AudioQuest Mackenzie XLR Cable, Balanced

The AudioQuest Mackenzie XLR cable is a balanced line cable from the River series that extends the Red River's solid PSC+ conductors with a three-layer carbon-based noise dissipation and higher-quality connector contacts. It sits in the middle of the River family – where you no longer need to explain the progress, just listen to it.

Why the Mackenzie XLR?

The conductors are solid Perfect-Surface Copper+; the layout, like the Red River, is triple-balanced with its own ground-reference conductor. The difference sits on the outside: instead of pure metal layers, a three-layer carbon system works here, alternating layers of metal and carbon-filled plastics. High-frequency interference is thereby absorbed instead of passed on to ground – the background becomes quieter. Add to that cold-welded contacts with hanging silver over pure Purple Copper, meaning no solder joint in the signal path.

What you get

A ready-made stereo pair, selectable between 0.5 and 6 metres, with balanced XLR connectors on both ends and direction-oriented conductors. Special lengths on request. The dielectric is nitrogen-foamed Hard-Cell Foam polyethylene. If your chain is cabled unbalanced, the Mackenzie is also available as an RCA variant – found among the RCA cables.

Who is the Mackenzie XLR for – and who isn't it for?

Honestly: an XLR socket alone isn't yet a reason to switch. Balanced operation pays off when the source and amplifier are genuinely balanced internally and more than one or two metres lie between them – or when power supplies, light fixtures, and network equipment nearby cause disturbance. Some devices have XLR sockets but only convert internally; there, the RCA route is the shorter and often the better one. Sonically, the Mackenzie is oversized on an entry-level system – the Red River is enough there. On a resolving chain, though, it's dosed exactly right.

Our verdict

The Mackenzie is the tier where the River series grows up: same conductors, significantly more effort against interference. Whether the step up from the Red River pays off in your chain, we'll tell you without beating around the bush – even when the answer is no. We're reachable in Wädenswil at 044 680 22 00, via WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Technical data

• Type: analogue line interconnect cable, balanced (XLR), stereo pair
• Series: River
• Conductor: solid, PSC+ (Perfect-Surface Copper+), direction-oriented
• Geometry: Triple-Balanced with separate ground-reference conductor
• Dielectric: Hard-Cell Foam polyethylene (nitrogen-foamed)
• Noise dissipation: three-layer carbon system (Carbon-Based 3-Layer NDS)
• Connector: XLR, cold-welded, silver over pure Purple Copper
• Lengths: 0.5 / 0.75 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 m
• Included: 1 stereo pair XLR cable, ready-made

Frequently asked questions

Does a balanced connection bring anything to my system?
Only if both devices operate in a balanced fashion and the distance between them is longer or electrically noisy. Then XLR effectively suppresses induced interference. With two devices stacked in the rack, the gain is small – nothing speaks against RCA there.

What's the difference from the Yukon?
The dielectric. The Mackenzie insulates with nitrogen-foamed Hard-Cell Foam polyethylene, the Yukon with polyethylene air tubes, where the conductor is mostly surrounded by air. Conductor, geometry, and connector quality remain the same.

What exactly does the carbon noise dissipation do?
It consists of alternating layers of metal and carbon-filled plastic. High-frequency interference is converted into heat within it instead of being pushed onto the ground conductor. That keeps the ground plane cleaner, which shows up as a quieter background.

Can I mix XLR and RCA cables in one system?
Yes, that's completely normal. Each connection is considered on its own: where both devices offer XLR, you use XLR, otherwise RCA. You should just avoid adapters between the two worlds, because that loses the balanced advantage.

Why order the Mackenzie from HD Zürisee?
Because from daily practice we know which cable tier suits which device class, and we'll hand you the right length right away. We answer questions about your cabling in person in Wädenswil, by phone at 044 680 22 00, or via WhatsApp.

Goes well with

A line cable connects source and amplifier. Take a look at the other XLR cables, compare with the unbalanced counterparts in the RCA cables, or discover the rest of the AudioQuest range.