Kimber Kable Hero Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR

Hero Is Kimber's Four-Wire Braid

Kimber Kable's Hero is the interconnect Kimber built around four conductors instead of three. It sits in Kimber's Ascent Series and has been a reviewer favorite for many years. Like every Kimber cable, it is braided and terminated by hand in Ogden, Utah.

Other length & termination options are available. Call us to discuss your needs.

Four 19 AWG Copper Conductors in a Quadratic Braid

Each conductor is 19 AWG VariStrand copper, a bundle of strands in more than one gauge. The four are woven in what Kimber calls a quadratic braid. Kimber says the braid gives wide bandwidth and noise reduction without the use of shielding. Kimber adds that the geometry suits a balanced XLR system, with extra immunity to noise.

Virgin FEP Insulation and Hand-Soldered Ends

Kimber insulates each conductor with virgin FEP, a fluorocarbon it applies in single and dual layers. For the balanced cable Kimber publishes 33.1 pF of capacitance and 1.13 µH of inductance per meter. Resistance is 0.081 ohms per meter. The plugs are soldered on by hand under nitrogen, which keeps the joint clean as it cools.

The XLR Plug at the End

Hero ends in an XLR plug. Kimber terminates its balanced interconnects with a studio-grade Switchcraft XLR with silver-plated contact pins, and it solders the plug on by hand under nitrogen in Ogden, Utah. The plug latches into the jack and will not pull loose by accident. The silver plating keeps the contact clean.

What Reviewers Are Saying

The Absolute Sound staff, in the 2017 Editors' Choice list published April 6, 2017, wrote that "Hero's bass lives up to its name, prodigious in amplitude and definition."

Jason Kennedy, reviewing for hi-fi+ on January 17, 2018, found that "as soon as you drop it into the system the timing comes into focus." Stereophile’s 2026 Recommended Components calls Hero the "strong, silent type" among cables.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You want more than a three-wire cable gives — Kimber designed Hero's four-wire braid for wide bandwidth, so the whole range gets through
• Your sources sit near power supplies — the quadratic braid cancels induced noise along its length, so the shelf stays out of the music
• You value bass weight — The Absolute Sound singled out Hero's low end for its size and definition, so kick drums land
• You want a plug that locks — the Switchcraft XLR latches into the jack and its silver-plated pins resist tarnish, so the connection stays put
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Hero XLR is balanced at both ends and will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the Kimber Hero RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the Hero from a balanced XLR output on your DAC, streamer, CD player or phono stage to a balanced XLR input on your preamp or amplifier. Keep left to left and right to right. Line up the pins and push until the latch clicks. Press the latch tab to release the plug.

Then listen.

Measure the Path, Then Add a Little Slack

Measure the route the cable will really take between your components, around shelves and behind the rack. Then add a little slack. As audio legend George Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough." Keep the left and right cables the same length. We recommend a matched pair.

XLR on Both Ends, or Not at All

Balanced XLR works when both components have XLR jacks, and we recommend using XLRs whenever they do. If one component has only RCA jacks, use an RCA cable instead of an adapter. You only get the possible benefits of a balanced output with a pure XLR-to-XLR connection.

A Long Run Between Components?

If your amplifier and speakers sit far from your source, we recommend a long interconnect over a long speaker cable. A really long interconnect affects system performance less than a really long speaker cable.

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

An interconnect often stays in a system for years, so it is easy to overlook. Look again when something else changes: a new DAC, streamer or phono stage, a better amplifier, or a move to components with balanced XLR jacks.

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 connector does Kimber use?

A studio-grade Switchcraft XLR with silver-plated contact pins. Kimber names it on its balanced Tonik, PBJ, Silver Streak, Hero HB and Hero AG. Kimber solders it on by hand under nitrogen.

What does VariStrand mean?

Each conductor is made of strands in more than one gauge. Kimber uses this stranding in every interconnect it makes and says the mix of gauges spreads the signal across the bundle.

Is Hero shielded?

There is no separate shield. Kimber says the four-wire quadratic braid provides the noise reduction, which is why the cable has no outer jacket.

Why four conductors instead of three?

Hero has four 19 AWG conductors where Kimber's three-wire cables have three. Kimber says the four-wire quadratic braid provides wide bandwidth and noise reduction without shielding.

Is there a step up from the Hero?

Kimber Carbon Ci8 XLR is the next rung. It moves to eight conductors in a counter-opposed helix and adds Kimber's carbon polymer layer.

See It in Action

Audio Advisor looks at the balanced Hero and how Kimber terminates it.

The same Hero braid on the bench, with a close look at the weave.

Need a Different Length or Connector?

The most popular configurations are shown on this page. If your system requires a different length or termination, call our audio experts. We’ll help you choose the right configuration and arrange a custom cable for your system.

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Learn More

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