QED Reference XLR 40 Digital AES/EBU Cable (0.6m Single)

The QED Reference XLR 40 Digital is a dedicated AES/EBU balanced digital interconnect from QED’s Reference range — the company’s top tier of cable engineering, sitting above the Performance and Connect series. Where the Reference Audio 40 and Reference XLR 40 Analogue serve analogue signal paths, this variant is purpose-built for digital AES/EBU transmission between components such as CD transports, network streamers, and DACs that feature balanced XLR digital inputs and outputs.

Tri-Conductor Technology

At the heart of the Reference XLR 40 Digital is QED’s proprietary Tri-Conductor geometry. Rather than using the conventional “hot, cold, and screen” arrangement found in standard balanced cables, this design adds a third silver-plated 99.999% OFC conductor, integrally twisted alongside the signal pair. This dedicated ground return path reduces signal-to-ground capacitance to negligible levels, which in turn improves common-mode rejection of mains hum pickup — a meaningful advantage in systems where pre-amplifiers and power amplifiers are connected over longer balanced runs.

Low-Jitter Construction

Digital audio cables must maintain precise timing to avoid jitter — timing errors in the bitstream that can degrade sound quality. The Reference XLR 40 Digital achieves ultra-low jitter performance, typically 30 picoseconds, through a combination of its 110Ω nominal characteristic impedance (matched to the AES/EBU standard) and a floating Zn/Mn ferrite jacket that absorbs unwanted high-frequency noise without mechanically coupling to the signal conductors. The foamed polyethylene dielectric surrounding each conductor further minimises energy loss, with a dissipation factor of just 0.0001 at 10kHz.

Conductors & Shielding

All three conductors are 24 AWG, 0.25mm² cross-section, silver-plated 99.999% oxygen-free copper with foamed PE dielectric. An outer braid of 99.999% OFC provides 100% electrostatic screening, ensuring complete rejection of external electromagnetic interference. The cable has a nominal outside diameter of 8mm.

Connectors

The Reference XLR 40 Digital is terminated with Neutrik XX-14 Nickel Series XLR connectors featuring gold-plated contacts. Neutrik is the professional audio industry’s standard connector manufacturer, and the XX-14 series offers reliable, repeatable connections with secure locking mechanisms suited to both studio and domestic environments.