XLR audio cables vs. AES/EBU XLR digital cables

I have a pair of Yamaha HS-8 powered studio monitors being delivered next week (as a stop-gap measure until I purchase a quality headphone amplifier). They will connect from the balanced XLR output of my TOTL DAC to a balanced XLR input on each speaker. I was going to use the Mogami Gold Studio XLR cables, but then I noticed that they also offer Mogami Gold AES/EBU XLR cables. (They both use standard 3 pin XLR connectors.)

The Mogami Gold Studio XLR balanced cable has 4 conductors in a 'star quad' pattern. "Using 4 smaller conductors (2+/2-) compared to the standard 2-conductor design… quad cabling minimizes the 'loop area', and cuts electromagnetic interference by an impressive 20db as a result. This makes quad cables especially useful in environments with heavy interference from surrounding equipment. Due to technical factors such as lower “phase shift” and reduced “intermodulation distortion“, quad-cabling offers a better overall sound quality as well."

The Mogami Gold AES/EBU XLR balanced cable is heavier and better insulated, but has only 2 conductors (and costs about a third more). "With sound quality equal to the most exotic, high-end audiophile cables in the world, Mogami Gold AES/EBU adheres to the strict 110 ohm Audio Engineering Society/ European Broadcast requirements and is impedance-matched for precise data transmission. Performing fawlessly even in runs up to 1000 feet, Mogami AES/EBU uses bare copper conductors and our signature shielding for extremely low capacitance. Mogami AES/EBU patch cables are so well designed, they are often used as very high end analog interconnects."

For runs of 10-12 feet, have any of you ever heard AES/EBU XLR cables used as analog line-level interconnects... and were they noticeably better than standard XLR cables? I figure someone in the SBAF community must have done this comparison, probably using high-end headphones where any subtle differences could be identified. Thanks!

 

First of all, SBAF may not be the best forum to ask about cables. That being said, from my limited experience, Oyaide's current flagship cable AR-910 is a hybrid XLR cable that could be used as both digital AES/EBU 110 ohm XLR or analog interconnects as a pair. However, 10-12 feet is too long and may degrade sound quality whether you're using it as digital or analog. Performing flawlessly even in runs up to 1000 feet? I wonder how it's going to handle all the jitter.

 

10-12ft ain't no thang for either cable type.

Only difference with the digital AES cable is the 110 impedance matched transmission line. Important for digital connections. Theoretically not important running analog audio.

FWIW, I think I have that same Mogami mic cable and it's solid

 

Yes you can use AES/EBU for line level, lots of studios do that.

Here is the spec for Mogami 3173 AES/EBU:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/dig_interface/aes_ebu/

Here is the spec for 2534 (star quad):
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/

Here is the spec for 2549:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quality_balanced/

Although the 2549 and 3173 are the best on paper, in practice at 10-12ft length there should be essentially zero difference between the three. I use assorted 2549, 2534 and a couple 3173 cables in my system for all kinds of tasks (tonearm cable, interconnects, mic input, headphone cable, digital transport) and I can not tell the difference between any of them.

 

I owned those Mogami Gold XLR AES and used them for analog interconnects. One step up from Moonoprice SQ wise and way below what one should shoot for in a quality analog cable. So no, the 110ohm impedance is not an advantage nor disadvantage.

 

the most important thing for analog interconnects is actually the cable capacitance, it is best to be as low as possible (this isn't always the case, but for audiophile use it is)

 

So has no one put together an audio cable brand comparison similar to Marv's DAC chart? And why is it that people say that the sound of various cables cannot be quantified and compared, other than through anecdotal references? The Mogami Gold professional line of audio cables was recommended by Bob Katz on Innerfidelity.com, where he states that he has used their cables for years. I don't doubt bixby's personal experience (and I value his comments), but I don't doubt Bob Katz's either. I guess I will have to experiment and find out for myself, but double blind testing versus a subjective review would be much better.