{"product_id":"audioquest-mackenzie-interconnect-cable-xlr-to-xlr","title":"AudioQuest Mackenzie Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"max-width:720px;margin:0 auto;padding:32px 24px 48px 24px;background:#ffffff;\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:0 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eMackenzie Is the Award-Winning Middle of AudioQuest's Rivers Series\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eAudioQuest's Mackenzie sits third in the Rivers series, above Red River. It is a two-cable design, one lead per channel. A carbon shield, a separate ground wire and Hanging-Silver plugs make it the first Rivers cable with upper-range parts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eSolid Perfect-Surface Copper+, Direction-Controlled\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe wires are solid Perfect-Surface Copper+, AudioQuest's highest grade of copper, which it calls PSC+. The wire is drawn with an ultra-smooth surface, and AudioQuest says this cuts the distortion caused by grain boundaries. Solid wire also removes strand interaction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe wire is also direction-controlled. AudioQuest says drawn wire has a grain with a direction. It listens to every batch, picks the direction, and marks the jacket with arrows. Point the arrows at the amplifier and noise drains where AudioQuest intends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eHard-Cell Foam and Triple-Balanced Geometry\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe insulation is Hard-Cell Foam, injected with nitrogen to form air pockets. AudioQuest says the stiff foam holds the signal pair in a fixed geometry. Air stores almost no signal energy, so little is released late as smear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe layout is what AudioQuest calls Triple-Balanced. A third wire carries the ground on its own. The shield never has to double as a signal path. AudioQuest says both signal legs then travel equally clean routes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eThe Hanging-Silver Purple Copper XLR Plug, Explained\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eMackenzie ends in AudioQuest's Hanging-Silver XLR plug. The body is pure Purple Copper. The parts hang in the plating bath instead of tumbling, which AudioQuest says gives a more even coat of silver. The plug is cold welded to the wire, so there is no solder in the path. It latches into the jack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eAround the cable is a three-layer shield with a carbon layer. AudioQuest calls it Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation. An ordinary shield drains radio noise into the ground, and AudioQuest says that dirties the reference the signal is measured against. The carbon layers soak up the noise first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhat Reviewers Are Saying\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ehi-fi+\u003c\/em\u003e named Mackenzie its 2026 award winner among cables under £1,000 on March 19, 2026. Reviewer Eric van Spelde had found it made \"a night-and-day difference\" in his modest system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eYagiz, reviewing the XLR version for \u003cem\u003eHeadfonia\u003c\/em\u003e on May 26, 2022, heard \"cleaner, faster transients\" and a presentation that \"feels more spacious and dynamic.\" He found the plugs \"heavy and well-made.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWho Is This Interconnect Best For?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;padding-left:1.4em;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou want a quiet background\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003ehi-fi+\u003c\/em\u003e heard a night-and-day difference in a modest system, so voices stand out from silence\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYour left and right jacks sit far apart\u003c\/strong\u003e — Mackenzie is two separate cables, so mono amplifiers and wide racks are no problem\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYour sources sit near power supplies\u003c\/strong\u003e — the carbon shield and a separate ground wire drain noise, so the shelf stays quiet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou want silver at the contact and a plug that locks\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Hanging-Silver XLR over pure Purple Copper latches into the jack, so the last inch is silver and the connection stays put\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYour components have only RCA jacks\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Mackenzie XLR will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/audioquest-mackenzie-interconnect-cable-1-0-meter-rca-to-rca-pair\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eAudioQuest Mackenzie RCA\u003c\/a\u003e instead, or call us and we will match the connector\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eHow Does It Connect to Your System?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eRun Mackenzie from a balanced XLR output on your DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage to a balanced XLR input on your preamp or amplifier. Point the arrows on the jacket toward the amplifier. Line up the pins and push until the latch clicks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThen listen. Other and longer lengths available. Call for prices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003ePairs Well With\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eAn interconnect is one link in the chain. It usually joins these categories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;padding-left:1.4em;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/integrated-amplifiers\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eIntegrated Amplifiers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the usual input end\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/digital-to-analog-converters\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eDigital-to-Analog Converters\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — DAC output to amplifier\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/phono-preamplifiers\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003ePhono Preamplifiers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — phono stage to line input\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/speaker-cables\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eSpeaker Cables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the last link to the speakers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhat XLR plug does Mackenzie use?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe XLR version of AudioQuest's Hanging-Silver plug: silver over a body of pure Purple Copper, cold welded to the wire so no solder sits in the path.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhat does Triple-Balanced mean?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe cable has three wires: positive, negative and a separate ground. AudioQuest says this keeps the shield out of the signal path, so both signal legs travel equally clean routes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhich way do the arrows point?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eToward the component that receives the signal, normally the amplifier or preamp. AudioQuest sets the direction of the wire and says the arrows let noise drain the right way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhat is the carbon three-layer shield?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eAudioQuest's Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation. It soaks up radio noise before the noise reaches the layer tied to ground. AudioQuest says this keeps the ground reference clean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhat warranty does AudioQuest give?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eA limited lifetime warranty to the original owner, for cables bought from an authorized US dealer. AudioQuest will repair or replace a defective cable that has not been abused. Keep your proof of purchase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eIs there a step up?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/audioquest-yukon-interconnect-cable-1-0-meter-xlr-to-xlr-pair\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eAudioQuest Yukon XLR\u003c\/a\u003e is the next rung. It keeps the Rivers layout and the Hanging-Silver plugs and moves the wires into Polyethylene Air-Tubes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhy Audio Advisor?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;padding-left:1.4em;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40+ Years of Expertise — Since 1981, we've helped over a million music lovers find the right gear.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e60-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Take your time. Listen, enjoy, and make sure it's right for you.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReal Experts, Real Help — Our team is here to answer your questions at 800-942-0220, weekdays 9am–6pm EST.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree Shipping — On orders over $49, delivered to your door.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlexible Payment Options — Financing available so you can start listening now.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eLearn More\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eWant to learn more about interconnects, solid-core cables, or RCA versus XLR? Visit our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/learningcenter.audioadvisor.com\/\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eLearning Center\u003c\/a\u003e for guides, tips, and expert advice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"AudioQuest","offers":[{"title":"0.5 Meter \/ Pair \/ New","offer_id":45981807968429,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-0.5-PR-XLXL","price":474.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"0.5 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45981449224365,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-0.5-SIN-XLXL","price":237.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"0.75  Meter \/ Pair \/ New","offer_id":47238383403181,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-0.75-PR-XLXL","price":497.45,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"0.75 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45981637083309,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-0.75-SIN-XLXL","price":248.73,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.0 Meter \/ Pair \/ New","offer_id":45981944381613,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-1-PR-XLXL","price":519.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.0 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45983172853933,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-1-SIN-XLXL","price":259.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5 Meter \/ Pair \/ New","offer_id":45982974705837,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-1.5-PR-XLXL","price":564.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1.5 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45981455777965,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-1.5-SIN-XLXL","price":282.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2.0 Meter \/ Pair \/ New","offer_id":45983392006317,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-2-PR-XLXL","price":609.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2.0 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45983029035181,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-2-SIN-XLXL","price":304.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"3.0 Meter \/ Pair \/ New","offer_id":45981502996653,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-3-PR-XLXL","price":699.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"3.0 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45982869291181,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-3-SIN-XLXL","price":349.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4.0 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45982872469677,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-4-SIN-XLXL","price":394.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5.0 Meter \/ Single \/ New","offer_id":45981865574573,"sku":"NEW-AQMKENZIE-5-PR-XLXL","price":879.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/3708\/1773\/files\/aqmkenie_xlr-large__68351.1690477892.1280.1280_67be50b6-dc9e-4a9e-921b-bd4aa1633c31.jpg?v=1778101351","url":"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/audioquest-mackenzie-interconnect-cable-xlr-to-xlr","provider":"Audio Advisor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}