Kimber Kable Tonik Interconnect Cable - XLR to XLR

Tonik Is the First Rung of the Kimber Ladder

Kimber Kable's Tonik is the least expensive interconnect Kimber makes. It is built the way every Kimber cable is built: three conductors braided by hand in Ogden, Utah. Kimber names it after the first note of a scale. The aim is a base that is accurate before it is anything else.

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

Three Copper Conductors in a Tri-Braid

The conductors are Kimber's VariStrand copper. Each is a bundle of strands in more than one gauge. Kimber says the mix of gauges spreads the signal across the bundle. The three are woven in Kimber's tri-braid field geometry. The braid is the noise control; there is no separate shield.

A PE Dielectric and a Studio-Grade Plug

Kimber insulates the Tonik with what it calls a special-recipe PE, or polyethylene, dielectric. For the balanced cable Kimber publishes 43.9 pF of capacitance and 1.05 µH of inductance per meter. Low capacitance keeps a line-level signal intact over a longer run.

The Switchcraft XLR Plug, Explained

Tonik ends in the plug Kimber fits to its balanced cables: a studio-grade Switchcraft XLR with silver-plated contact pins. Kimber solders it 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

Art Dudley, writing in Stereophile on November 23, 2011, found the Toniks "offered clarity without brightness, and reasonably good amounts of color, texture, and touch."

The Tonik still appears in the 2026 edition of Stereophile’s Recommended Components, which lists the cables its writers have used and stand behind.

Who Is This Interconnect Best For?

• You are replacing the cable that came in the box — the Tonik is built by hand in Utah from Kimber's own copper, so the first upgrade is a real one
• Your sources sit near power supplies — the tri-braid cancels induced noise along its length, so the shelf stays out of the music
• 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
• You may move up later — every Kimber interconnect above the Tonik uses the same braid idea, so you will know the house sound
• Your components have only RCA jacks — the Tonik XLR is balanced at both ends and will not fit an RCA jack. Choose the Kimber Tonik RCA instead, or call us and we will match the connector

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the Tonik 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 Tonik shielded?

There is no separate shield. Kimber relies on the tri-braid geometry to reject noise, which is why the cable has no outer jacket.

Is there a step up from the Tonik?

Kimber PBJ XLR is the next rung. It keeps the tri-braid and moves to a fluorocarbon dielectric, with the same Switchcraft XLR plug.

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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