Ricable Invictus XLR Reference High-End Interconnect Cables RX1 – Noise Reduction On The Balanced Connector
Ricable Invictus XLR is a $862 USD per pair set of high-end flagship cables with XLR connectors, designed for the best of systems out there, part of the invictus series, and with the code 12786 on the Ricable website. Today we will review the absolute prestige of the Invictus series of cables, and see how they compare to other high-end cables, most of which are from a more entry-level range, but still it is interesting to see how much of an improvement will we hear when upgrading the XLR interconnects of a high-end audio system.
Introduction
I did review the Ricable Invictus Speaker Reference, and it impressed me a lot, so today I decided to also explore the Ricable Invictus XLR Reference, a cable that connects your DAC to your AMP. This is a high-end unit with a high mass, and the unit I have is RX1, because it is one meter long, and this is actually the shortest I would suggest you to purchase, as it has a higher rigidity than most cables, and you will need to take into account the bends and kinks of your system when installing it. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Ricable for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Exceptional build quality, reliable connectors, a pure copper construction, enhances the soundstage, instrument separation and layering of the sound, gives music a much better contrast, detail and clarity, without sacrificing the body, speed and musicality.
Cons – Sturdy, but a bit rigid, hard to bend.
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Build Quality / Aesthetics
Starting with the outer shell, I have all the Invictus Reference with this new Black and White sheathing material, but you can actually get them in a different color and a different length. Ricable wanted to make a cable that is as faithful to the original and as transparent as possible, so this is how they came up with the new Invictus XLR Reference. As it is called, Balanced for Reference, this is a cable that is based on the original design from 2018 and which was quite hard to improve upon, as Ricable already created a great product back then.
The main improvements when comparing the new XLR Reference to the old one, include an increased conductor, insertion of the new double dielectric with two newly developed R-Tec polymers, and improvements in the shielding area of the cable. The conductor has been increased with 13% over the previous one, with 0.64mm2 conductors made of MARC or Multicore annealed ricable conductor, Copper 7N with 0.08mm strands, allowing for a quoted improvement of over 70% better audio transmission than OFC copper.
Shielding has been increased by 10% to further reduce external interference and increase the preservation of the acoustic signal. The newly developed Double R-TEC Dielectric enables a 20% reduction in electrical capactivity compared to its predecessors, eliminating more noise and increasing the sonic transparency of the cable. Ricable recommends at least 100 hours of burn-in, and the conductors / contacts are hand welded with special Sn / Ag / Cu eutectic alloy. Those big XLR connectors have Copper OFC contacts and non-magnetic anti-interference alloy shells. They are gold plated using the Gold/Copper Electrolysis Technique. You shouldn’t have trouble reaching that required burn-in time as Ricable allows free returns up to 60 days, which is one of the longest 100% satisfied guarantees that any company on the planet offers.
The RNR Technology by Ricable is used, with a Germanium Semiconductor placed on all conductors to cut down background noise and hissing generated by audio media. The result should be a brighter, more open sound, while maintaining a balanced and natural timbre. We’re also seeing the Balanced Geometry with Triple Copper / Aluminium / Magnesium shielding for EMI / RFI, used on top of the R-TEC technology, with special polyethylene and innovative polymers. On a more technical level, we’re seeing a cable with a capacity of 19pF/m, a measured resistance of 35 OHMs/km.
Subjective Usage / Comfort
Ricable made one of the sturdiest XLR cables in the Invictus Reference, but this is an edge that cut both ways, because it is not a flexible cable, you need to make sure you have enough space behind it to bend it, and also you will need to order a longer length that you normally would. The cable is, in fact, so sturdy and rigid, that it will uplift a lighter DAC or AMP from the table. On the bright side, you are not likely to be using the Invictus Speaker Reference with anything like an entry-level DAC/AMP, like I did use the Invictus RCA with the Dethonray Listening M1.
Those cables are directional, and you have to take into account the direction, but with XLR cables, you have only one end that can go into the DAC and only one end that can go into the AMP, so at least the user error should be zero here. The connectors and everything are top quality, no scratches, ultimate level of processing and it always makes me happy to handle high-end products that have no eros and no issues I can report. The XLR connectors are tight and nice, while the usage is very good.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To test the Ricable Invictus XLR I have placed in between DACs and AMPs, which is where you typically place an interconnect cable, and the setups include FiiO K9 PRO ESS driving an Aune S17 PRO Evo Headphone AMP, Musician Pegasus II R2R DAC driving a Singxer SA-1 V2 Headphone AMP, SMSL DO200 PRO driving a Keces S300+ Speaker Amplifier, HIFIMAN Serenade driving a set of Topping B100 Monoblock Speaker Amplifiers. The Speakers used for the tests have been the trusty Pylon Diamond 30 mkii, but also the new Elipson Heritage XLS7, while the headphones and IEMs list for the headphone amplifiers includes HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled, Campfire Bonneville, Campfire Moon Rover, Erzetich Mania V2024, and MIRPH-1. The effects reflected in this review have been present and audible with all of those setups, and are generally easy to notice, not requiring any special testing environments.
Overall Signature – As with most Ricable Invictus series of cables, we have a vivid, detailed signature that places an equal emphasis on male and female voices, strengthens the instrument separation, gives music more space and better layering, plus a reduced background noise, a blacker background noise level, and just generally a better definition. The main signature can be described as an incredibly dynamic and vivid, punchy presentation with strong contrast and exceptional resolution. While a lot of the sound you’re hearing in the end depends on the rest of the system, as long as you have a great system, Ricable Invictus XLR Reference RX1 will make the sound more contrasty and more dynamic.
Bass – Starting with the low-end, with a powerful pair of headphones and IEMs, you will hear a deep, full and lush presentation in the bass, with a natural-quick speed, and with a good amount of warmth and power. While the RCA variant seems to enhance the bass a bit more in quantity, specially in the sub-bass, the XLR variant RX1 keeps the bass a bit more neutral in quantity, but adds a bit of extra warmth and smoothness.
Midrange – Like with all Ricable Invictus cables, the midrange is where most of the magic happens, where you can expect to have the most colour, the highest level of added dynamics and the most interesting textures. We have a similar level of emphasis for both male and female voices, there’s a good sense of layering, and RX1 gives music a stark contrast, I can hear a vastly improved instrument separation and definition. Especially with complex music, such as rock, metal, I can hear each layer of guitar really well, they each play in their own space, and the bounds of each instrument are precise. I can confidently say that RX1 improves on the details and resolution of music compared to most of the alternatives.
Treble – We get a sharp, well-defined, clean but fatigue-free treble from the Invictus XLR Reference, with a full-width extension up to 20 kHz. The secret to creating a strong treble that is not fatiguing is in the textures and having a bit of smoothness, which Invictus RX1 does, it handles cymbal crashes nicely, revealing the energy, life and power within, without sounding metallic or fatiguing.
Dynamics – You could say that my flabbers have been gasted by how dynamic and clean the sound coming from the Invictus XLR Reference is, this cable expands on the dynamic abilities of each system, it gives each system a strong contrast, and a stark difference between the loud, controlled and bold forward elements, and the finer, gentle and sometimes even far-sounding background elements. Especially with large orchestras, you feel like you’re placed at the center of the listening theater.
PRaT / Textures – As with most cables, the biggest difference between them, and the reason why most of my observations are the way they are is due to the textures presentation, and Invictus XLR Reference creates an organic, slightly smooth texture that comes through as musical, enjoyable, but also gives a bit of extra weight and thickness to textures, including for classical instruments, this is most welcome for most music, as it adds a bit of lushness and musicality without taking away the detail and snappy response in most systems. Overall, you could say that Ricable Invictus XLR Reference makes music fuller, more musical, more organic and more pleasing.
Soundstage – The staging of the Invictus XLR Reference is wide, holographic and 3D, it presents music in a vast space, with layers being nicely separated from each other, each instrument playing well-defined in its own space, and with the space between those instruments being wide, and black in color. Lovely
Value and Conclusion
With a price tag of $862 USD, Ricable made the XLR Reference an actually great deal considering the market, as even some of the less known, but still high-quality cables made by reputable companies reach 500 USD easily for their interconnects. When you factor in the support, lifetime warranty and build quality of the cable, along with the sonic performance, the price / performance ratio is good, if you have a high-end system.
Award – Ricable wins once again the Audiophile-Heaven Hall Of Fame award, for the XLR RX1 Invictus XLR Reference cables, as this is an indispensable piece of any high-end system, and which does bring an instant increase in quality, creating a much better listening experience for any serious and diehard audiophile looking for a bit of fun.
At the end of the day, I must agree that reviewing cables can still be controversial, but the world is much better than it was years ago, and once you do hear a high-end cable, you understand what the reviews have been talking about, why people go for those and how they can improve your system. Ricable Invictus XLR Reference is a fully recommended interconnect cable for your system, and which I hope will bring a lot of fun to you.
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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