AudioQuest Yukon XLR Review

A review of AudioQuest's top-of the line option from their Rivers range of interconnects

Details
- Solid Perfect-Surface Copper+ (PSC+) Conductors
- Polyethylene Air-Tube Insulation
- Triple-Balanced Geometry (Separate Ground-Reference Conductor)
- Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation System (NDS)
- Cold-Welded, Hanging-Silver Directly Over Pure Purple Copper Terminations

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Some information from AudioQuest about the cable ranges:
The product lines are not meant so much to demarcate quality as they are specialized for particular applications. Bridges & Falls cables are optimized for versatility, can be terminated with a variety of plug options (including 3.5mm and DIN), and are outstanding choices for smaller systems and desktop systems where space is limited. The Rivers cables (and the larger Elements) are more technically sophisticated designs optimized for larger systems, but they lack the versatility of the B&F cables.

PASSION FOR SOUND GEAR LIST

Desktop Sources

Active Speakers
Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 3 Speakers

Amps

Headphones
Closed: AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon (these may have been discontinued)

Portable

Earphones
FitEar ToGo! 334

[Chris-dpfd]

Great review. I am in the process of upgrading to a balanced Schiit system, separate DAC and amp, and came across the Yukon while researching XLR cables. I was surprised to actually find a smattering of reviews here. Thanks for taking the time to do this helpful review. Nice presentation style, preferable to some of the more self-satisfied reviewers, not necessarily the ones reviewing this particular product, but just audio equipment reviewers in general. Don't let the sad-sack knuckle-headed nabobs get you down. Nice work, keep it up.

[aaaz]

If you think the Yukon is stiff, you need to go to try Water (currently discontinued, but was two steps up from Yukon into the next series a couple years ago). I replaced all of my "cheap" XLR and RCA interconnects with AQ Water XLR and RCA and it is W O R K !! A simple cable swap that should only take 30 seconds or a minute took several minutes. Wrangling the cables and getting into the right position and so forth. I had two Yukons that I had ordered before the Water and I just wanted to see the difference between the two and return whichever I wanted to keep. The Yukons are going back, but they are sooo much easier to deal with. But you said it right, once you get them installed, you don't have to fool with it again...until you do LOL. Setup: Schiit Freya N, Bifrost, Skoll, MoFi UltraDeck, and Blue Sound Node. Water XLR and RCA for everything and then AQ Diamond USB for the BSN to the Bifrost. I got all of the cables "open box" pricing, or I couldn't have stomached it otherwise.

[justchilling]

I’ve just ordered six pairs of these for my new processor/ amplifier combo

[weeragardens]

Have you ever tried Nordost blueheven XLR? Any idea how it can compare with Yukon? Thanks.

[brianpacheco]

Hey Lachlan - good video. I actually used the Colorados and have Sky’s currently in my system. Their older series is a good bang for the buck. Is this the interconnect you’re using in your current system?

[danielpaquin]

Hi, I did like your review need to upgrade my XLR cable micropĥone.I did buy one at 25$ some weeks before but I dont like it so i suppose than with a Mogami Gold Studio Câble microphone will improve the sound of my voice?.Some say that the price of a cable dont have any impact on the sound but just on quality construction but your point of view is different if I did well understand your review...., so in your opinion do the upgrade that I project worth the cost or do it will increase quality of my recordings? Thanks I did realy like the sound of your voice and quality of sound:)

[billgivens]

I enjoyed your review. Do you have a video and/or list of your associated hifi gear?

[iampuzzleman]

Xlr, so diff too chose. Just bought $3k speaker cables, an now i look at 2 pairs of interconnects for $2k. Am i sane?

[garemz]

Great review, can you do the same kind of review for power cords?

[JavierGarcia-wiyp]

Good review but missing the music sound experience...

[AliArghavan]

It only gets better when you burn in the cable. /s

[sakabatou]

Nice video. You should try Lenehan's Foilflex cables - made in QLD, and I believe 30 day money back if you're not impressed. Amazing detail and bass extension/timbre

[NickGiordano-zuem]

Ok so cold welded is a big deal but open up a amp or processor or speaker crossover and see how many contact points there are soldered, bunch of nonsense.

[achnb]

From what I understand, Audioquest's use of the term 'cold-welding' simply means the cables are crimped, but under extremely high pressure.

[hotspur]

Pro Xlr cables for 2 x 3m lengths will do the same job for under $50.

[Maaruks]

LOL I think those cables sound the same. Ask someone to change XLR cables in your system and try to guess which cable it is.

[psycheout]

The ignorance is strong in this one... but what does one expect when the review is essentially reading off marketing spiel.

[philipw]

You really don’t know what your talking about rca can never do the same job as xlr if you don’t know what your talking about why are you wasting peoples time, go away