RCA or XLR?

All things being equal I prefer the design of XLR cables. The connectors seem like they will last forever. RCA always feels like each time I insert I am putting a tiny amount of wear and tear on it, which means there is a finite number of times I can do it before something bad happens. That number will probably last me decades but still.

However some designs actually sound better with one or the other connection type. Even if both are technically available on the components. So you really need to play around with your system and see if you have a preference for the sound either way. If they are equal I'd go XLR.

@ericrhodes1  Seems strange seeing “moderately priced” and “XLR” in the same sentence.  

@ericrhodes1 , interesting comment. I am changing from single ended Rogue gear to balanced Rogue gear. So I need balanced IC’s. I have limited understanding of balanced topology. Rogue states Differential balanced , there is AES 48 , and other identifiers . Recently I asked this question to Nick at Rogue stating that I have nice RCA cables and wanted XLR. He said at least go with my single ended cables to start and don’t go crazy on expensive balanced IC’s. My Hera pre has a gain knob on the front with 5 progressive settings. Number 3 out of the 5 settings also say’s recommended for single ended. I get the extra gain and superior noise cancellation with XLR’s , but I’ve read comments about AES 48 gear being less influenced by cable selection , eg Mogami Vs $$$ stuff. Maybe someone can chime in. Cheers , Mike B. 

Balanced XLR to drop noise floor in my main SS system, RCA in my low watt tube system.  

I can only comment on  how Nordost cables work in my systems.  RCA connected Odin (high-end) cables sound much better than XLR connected Heimdall (mid-range) cables.  The difference between RCA and XLR is marginal, but the difference between Odin and Heimdall is very significant even though Heimdall cables are very good.   I've also tried this with mid-range Audioquest XLRs, and the RCA Odins completely blow them away in my tube-based systems.