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First thread in here

Mr. Lin said:
That's great you've found something so inexpensive that yielded such good results. Surprise! Cables are extremely important, and the little differences good cables make can make all the difference in the world, IME.
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Agreed!
 
jaymanaa said:
...Do you all think that NOTICEABLE improvement could still be made by using even more expensive ICs?...
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I think it's the usual "diminishing marginal returns" scenario. I think you get a huge improvement upgrading from badly designed stuff to properly designed stuff, then a smaller improvement going from properly designed stuff to better designs with costly materials, and after that, you get smaller and smaller improvements to the point where you're using cables as tone controls.

I think one should figure out what one's budget is for cables, recognizing that better gear is more important first, then try things in the budget range to see what works best in your system. IN ever price range there are greater and lesser deals to be had.

Some of the AK sponsors provide very good value for the money. Zebra, Gorilla, Blue Jeans, Audio Art... and of course bargains on eBay, there's value at many price points, and the great news is that you now get to experiment!
 
I'll keep my eyes out for the Philips cables. I've tried a bunch of under-$20 interconnects, as I don't have the cheese for high-end cables and don't have the patience to make my own. My personal faves so far have been GE Ultra Prograde interconnects, can usually be found on sale for $6 - $8 for 1.5 footers. Very nice sounding cables, and a noticeable upgrade from the cheap RCAs.
 
if you feel the itch to move up the ladder a bit...do yourself a favour and try some of the bluejeans cables...depending on what cable you choose the cost is between 30 and 40 dollars for a 3 foot pair...they use the Canare RCA's which are pretty slim as far as good RCAs go...this is the real deal,pro broadcast/studio quality cable...even those who poo poo cables in general would agree that this type of cable is certainly at the top of that diminishing returns curve...and i bet it blows the philips clear out of the water...
 
This is one of the best if not the best of IC comparisons I've had the pleasure of following here on AK. Generally I would have expected (and hate) to read so many of the "you've got to be kidding, this is the best" type of reply's. It has been a real treat to follow. Thanks Jay for bringing your thoughts and comparisons to the table, and to the other contributors of this thread as well. I have come away with what I believe to be the base as to what I like in my listening experience. And that is, not to be into thinking that if it cost many $'s more it has to be better.
 
jaymanaa said:
Yep, I made a copy for a friend at work and he thought I had misspelled compilation. He took it home and stuck it in the CDP and got in trouble.:yes:
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He he he...those Hokum blues can get you in trouble real fast. (i'd love to find that cd- looks like alot of fun).

Yuo got real results from the cable, huh?...may be time to look into mine, after I get a better CD player (mines junk, but it works, and was free). I know I instantly heard a difference on my speaker wire when I replaced a greening pair. Recently switched the old stuff with Audio Research 16Ga, sounds nice.

Thanks for putting this together, Jay:thmbsp:

[now to look into Cat5 cable...:scratch2:]
 
my take on cables is use what they use in studios where they made those fantastic recordings we all listen to, chances are you will find belden cable mated to switchcraft connectors.

im guilty of using the cheap stuff also since its convenient when you have a drawer full.

jay,
why not try this idea..
get a source you can output in mono but still have L & R. maybe a mono cd for example. you can then wire both channels with different wire or IC's and hear them at the same time and compare.
 
This has been a great read.
I've done this on speaker cables, but not interconnects because of tightly spaced jacks.
Perhaps I'm looking for another way to spend money, but changing out the speaker wires up to point x seemed to be a worthwhile investment.
I imagine interconnects would too.
 
I'll throw in the Monoprice bargain argument here. Their "premium" IC cables are still cheaper than Jay's TOTL Philips, and they seem to work well for me. They've been measured in other TOL threads here, I think... And they're "Digital Ready." :D

This thread is a keeper.
 
ok, seriously, I have about 80 feet of nakamichi coax and a bunch of nakamichi rca connectors, Id like to make you a set of interconnects for you to test drive , and render a critique, cos honestly, I have monster cable, vampire wire and a couple other hi end name brand ic's, and I cant hear a difference. (offer extended to original poster)
MEH,,I gave away a 10 foot pair of Analysis plus BIG SILVER OVAL9 speaker cables just for that reason, couldnt hear a difference. http://www.analysis-plus.com/prod_spkrcable.html
Dont start thinkin I got a tin ear now, people, I can tell when one speaker isnt pointing the right angle, and I can sure as hell tell the difference in sound on a cool morning as opposed to a blazing hot mid afternoon. (my stuff is mostly outdoor use).
And dont take anything I spew forth as derisive, if YOU can hear a difference, more power to ya!
 
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