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Entry Level Interconnect next step up?

Like several on this thread I find that cables made with RG-59 and quality RCA connectors makes about as good a sounding cable as one needs. I use AQ RG-59 that's designed for custom installer use and I put KEI Copper Harmony RCA's on them using TRT WonderSolder and wow do they sound good. BTW - the Copper Harmony's sound much better than do AQ's "press on" custom installer RCA's . The only cable in my system that isn't made that way now is my Cardas Neutral Reference that runs between my Schiit Bifrost MB and my pre-amp. I've played with many of the higher end cable brands. There are some fine sounding cables and you actually can hear some differences even with entry level equipment. Whether or not those differences are psychologically induced is another subject for another time. AQ does make very well made and very good sounding cables and you probably won't "go wrong" with any of their line. Having been an AQ dealer for a while (back a few years) I always felt that their entry level cable (currently called evergreen) sounded a bit soft. Maybe that's on purpose to tame what is usually a somewhat forward presentation with a lot of lower priced gear? Now, when I say "soft", please understand that its a very minuscule effect and not "problematic" in any way. Anyway, enjoy the quest. By all means try out the cable (if you can) before you drop money on it as the changes and gains may or may not be synergistic with your system or worth the $$$ relative to other places you could spend that money.
 
About Yamaha...I have seen their amps and read reviews that are very good. However, I've seen some refer to them as "bright". I would be more in the realm of the A-S301BL...the one you have looks really nice, but the price would put it out of my league for now.
About AQ...my main reason for wanting to tweak was the very lukewarm review given to the Evergreens by What Hi Fi... made me wonder if perhaps the Atlas cable would be a step up. I appreciate your insight and I very well may end up sticking w the Evergreens...we'll see. The place I ordered them from has a 60 day money back guarantee, so I will have some time to let them burn in.
 
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Concerning interconnects I would stick with the evergreen and see what YOU think. Everybody's taste is different the problem with what hifi review's from what I can make out is they don't take things home and put them in their own system and live them to get a proper idea of what they sound like under normal conditions.
I don't think you can give a proper opinion unles you live with something in your own system so I take their reviews with a pinch of salt.
 
As long as those Audioquest Evergreen cables are working well for you, I wouldn't bother upgrading. Those look like decent cables. I agree with the Audioquest philosophy about not changing the sound. This would require keeping the capacitance low.

Myself, I'd go with Blue Jeans cables in about the same price range as your Audioquest Evergreen to replace $ store specials. Blue Jeans cables addressees the most important factors with interconnect cables...keeping capacitance in check and making good solid connections.

IMO you can change the sound more by just moving furniture around than changing cables like yours, or the Blue jeans cables with runs to 12', and perhaps longer for most set-ups. Simply cleaning and snugging up the connections perhaps every few years can also make a difference, and is often the reason new cables sound better.
 
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If you like the Evergreens you have, you can keep the Evergreens you have. Period. (see what I did there?)

The AQ cables are good, I wouldn't give them up unless you just want to spend a lot of money for not a lot of improvement in SQ. I use Blue Jeans LC-1's myself, for two reasons. One, I was tired of a mess of mismatched cables, and wanted to eliminate as many variables as I could. Two, because I needed specific lengths, and BJ's makes them to order. Probably no real difference in sound at this price level(dependent on the rest of your gear), the biggest difference is the connectors, and your personal preferences.
 
one must first start with electronics clean and refined enough to expose the difference and possible improvement in quality. entry level receivers and integrateds have a way to go before it would be worth additional funds on interconnects. of course, it would be logical to consider the capability of the speakers to reveal said differences.
 
Three days into the new Atlas Elements Integra interconnects and I can state unequivocally that there is a defined change in the overall sound of my system. I was going to say improvement, but that is in the ear of the beholder isn't it? That said, the highs are smoother...almost zero sibilance now...the bass seems tighter and ever so slightly punchier, the soundstage is wider and delineation of specific sounds and instruments are clearer....the overall sound just sounds better to my ears...not by a lot though...just a slight 20% or so. The best way to describe it is the difference between a well set up acoustically arranged room vs an average room with glass windows or such. Music sounds more precise, warmer and thicker, and overall more pleasing to the ear. Of course, if you prefer crisp dynamic highs over silky, these cables may not be for you. As I have mentioned before, I have overly sensitive ears (tinnitus), so sharp highs really tend to bother me. The Atlas cables will be staying in my system for sure.
 
Well, I am just super happy w the Atlas cables. Now, need to start saving my pennies for a better amp. Is it going to be a NAD integrated or Yamaha? So many choices...
 
I had a bad experience with NAD and ended up changing my CD player and amplifier just a year after the warranty ran out. Got fed up sending one or the other in for repair. The amp had already been in 5 times under warranty and IMHO should have been replaced. The CD player was replaced by my dealer after NAD lost it when it went for repair.

I now have a yamaha as500 and couldn't be happier. It sounds great looks good and is reliable. :thumbsup:
 
Tin Bird said:
Well, I am just super happy w the Atlas cables. Now, need to start saving my pennies for a better amp. Is it going to be a NAD integrated or Yamaha? So many choices...
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Good choice on the cables, what's your budget for an integrated ? There are many good used options well worth investigating.
 
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Glad to hear it, no pun intended. Cables can definitely make a difference. I think that below a certain price point/skill level, one might not really notice any real difference from going to better cables. Except for better speaker cables. That's a change that is easier to distinguish. And speakers/placement makes much more noticeable change in sound compared to interconnects.. As gear gets more refined, then one might actually hear the difference that better interconnect cables can make. I found subtle improvements when I upgraded my ICs, nothing glaring, just better, smoother dynamics overall. My wife didn't notice anything. Many people, it seems, don't really even know what they're listening for, only what they're listening to.

Regardless, I think that if I were to upgrade my gear to a level where $500, or $1500, interconnects could make a difference, I'd probably do it. Because I would have to have won the lottery.

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These are amps that interest me presently: Yamaha - A-S501, NAD - C 326BEE, Onkyo A-9010, NAD C 338, Elac EA101EQ-G, PS Audio Sprout, TEAC A1-301DA-BK
 
Probably only the NAD C 338 and Elac EA101EQ-G would be significant steps up from my Pioneer A20 though. Overall, I am happy w the A20. It does not have enough bass though. Have to use the loudness button on older CDs and/or turn the bass knob to 3:00 o'clock.
 
Tin Bird said:
I am currently using an Audioquest Evergreen interconnect between my Onkyo C7030 Cd player and Pioneer A20 amp. I am looking to upgrade this cable. The three I have my eye on are Wirewold Luna 7 or Solstice 7 and Atlas Element Integra.
Any other suggestions? Or, should I just stick w the Evergreens?
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I make my own interconnects using high grade co-axle cable and the appropriate connectors. That too works really well and is relatively inexpensive.
 
Tin Bird said:
Probably only the NAD C 338 and Elac EA101EQ-G would be significant steps up from my Pioneer A20 though. Overall, I am happy w the A20. It does not have enough bass though. Have to use the loudness button on older CDs and/or turn the bass knob to 3:00 o'clock.
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It's not the amplifier that doesn't have enough bass, it's the speakers. Try adding a subwoofer to the system, then you can turn the bass knob back down and turn off the loudness(distortion) button.:whip:
 
Thanks for the thought...unfortunately the A20 does not have a subwoofer output. Not sure if I could just use the speaker B terminals. The Dentons do go down to 44Hz...which is certainly not bad for a bookshelf speaker. But I'm sure you are right that it IS a bookshelf speaker, so the bass will be limited. I am very happy w the sound of the Dentons and am reluctant to throw off the balanced sound of the speaker by adding a sub woofer (I've never been one for subsonic bass frequencies anyway), but it is an intriguing idea that I will consider.
btw I only ever use the loudness button when listening to older CDs from the 80s that are quite thin anyway. Modern stuff sounds way full and in no need of the loudness button..although I do always keep the bass knob on 3:00.
 
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