AudioQuest Red River Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR

Red River Is the Rivers-Series Cable Built Around a Third Conductor

AudioQuest's Red River sits second in the Rivers series, above Chicago. It is a two-cable design, one lead per channel. Solid Perfect-Surface Copper, a dedicated ground wire and cold-welded gold plugs set it apart from the entry cables.

Solid Perfect-Surface Copper, Direction-Controlled

The wires are solid Perfect-Surface Copper, which AudioQuest calls PSC. AudioQuest draws the wire with a very smooth surface and says this cuts the distortion caused by grain boundaries. Solid wire also removes strand interaction.

The 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.

Hard-Cell Foam and Triple-Balanced Geometry

The 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 along the whole cable. Air stores almost no signal energy, so little is released late as smear.

The 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.

The Cold-Welded, Gold-Plated XLR Plug, Explained

Red River ends in AudioQuest's cold-welded, gold-plated XLR plug. A press bonds the plug to the wire under high pressure. AudioQuest calls solder "a common source of distortion." The ground shells are stamped rather than machined, so AudioQuest can pick the metal for low distortion. The plug latches into the jack.

Around the cable is AudioQuest's Metal-Layer Noise-Dissipation. AudioQuest says an ordinary shield drains radio noise straight into the equipment's ground and pollutes the reference the signal is measured against. The metal layer absorbs the noise before it gets that far.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Yagiz, reviewing the XLR version for Headfonia on May 26, 2022, found that "compared to the generics, Red River improves the midrange and tightens the bass response." It "sounds almost as good as the Mackenzie with some differences," he wrote.

What Hi-Fi? reviewed the RCA version on May 13, 2014 and gave it four stars. What Red River "lacks in smoothness and subtlety, it makes up for in scale and dynamic scope," the magazine wrote.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want scale and drive — What Hi-Fi? heard a broad soundstage and driving sound, so music fills the room
• Your left and right jacks sit far apart — Red River is two separate cables, so mono amplifiers and wide racks are no problem
• Your sources sit near power supplies — the separate ground wire and metal shield drain noise, so the shelf stays out of the music
• You want a plug that locks — the cold-welded, gold-plated XLR latches into the jack, so the connection stays put and no solder sits in the path
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Red River XLR will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the AudioQuest Red River RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run Red River 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.

Then listen. Other and longer lengths available. Call for prices.

Pairs Well With

An interconnect is one link in the chain. It usually joins these categories.

• Integrated Amplifiers — the usual input end
• Digital-to-Analog Converters — DAC output to amplifier
• Phono Preamplifiers — phono stage to line input
• Speaker Cables — the last link to the speakers

Frequently Asked Questions

What XLR plug does Red River use?

AudioQuest's own gold-plated XLR plug, cold welded to the wire by pressure rather than solder. AudioQuest names solder as a common source of distortion.

What does Triple-Balanced mean?

The 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.

Which way do the arrows point?

Toward 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.

Is Red River sold as a pair or a single?

Both. Each channel is its own cable, so we list a stereo pair and a single for mono runs and center channels.

What warranty does AudioQuest give?

A 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.

Is there a step up?

AudioQuest Mackenzie XLR is the next rung. It moves to Perfect-Surface Copper+, a carbon three-layer shield and Hanging-Silver plugs over pure Purple Copper.

Why Audio Advisor?

• 40+ Years of Expertise — Since 1981, we've helped over a million music lovers find the right gear.
• 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Take your time. Listen, enjoy, and make sure it's right for you.
• Real Experts, Real Help — Our team is here to answer your questions at 800-942-0220, weekdays 9am–6pm EST.
• Free Shipping — On orders over $49, delivered to your door.
• Flexible Payment Options — Financing available so you can start listening now.

Learn More

Want to learn more about interconnects, solid-core cables, or RCA versus XLR? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.