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Speaker Cables - Advice Needed

MikeT.

MikeT.

Displaced Irish Cajun
For six months I've been seriously upgrading a stereo system I cobbled together over 20 years.

You can see the equipment in my signature. Listened to the speakers , loved them, bought them. Same with the amp, bought the DAC based on my experience with the amplifier, love it. Turntable got pretty good reviews but I was familiar with the Denon cart from a previous table and its a major improvement from what I owned. I was able to listen to them before I bought them.
What's driving me crazy is the speaker cables. I was using some Monster XP which sounded pretty good but the high end was a little bright and edgy with all the new gear, I've tried DH Labs T-14 Silversonics, hated them, way too bright and thin. Tried Blue Jeans Cable, sweet high, good bass but recessed midrange. I just bought a pair of Acoustic Zen Satori and while not the most expensive cables out there they got great reviews, were supposed to be very neutral and for the most part they are, but there is something missing on the high end. There is a lot of discussion about cables and electronics in general needing to burn in but with every other component in my system I knew IMMEDIATELY if I had a winner (for me). This search for cables might be the most expensive journey so far with no subjective way to listen to them before actually getting them in my system. Has anyone gone about this successfully without breaking the bank? Has anyone ever tried The Cable Company? Do I need to be patient with the Zens? I'm crazy about the rest of my gear but this speaker cable search is frustrating. :music:
 
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I really like Chord Company, Audioquest and Harmonic Technology for speaker cables but it depends a lot on what else you are using both from the perspective of gear and also what interconnects you are using. With tube stuff I really like Auditorium 23 all around.
 
Thanks Art, I have kept all of my interconnects consistent so far with Audioquest, mostly the Evergreen and one Cinnamon. I didn't want to throw too many variables in there at once. I like the interconnects from AQ so was thinking of trying a pair of AQ speaker cables. How did you manage to audition all of those different cables? Is there a particular cable grade within the brands you mention you particularly like?
 
My speaker cable odyssey ended with Audioquest Type4.

As for interconnect I got best results with Van Den Hul D102 Mk3.

P1010688.JPG
 
i did something similar to the moonshine with unused s video cables from radioshack. cut off the plugs and soldered the ends to points. works very well, matches the sonics of my interconnects, and was very very cheap. im not into 500 dollar cables. yet. i also find monster xp to be edgy, and bass heavy.
 
I've had excellent results using NBS King Serpent II speaker cable. However, they are stupid expensive unless you find them used.:smoke:
 
Pandovski said:
My speaker cable odyssey ended with Audioquest Type4.

As for interconnect I got best results with Van Den Hul D102 Mk3.

P1010688.JPG
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I used to have the D102 Mk 3. It's a very nice cable. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I found that the VdH Well Hybrid was a bit better balanced for my listening but certainly didn't have the thunderous bass of the D102.
 
mtaudio said:
Thanks Art, I have kept all of my interconnects consistent so far with Audioquest, mostly the Evergreen and one Cinnamon. I didn't want to throw too many variables in there at once. I like the interconnects from AQ so was thinking of trying a pair of AQ speaker cables. How did you manage to audition all of those different cables? Is there a particular cable grade within the brands you mention you particularly like?
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I've owned so many cables from so many brands that it's just a mess. Anyway I would consider sticking with AQ. The Type 4 that was mentioned earlier is a great speaker cable.

From Chord I really like the Carnival Silverscreen, Rumour and Odyssey. The Carnival is very reasonably priced.
 
I use mostly Audioquest cables and IC's in my systems. My first pair of AQ 'cables was a set of Type 6's that I bought some 20 years ago to replace a pair of Monster Cable 12 gauge multi-stranded copper cables. The improvements in bass extension and definition, and treble smoothness and clarity were immediately noticeable, and I've been a fan ever since. In addition to those Type 6's, I also have sets of Bedrock, Granite, and Rockefeller cables.
 
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I use Analysis Plus Black Oval 12s in very short runs (4') and like them a lot. I've always had good results with Kimber as well.
 
What about Morrow Cables ? Seem to have a good reputation and price range is also interesting.
I use Virtue Audio interconnect and speaker cables, neutral sound, good looking, well crafted.
 
timofred said:
Can you try bi-amp, and put the appropriate cable you like to the tweeters and woofers ?
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That's the only thing about my Spendors that I don't like, they don't make a provision for bi-amping. Absolutely love everything else.
 
mtaudio....cables are just like anything else in your system, so we should think of them as a component. You have to know the characteristics of your system, you know....does it lean to the bright side, or what not...and then you have to match that cable to your system. IT can be kinda hard because we can't listen, as much. Read as much as you can about them, rather than going down that road of spin and spin more money. What works in my system is Analysis Plus....I like it because its a little warm, but still lets all the detail through....no edges. I had used it to tame the sparkle of the Rotel amp and it works greatly.

Talk to MikeCh he is a member of AK...he has a cables company and perhaps he can advise you and give you some tips....http://www.avantiaudio.com/Home.html You can also send him a PM. I will be making a purchase from him as well once I get a few more pieces in place. I have a Threshold amp and am wondering if it could benefit from another cable.
 
I use Transparent on my main system (speakers and inter-connects). Great sounding cables.

I have also used MI Terminator (speaker and inter-connects) which I still have, and still use the inter-connects. I don't use the speaker cables anymore only because I didn't want to snip and modify the cables to fit the small screws in back of my basement amp (Fisher 500C). They are in storage and intact. Again, great sounding cables.

I have also used DIY (speakers only) from cabling I bought from my local hardware store because I couldn't use the Terminators (above). Simple (2 x 16#) copper stranded. Feeding the ProAcs they are also great sounding cables, I was quite surprised.
 
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Thanks Slippers-On, this new forum is great, and thanks to everyone for all the responses! I finally started to think of cables as a component when I bought the Zens. I remembered my brief excursion into tubes, a similar feeling when I rolled my first set of tubes and thought, wow, this could get expensive. The great thing about all the responses is I get a chance to look at everyone's gear along with what they are using for cables and it serves as a wonderful reference. :tresbon:
 
komoyuki said:
What about Morrow Cables ? Seem to have a good reputation and price range is also interesting.
I use Virtue Audio interconnect and speaker cables, neutral sound, good looking, well crafted.
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Morrow cables is still running a promo - 30% off new cables. Just enter the word Special in the coupon area. Morrow usually has some type of special pricing but this is the biggest discount I have seen.

Nice thing is you can try the cables for 60 days - return them if you do not like them no questions asked. You just pay shipping both ways. You might want to buy the break in service just to make sure you are hearing the cables at their best during the 60 day trial.

I switched over all of my interconnects and speaker cables to Morrow. I really like the sound.
 
Am I Going Crazy?

I reinstalled the Monster XP but just for couple songs and reaffirmed they are a tad bright so I know I am headed in the right direction at least with upgrading the speaker cables. When I started to reconnect the Zens I noticed ARROWS on the labels and since the cables don't come with instruction manuals (why would they?) I assumed it indicated the direction of "preferred current flow". And of course I had them installed the arrows headed to the amp instead of away from the amp to the speakers. https://www.google.com/search?q=aco...hl=en&client=safari#biv=i|3;d|lR2yBXHK5IqzWM:
OK, I hope I'm not going absolutely nuts, but I turned them around and could swear there is an improvement, a little more harmonics to the upper register of the piano and more "crash and bite" to percussion.
Maybe they need to burn in more, maybe they have burned in a little since yesterday or maybe I'm being a little nuts. Maybe a little of all three. I now have a system which I feel like is 90% there and getting that last 10% is a bear.
With the satisfaction guarantees of Morrow Audio and Audio Advisor, I have cables from Morrow and Audioquest on the way. It's the only way I think I can decide, try them in my own home in my system.
Thanks for all the suggestions and please assure me I'm not going crazy:D
 
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