For the Believers out there...which cable upgrade makes the most difference?

entex

entex

Active Member
As of now I have a pretty high quality integrated amp, a couple good sources, and good speakers. However, I'm currently using cheap interconnects and speaker wire (16 gauge - 3 meters). Between the following 3 cables, which would make the most audible difference if upgraded to "audiophile" quality wire?

-Power cable on my Amp (considering Shunyata Venom 3)
-Speaker Wire (currently using cheap RCA 16 gauge)
-Interconnects (RCA, currently using radioshack cables)
 
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IMO the speaker wire is the weakest link in your setup. If you like to pump up the volume you might be able to hear an improvement in low frequency response, i.e. tighter bass, by using fatter wire. Fatter wire has lower resistance and will help improve the damping factor. It might also help to fabricate the cable out of twisted single wires to increase its parasitic capacitance. The capacitance can help swamp out high frequency hiss and smooth treble a bit.
 
entex said:
As of now I have a pretty high quality integrated amp, a couple good sources, and good speakers. However, I'm currently using cheap interconnects and speaker wire (16 gauge - 3 meters). Between the following 3 cables, which would make the most audible difference if upgraded to "audiophile" quality wire?

-Power cable on my Amp (considering Shunyata Venom 3)
-Speaker Wire (currently using cheap RCA 16 gauge)
-Interconnects (RCA, currently using radioshack cables)
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How far are the runs on those wires?
[Edit: I didn't notice that you said 3 meters on the the speaker cable, sorry.]

At about 10-12 feet, I usually consider going to a bit heavier guage, it may not help, but it isn't going to hurt either. Thinner wire is sometimes used and although I'm not a big fan of thin wire, it will help to lower the Damping Factor and allow better Bass.

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
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I'd look at interconnects first. I've always found they make the biggest difference. As always, I'd say try them yourself. Find either and online or local store that has an in home trial and test some in your own system. Only way you will ever know.
 
Bigerik said:
I'd look at interconnects first. I've always found they make the biggest difference.
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Ditto.

I've found that ICs make the most difference on the source with the finest signal (for me,that's my CD player), the phono amp-to-pre coming in 2nd.

I've found speaker cables, as long as you've got thick enough gauge (I use 10ga) don't make quite as much difference.

Of the AC cables that I've tried, some cables make a difference in some components, but not always. Some expensive AC cables sound the same as stock in my Jolida phono stage (for instance), but others do make a difference.

I have not found that changing AC cords makes any difference in my integrated.
 
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Alright guys, I picked up some Analysis Plus Oval One ICs today and hooked up my SONOS, which had some crappy generic ICs previously. I'm using a Rega Brio-R integrated amp through a pair of recapped Klipsch Fortes. Holy Crap! I put on a familiar tune that I had listened to earlier this morning. The bass end of the recording is noticeably more audible. Even before closely recognizing the more nuanced sonic improvements, the simple frequency response of the recording must have been considerably attenuated by the previous ICs on the low-end. They were much much brighter overall. Now this source is sounding much more round and clear.
 
Great to hear! (pardon the pun)

I see good hookup cables as assurance that I'm getting optimum performance out of my gear. And in my experience (and it looks like yours as well) you have to hear "B" before you know what you had with "A".
 
Nice. I was going to give the same advice (interconnects from source to preamp) but it appears you've been well taken care of by the fine folks here.
 
Next up order some 12 gauge Belden speaker cable from Blue Jeans (the only product they sell that I think sounds decent) and you will see further improvement for very little outlay. If you are feeling flush the Analysis Plus Oval 12 is a great speaker cable and makes for a great match with the Oval One.
 
Yeah, if you've got a decent system with decent interconnects, speaker connectors are next. If you need treble extension, consider silver plated copper. I've bought used Nordost Blue Heavens and have been happy enough to stop looking.
 
Art K. said:
Next up order some 12 gauge Belden speaker cable from Blue Jeans (the only product they sell that I think sounds decent) and you will see further improvement for very little outlay. If you are feeling flush the Analysis Plus Oval 12 is a great speaker cable and makes for a great match with the Oval One.
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Art, I checked out the speaker cable on Blue Jeans. I take it you mean the Belden 5000UE (Gray jacket, 12 AWG)? I've always just used naked wire terminals for speakers. What termination plug works best with the Brio's speaker jacks?
 
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Everything matters and everything makes a difference, but for me some of the greatest revelatory moments where with phono-stage to pre-amp and... mains cabling (yes, power cables). I don't see any real easy cheesy, diehard scientific methodology. Like many things, it is all about synergy and trial and error. But there is no mistake and it is apparent to everyone in the room when the right lead is in place. There seems to be as much an art or fuzzy science in it as anything really concrete. Besides quality, and the fact that quality is usually (but not always) expensive, there is no single determining factor. Within reason of capacitance and inductance, any rule you make can be broken.

Happy (post AK Fest) Listening!:beatnik:
 
JohnVF said:
Nice. I was going to give the same advice (interconnects from source to preamp) but it appears you've been well taken care of by the fine folks here.
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I have been getting caught up in another thread over at AVS about directional markings and pretty much called a fool there for owning decent cables. I was just posting about the differences my current setup went through when the previous owner upgraded from Kimber PBJs and 8TC to all Synergistic Research cabling. Differences were night and day. Just last week, I decided to try a few different cables, Groneberg, Tara, Audioquest and nothing sounded right until I put the Synergistic ICs back between CDP and Pre as well as Pre to Amp.

I have not tried aftermarket PCs yet but noticed a slight noise floor improvement when upgrading to an APC H15, which has a massive power cord where my older Panamax had a generic like cord.
 
Direction certainly makes a difference if the cables are shielded. Generally shields are only terminated at one end. That is done so that the shield does not carry current and end up coupling noise into the conductors that it protects. The purpose of the shield is to keep out magnetic fields that can introduce noise from power cables and the like.
 
Bigerik said:
I'd look at interconnects first. I've always found they make the biggest difference. As always, I'd say try them yourself. Find either and online or local store that has an in home trial and test some in your own system. Only way you will ever know.
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I also agree about starting with IC's. In my experience the smaller the signal the more vulnerable it is. I also find I prefer cables made from solid core copper.

I am glad you had a good sonic improvement with the Analysis Plus. You might want to look at AntiCables speaker cables. They are very nice sounding at a fairly small price.
 
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ebacon said:
Direction certainly makes a difference if the cables are shielded. Generally shields are only terminated at one end. That is done so that the shield does not carry current and end up coupling noise into the conductors that it protects. The purpose of the shield is to keep out magnetic fields that can introduce noise from power cables and the like.
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I never did understand that, it's good to know!

Happy (post AK Fest) Listening!:beatnik:
 
I should have wrote keep out electric fields instead of magnetic fields.

Keeping out the effects of magnetic fields is where twisted pairs and braids come into play. For those to work it is best to have balanced connections. The currents that the stray magnetic field induces in each cable is therefore equal and the net noise difference between the positive and negative leads is zero. Zero equals low noise.
 
I want to take a moment to thank all the "non-believers" who stopped by, but passed on this thread without p!ssing in our cornflakes.

Thanks!

:thmbsp:
 
I've looked around a bit, but haven't seen an answer to this:
Has anyone made a power cable out of solid core that is used to bring power from the main circuit to the wall outlet (same gauge or a step or two up)?

I would think that this would be the purest connection possible since it is essentially a feed direct from breaker to amp without breaking the electical code by actually direct-wiring the amp to the main.
(Maybe I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that a passive power cable can make a difference to the delivery of electricity from outlet to amp unless it is replacing a cable that couldn't deliver the full current needed).
 
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