An XLR cable is an essential addition when dealing with professional audio, video, or stage lighting equipment. It’s also pretty important even when using one of the best microphones for streaming such as if you’ve recently become a pro streamer or video editor. Maybe not the most exciting of tools to buy, you really need them in your life if you regularly record your voice.
Able to provide analog balanced audio, it’s important to buy the best XLR cables for your needs. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend a fortune to get good quality. With plenty of options available, we’ve spent some time collating all the best XLR cables around right now, breaking them down according to their key advantages and why you might want them. Take a look below at what we’ve picked, as well as how we’ve come to our decision and what to look for.
The best XLR cables in 2024
- Buy the
if you want the cheapest solution - Buy the
if you want a medium-length cable. - Buy the
if you want a long cable. - Buy the
if you want great sound quality. - Buy the
if you need to use TRS jacks. - Buy the
if you need to make a bulk buy.
Fibbr XLR 6ft Braided XLR Male to Female cable
Best budget choice
| Pros | Cons |
| Reasonable length | Some people may need something longer |
| Braided with plenty of shielding | |
The Fibbr XLR 6ft Braided XLR Male to Female cable is all good all-rounder cable for your XLR cable needs. It offers multiple layers of shielding with a mixture of cotton, copper, carbon fiber, TPE jacket, and nylon braiding. It also has a built-in metal spring SR design which is more flexible and durable than other types which is just what you need with a microphone.
A self-locking design means you can grip your devices firmly without any issue, while it has been bend tested up to 20,000 times without reducing microphone cord flexibility or running into any problems. Simple yet effective, it should suit most people’s needs.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 6ft |
| Braided | Yes |
Stage Right Starquad XLR microphone cable
Best medium-length cable
| Pros | Cons |
| Good length | Some people may need something longer |
| Long lasting | Not braided |
The Stage Right range promises pro-grade and balanced cables that are well-suited for carrying low-level signals. With this cable, you get four cores that are very tightly twisted with each other, rotating over a fairly short length. Think Ethernet cable and you’re not far off here.
Reviews are great for the Stage Right Starquad XLR microphone cable with the cable used across the world by professionals thanks to being nearly silent. It’s heavy duty too despite not being braided plus it passes phantom power.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 10ft |
| Braided | No |
Monoprice 25ft Premier Series XLR Male to XLR Female Cable
Best long XLR cable
| Pros | Cons |
| Long cable length | Little bulky |
| Very well shielded | |
The Monoprice 25ft Premier Series XLR Male to XLR Female Cable is incredibly long which will suit many people’s needs. The cable may be a little bulky and thick but it provides a fantastic experience.
Like others in Monoprice’s professional range, it features impedance-balanced lines which provide you with pristine audio transmission. There are also exceptional levels of durability and signal conductivity. 97.5% shielded balanced connections along with gold-plated connectors all ensure this is a classy experience through and through.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 25ft |
| Braided | No |
Monolith XLR balanced audio cable
Best for sound quality
| Pros | Cons |
| Great sound quality | Pretty short |
| 24K gold-plated connectors | |
If you just need something short but highly effective, check out the Monolith XLR balanced audio cable. It has three different solid oxygen-free copper conductor gauges for the best bass and midrange optimization. It uses individual insulation on all conductors while it’s double-shielded for the lowest noise.
Packed with quality components, it uses oxygen-free copper braided shielding, an aluminum foil shield, along with silver-content solder joints. It also has 24K gold-plated connectors along with precision machined die-cast connectors. It leads to an experience that reviewers are very impressed by.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 6ft |
| Braided | Yes |
Monoprice 3m 8-channel TRS Male to XLR Male Snake Cable
Best for TRS compatibility
| Pros | Cons |
| Connects up to eight channels of audio | Not everyone needs it |
| Well priced | |
The Monoprice 3m 8-channel TRS Male to XLR Male Snake Cable makes it possible to connect up to eight channels of audio between equipment with 1/4-inch TRS jacks and devices with XLR jacks. It features eight balanced mono or unbalanced stereo lines with color-coded wires. Each of those wires is constructed from a pair of 26 AWG conductors with aluminum foil shielding so you won’t have to worry about stray EM or RF interference.
The wires are terminated in 1/4-inch TRS plugs at one end with XLR plugs at the other. A few of the colors can be tricky to fully identify on a dark stage but other than that, the Monoprice 3m 8-channel TRS Male to XLR Male Snake Cable provides exceptional value for money.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 10ft |
| Braided | No |
Mikiz XLR Microphone cable 25ft 6-pack
Best bulk buy XLR cable
| Pros | Cons |
| Plentiful supply of cables | Expensive |
| Colorful and braided | |
Colorful and vast in quantity, the Mikiz XLR Microphone cable 25ft 6-pack are aimed at those people who just want to buy one thing and be done for a while to come. Here, you get six cables with each being 25ft long and all being available in different colors.
Easy to distinguish, the Mikiz XLR Microphone cable 25ft 6-pack has a tightly braided premium sleeve around each cable with thinned OFC and aluminum foil for dual shielding. Each cable is 10 times more durable than others all while offering a lossless and noiseless experience. Static-free connectors further help matters. Not everyone needs six cables or a cable that’s 25 foot long, but if you do, these are a win-win.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 25ft |
| Braided | Yes |
How we chose these XLR cables
When picking out an XLR cable, you need to consider a few things which is exactly what we did too. Take a look below at the criteria we considered as we researched the best XLR cables for microphones and more.
Always remember your budget
Like HDMI cables and other key cables, you can spend a very small amount on one or a lot. In reality, what you spend doesn’t automatically correlate to the quality of the cable so don’t immediately assume that more is more. That’s where reviews and research come into play significantly.
Think about the size requirement
It’s possible to buy a 6ft long cable but you can also go for 25ft if you prefer. There’s no right answer here for everyone. Instead, you need to think about why you need the XLR cable and how you plan on using it. A cable much longer than you need could actually prove irritating if the cable length keeps getting in the way of what you’re doing.
Do you need to go big or specialize?
As with many cables, some deals can look unbeatable by buying in bulk. There’s not always a need to do so. That’s why we’ve featured short individual cables as well as packs of many cables at once. Don’t be tempted by what seems like great value if you don’t actually need that many cables.
This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.
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