the quality. Other cable connectors made from different metals such as copper do not last for a long time. All wires inside this cable are a heavy gauge, and the connector has sturdy housings.

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Mogami Gold STUDIO-3 XLR Microphone Cable, XLR-Female to XLR-Male

If you are a professional or looking for a high-standard cable, consider Mogami Gold XLR cable. It is suitable for artists, engineers, or even small project studios. Besides, it is engineered to provide high-quality results in a recording environment. Having the Mogami Gold STUDIO-10 XLR cable will help you say goodbye to most studio issues.

These mic cables feature Mogami Neglex Quad and high-definition wiring. Moreover, it contains four conductible cables that can filter noise and RF interference. This allows it to produce clarity and superior sounds. The Mogami microphone cable has an improved design that filters noise up to 95%.

If you have any device that has a 3-pin industry standard, you can use this cable. Regardless of the device that you’re connecting with, you will get quality sound. There are many devices compatible with the Mogami. For example, audio interfaces, powered speakers, preamps, studio monitors, and mixers.

The Mogami Gold STUDIO XLR cable is also compatible with some cameras, loopers, and mics. Apart from the 10-foot cables, the Mogami XLR male to XLR female comes in a wide variety of lengths. Examples are 2, 3,6,15,25,50,75, and 100 feet lengths.

You will get a “no excuse” warrant for all cables you buy from amazon or authorized retailers. Additionally, the pins are straight, and all the contacts are gold-plated. This is an assurance that they will serve you for a long time.

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XLR Cables Buyer’s Guide

An XLR cable is an electrical connector for video audio and stage lighting equipment. It is a vital instrument because of its ability to block interference at a. Purchasing a high-quality cable will increase the quality of the sound that you send. Let us see some of the factors that you need to consider.

Price

Cheap brands tend to wear out and may not produce the quality that you need. Price brands are quality, and they save you the embarrassment of low-quality music. Besides, you will buy a lot of cable in the long run, which may be more expensive than good cable.

Note that not all expensive connectors are of high quality. Some may be overrated, so it’s good to learn useful components. Contrary, you can pick one of the XLR cables that we have recommended for you.

Gold Vs. Silver-plated contacts

Manufacturers coat their cables with metals such as silver and gold. It maximizes electrical conductivity. Other metals usable for the same purpose but in sporadic cases. All premium and quality XLR cables contain the gold-plated connector. This is because of its immunity to oxidization and corrosion.

Other metals are used to make the standard cables. The main disadvantage of these metals is that they oxidize after some time. If this happens, then there is a severe loss of audio quality. Oxidation or tarnishing causes the signal to distort.

Some people will argue that silver-plated contacts are the best when new. But it is definitely not the best choice in the long run. Although the gold contact-plated cables are expensive, they will serve you well.

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Cable core

You should consider cable core thickness because it can affect your signal navigation. The core thickness is measured in diameter. This is achievable using the American gauge table, whereby it ranges from 20 to 26, and 26 is the thinnest.

Thick cables are suitable for studio recording because they add some capacitance. But for live sound performance, thin cables perform better. A thin cable is more flexible compared to a thicker one.

For the actual build, I recommend going for oxygen-free copper cores. The reason being they have low noise, are durable, flexible, and very pure sounding.

Shielding

Power and radio frequencies can interfere with the signals that you transmitting. To avoid that, most cables, if not all, have shielding. You will realize your cable contains three-pin on the male end. Shielding is always done on the third pin whose function is to pick any ground interference. It guides that through the cable but makes sure it does not reach the primary signal.

Manufacturers use the following materials to construct their shielding

Aluminum Laminate – This is definitely the cheapest among the three materials. It gives solid protection from interference but not very well, like copper. Additionally, it lacks much flexibility hence not the best to use for live shows.

Tin-plated copper – Popular as braided tin copper in the studio sometimes. Cables with this shielding work best with mid-low frequencies. They are flexible and able to cover up to 98% oxidation protection. The only disadvantage is that they are bulky and hence not suitable for a tight space.

Spiral copper shielding. These are perfect for any live use because of their flexibility. Furthermore, they are not expensive, and they lend to others. Note that they are prone to breakage if not careful

How to determine the XLR cable that you need

Lately, XLR cables hold similar properties. But, there are speaker cables that are still in existence. They share the same connector, but the microphone cable has a different anatomy. Mixing the two can be very dangerous.

A speaker XLR connector consists of an un-shielded ground wire. Contrary the microphone connector has a ground wire that has shielding. Another notable difference is that the speaker cables are neither shielded nor balanced.

Shielded wires reduce external electronic interference while balanced cables allow long run lengths. Since the speaker cable lacks both, it is impossible to substitute it. Microphone cable carries low voltage; hence, it cannot be able to power up the speakers. Interchanging both cables may result in severe damage and low sound output.

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What’s the Best XLR cable for recording

There is no vast difference between an XLR cable for recording and for live performance. Lately, most of these cables are made for both purposes. The only significant difference between a live performance and a recording cable is the jacket. For example, live performances tend to wear out jackets fast because of the movements. Contrary, when recording, the mic is usually fixed in one place; hence, the jacket does not wear out fast.

Some brands have made changes to these jackets so that the XLR cables can last long during a performance. If you are lucky to get one, then that is fine. Further, as long as you go for a high-quality brand, it will serve you well in both operations.

Length can mess with the quality

XLR cable comes in different lengths and sizes. You can get one with only a few inches and another with 100 feet above. There are two reasons why the cable length is significant to consider. First is that the cable has to reach its target location, of course.

A short cable is enough for fixed devices such as home recording. But, you will need a longer one for live shows. Another good reason for considering the size is that connector interfaces cause interference. So having several short cables combined together will cause more coloration.

Accuracy is key for a high-quality XLR cable

Even though there is no cable that exists yet, you should get the most accurate. Most brands will color their sound to cover for accuracy. Hobbyists and armature musicians have no need to worry since there is only a slight change.

For professionals, you may want to understand how it changes your sound. A wire might store some of the signals transmitted through it. This transpires to the reduction of high-frequency signals. All this causes the output to be a darkened and warm sound.

Low capacitance cables store less electricity and hence pass more accurate sound. XLR brands have been trying to lower the capacitance to very subtle amounts as possible. Now that you know to engineer, choosing a high-quality product will be an easy task for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does XLR cable mean?

An XLR cable is an electrical connector that is mainly used for audio applications. It is also used for professional recording and live shows. The XLR cable connects various devices such as the microphone, mixers, and cameras. It stands for External Line Return.

Does XLR cable length matter?

Yes, a signal might reduce for longer cables compared to shorter ones. Moreover, the difference is so small that you will not realize it. Also, shorter cables are easy to manage for a recording studio. For live performance, one long cable is better than several short combined.

Is there a difference in XLR cables?

Yes, the main difference comes in the type of material that makes it. For example, some cables will have copper-plated connectors while others have gold. There are differences in the number of pins and sizes.

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Do XLR cables carry power?

Yes, because most microphones need power, an XLR can power up to 48 volts of phantom power. Most of them are used to convey up to 12 volts but with low amperage.

How do I choose an XLR cable?

First, you need to know the number of pins that the device you’re connecting to needs. Determine the distance between your devices so that you can know the length that you need. Then set your budget for the XLR cable.

Are XLR cables better than RCA?

XLR cables are better than RCA cables in most devices. But, if your device has both connections and the XLR doesn’t sound right, then you should go for RCA. But XLR cables are better because of their ability to cancel noise using the hot pin.

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Conclusion

Having the best XLR cable can solve all studio audio problems. It is essential, like all other devices. Some people forget how influential this cable can be in audio quality. You should consider investing in this device the same way as you do in others.

Silver or copper-plated connectors are not bad, but they tend to wear out as time passes. Gold connectors last for a very long period compared to any other metal. Also, do not forget about the cable length. If you need a very long cable, do not buy many short cables.

Buy one long because several interconnecting XLR may lower the quality of your sound. If you need a small studio cable consider adding a few feet over the actual distance. For live performance, cables consider thin rather than thick because they are flexible. Thick cables are best when for studio recording because they have high capacitance. Mogami, silverback Roar, Monoprice, and cable matters brands produce high-quality cables.