XLO Reference2 Ref 4a Digital Cable

Posted by the dood on Friday, June 22nd, 2007

Just got in an XLO Reference2 Ref 4a Digital Cable… interesting as this is not a coaxial interconnect, so does not have the 75 ohm impedence that is usually recommended. It contains 10 conductors in a double helix configuration… similar to a strand of DNA.

I popped this cable in, replacing a SonoCable SonoSibelius digital interconnect, which is in my opinion one of the finest digital cables out there at any price. The XLO cable really did sing. Not too bad at the retail price of $179CAD. I would characterize the cable as a bit more lively and unrestrained than the SonoSibelius, but at the same time less controlled. I think the XLO might have been suffering from some timing errors or something, but it sounded pretty darn good for the money. I really did like the XLO on Jazz vocal tracks such as Norah Jone’s Come Away with Me and Krall’s Departure Bay.

Switching over to Symphony performances, I noticed a slight sizzle at the top end when certain brass instruments boomed during crescendos and the like, however, this didn’t detract from the fantastic dynamics I was getting from the cable. Certainly a lively and punchy cable, this will not disappoint you if you choose it:

XLO Reference2 Ref 4a on their site

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