Kimber Kable Timber Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR

Timbre Is the Kimber Braid Built for Imaging

Kimber Kable's Timbre is a three-wire braided copper interconnect from Kimber's Base Series. Kimber says it delivers deep, holographic imaging and can pop a central performer forward in the soundstage. The name is the word for the character of an instrument's sound. It is made by hand in Ogden, Utah.

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

Three VariStrand Copper Conductors

The conductors are Kimber's VariStrand copper, each a bundle of strands in several gauges. The three are woven in Kimber's three-wire braid. Kimber calls the Timbre non-shielded: the braid itself does the noise rejection.

Low-Loss Fluorocarbon and a Hand-Soldered End

Each conductor is insulated in a low-loss fluorocarbon dielectric. For the balanced cable Kimber publishes 45.8 pF of capacitance and 1.0 µH of inductance per meter. The plugs are soldered on by hand under nitrogen, which Kimber uses to keep the joint clean as it cools.

The XLR Plug at the End

Timbre 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

Richard Black, reviewing for TechRadar on September 2, 2008, gave the Timbre five stars: "this is one of the best interconnects we know of."

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You listen for the placement of voices — Kimber built the Timbre to pull a central performer forward, so the stage has a front and a back
• Your sources sit near power supplies — the three-wire braid cancels induced noise along its length, so the shelf stays out of the music
• You dress cables in tight spaces — three thin jacketed wires bend where a fat cable will not, so the plugs sit square
• 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 Timbre XLR is balanced at both ends and will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the Kimber Timbre RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the Timbre 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
• Music Streamers — streamer output to amplifier
• 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 copper strands in more than one gauge. Kimber uses this stranding in every interconnect it makes.

Is the Timbre shielded?

Kimber calls it non-shielded. The three-wire braid does the noise rejection, which is why there is no outer jacket to hide the weave.

Is there a step up from the Timbre?

Kimber Hero XLR is the next rung. It moves to four conductors in Kimber's quadratic braid, a layout Kimber says suits balanced XLR runs.

See It in Action

Audio Advisor looks at the Timbre with Kimber's Todd Walldorf.

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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