Which interconnect do you use?
- Thread starter Manticore
- Start date
Home grown audio silver laces for my system. Not cheap but really good interconnects,
http://www.homegrownaudio.com/products/Silver-Lace-Interconnect.html
http://www.homegrownaudio.com/products/Silver-Lace-Interconnect.html
shelly_d
Not An Audiophool
I've had opens on some of the Radio Shack cables I've gotten. I think that is about the only time I've noticed a difference in cables. I've stopped getting mine there. Lately I pick them up during the monthly electronics swap meets held during the nice weather hear in the bay area.
Shelly_D
JRSBat
Well-Known Member
I've changed out all of my cables to Morrow Audio cables. His lowest priced interconnects, the MA1s, sound great and just get better as you go up the line. If you want to go up the line, he has an exchange program. You can trade in the old cables and apply the old cables cost to the new cable cost (with some restrictions).
You get a 60 day trial period when buying new cables. Send them back if you do not like them and get a full refund except for shipping. The cables also have a lifetime guarantee. He will replace for free for any reason - even if your dog chews through the cables. He constantly runs sales. If you are not on his mailing list, call him to order the cables. He usually will give you a better price than you can get using the standard online discounts.
You get a 60 day trial period when buying new cables. Send them back if you do not like them and get a full refund except for shipping. The cables also have a lifetime guarantee. He will replace for free for any reason - even if your dog chews through the cables. He constantly runs sales. If you are not on his mailing list, call him to order the cables. He usually will give you a better price than you can get using the standard online discounts.
shelly_d
Not An Audiophool
While I am usually on the 'cables can make a difference' camp, I'd agree that the OP should at least make sure the unit is using new parts.
If it's stock, IMO one of the numerous circuit mods out there would probably be a better use of money (I have a stock PAS2). I do understand that modding gear is not something everybody can (or wants to) do, though.
If it's stock, IMO one of the numerous circuit mods out there would probably be a better use of money (I have a stock PAS2). I do understand that modding gear is not something everybody can (or wants to) do, though.
charles 1973
Super Member
I'm using Monster Cable THX Standard Interlink cables. Nothing Special for sure. My biggest complaint is the connectors too tight. The Analog ones use dual ballanced connectors and are directional (one end of the shielding is not connected). The soundstage is not only wider than the speakers, but moves out into the room encompsing the listener with rock solid imaging. The Interlink cable on my 35 year old Pioneer Rondo 200 TT which is attached inside is a dried up piece of what appears to be lampcord, I'm guessing the original. I'm almost affraid to change it sounds so good. Go Figure!
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shelly_d
Not An Audiophool
While I agree with most that the PAS2 has a high enough output impedance to be troublesome when used with some power amps, in this case it is used with Dynaco's Stereo 35 which is a good match for it. I suspect, the best cure for this issue is to make sure that both units are at factory spec, use short interconnects of any quality or grade (6 feet or less) and if the issue persists, look to the speakers. Both the PAS2 and Stereo 35, when in spec are fine sounding units.
Shelly_D
michaelhigh
mind's eye music
Same here. I use EQ's to alter freqs, not cable. The cheaper the better. I listen to computer files (lossless) more lately and upsample to 24/192. My DAC runs toslink (Hosa, $9) and I have generic running to the receiver. Kicks ass and hits hard, man! (just bullshitting with the hard business!)
c0op3r
Active Member
Interconnects - I am using KnuKonceptz
I am using KnuKonceptz cables - why because the look good, seem to be made of decent quality and are affordable:
KnuKonceptz RCA Cables
the 1 Meter is 23$ and the 2 Meter is 28$
c0op3r
I am using KnuKonceptz cables - why because the look good, seem to be made of decent quality and are affordable:
KnuKonceptz RCA Cables
the 1 Meter is 23$ and the 2 Meter is 28$
c0op3r
Thanx for all the help. I am happy to get such a lot of feedback. I know it isn't worth spending truckloads of money on wire, but since I am knew to tube amps I am trying to get as much info to make the upgrades that I need to enjoy a good piece of music on a vintage tube set.
@Shelly_D: I am very happy with my Dynaco setup. Both the PAS2 and ST-35 have been serviced and brought back to their original specs. And although not everybody here agrees with the PAS2, paired with the St-35 they make a lovely combo. Not everybody has a budget for McIntosh gear, LOL!
@Shelly_D: I am very happy with my Dynaco setup. Both the PAS2 and ST-35 have been serviced and brought back to their original specs. And although not everybody here agrees with the PAS2, paired with the St-35 they make a lovely combo. Not everybody has a budget for McIntosh gear, LOL!
jaymanaa
RIP 1961-2018
The reason I quit buying WM cables (RCA style) was the fact that I could never find any under six feet long. I don't need them to go from my car stereo to the trunk, jeesh. On my table I have cables made onto it with Military Grade teflon coated shielded silver plated copper (20 gauge). In the arm is the same thing only not shielded and 32 gauge. The exterior cables are about 9 inches long. If I ever get around to rebuilding my Transcriptor into a custom, I'd like to mount a SS MC sub pre right to the back of the table, then use the 9 inch cables to go to the "regular" phono amp stage. Since this isn't TOL I guess I can get away with an electronic theory question. Does anything really matter except the connector, total resistance, and capacitance? I use nickel plated connectors FWIW. I don't like the look of gold, and silver tarnishes. And what's the deal with burn in? I had a guy at a fest tell me that you can take a short cut and use a 9v battery to burn cables in, but you have to observe polarity. I don't get it, the signal is AC, so there is no real polarity right? I do believe the burn in theory on parts that can actually go through a physical change when heated and cooled (say a getter on a tube that hasn't been lit in 50 years). I can't however see how a tiny amount of voltage or current produced by a phono cartridge will make a wire that is 4 times or more larger than it needs to be, to go through any real change whatsoever, even on a molecular level. I do however believe that if someone believes they hear a change, then they do, it's how the human mind works, so I would never doubt anyone who says they do hear a change. What happens inside our ears and brains, is an absolute mystery to me. I've worked in machine rooms with 1000HP chillers all my adult life too. They make a pretty loud high pitched "whine", and I never used ear protection until maybe 6 years ago when I got into this hobby. I did have my ears tested though, and the lady said they weren't "too" awful bad out to about 18k. I consider myself truly lucky, even blessed for that.
charles 1973
Super Member
One of the benifets of Tube gear is if you don't like the sound, buy changing or rolling Tubes as they say you can change it. Since my Hybred FM Tuner only uses 2 Tubes it pretty much a no brainer as to which ones to change if I want to change the sound. With all Tube Amps I would think you need only change a few of them to get the sound you want. If you don't like the sound now, its unlikely changing the cables will make it sound any better. Also have you checked, or had the Tubes checked, some may be bad.
shelly_d
Not An Audiophool
You might want to consider Hypnotoads moving coil Op Amp design. It does the entire job and you will have line level outputs, not hi level phono outputs. Get the entire job done in step right at the source. Just a suggestion. It also gets good reviews on the thread.
To some people LOTS of stuff really matters. From an engineering point of view, any real component can be modeled by resistance to ground, series resistance, capacitance to ground, series capacitance, self inductance and induced inductance. (That's a stupid way to phrase it but I'm not getting a better way to say it right now). Some of those values will be either small enough or large enough (resistance to ground) to ignore. Others won't. It is the combination of all that, that affects what the wire does to the signal while in service.
Again, LOTS of people will tell you that burn in is real. Again, from an engineering point of view, there is nothing that will change in the wire or the insulation do the passage of audio level signals.
Some day I'm going to try setting up a test rig that is set up as an instrumentation amp. Feed the same signal into 2 identical interconnects and then into the separate inputs of the amp. Since the amp works by amplifying the difference between the 2 signals, the output would be real proof of the interconnect making a difference or not.
What happens inside our ears and brains, is an absolute mystery to me. I've worked in machine rooms with 1000HP chillers all my adult life too. They make a pretty loud high pitched "whine", and I never used ear protection until maybe 6 years ago when I got into this hobby. I did have my ears tested though, and the lady said they weren't "too" awful bad out to about 18k. I consider myself truly lucky, even blessed for that.
By all means, protect those ears. They are the only ones you have.
Shelly_D
Proper (decent) shielding.
Plenty of articles and papers on that
Google Tom Nousaine.
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