Master and companion digital connections

[Ron D]

So if one were to use a RCA/XLR cable from 200 to Companion which means it is not a truly balanced cable would the optimal length still be 1.5M? I say optimal because there are quite a few cable manufacturers who regard this length as the length needed to reduce reflections within the cable when using a single ended digital cable.

I've recently borrowed a very short RCA/XLR cable from a buddy and have been able to configure my Companion to run this way and without any really intensive comparative listening I don't hear too much of a difference between this really short Cardas cable versus the supplied Crystal cable that came with the Companion. As this is a borrowed cable and will have to be returned necessitating my purchasing a replacement I would like opinions/views on whether the 1.5m length is really required.

thanks in advance