What speaker wire do you use? (Survey)

[ggking7]

Did anyone try Anti-Cables and like them? I tried them and returned them.

 

[Clueless]

I use Analysis Plus Black Oval 9 and have been very with it, improved the bass but not over emphasised. My previous stop gap cables were lacking in this area.

 

In the past I have used Chord Epic, Chord Signature, JPS Labs SC-3 which were my favourite, unfortunately I had to sell these as they were too short after a system change and I couldn't justify the price again.

 

[Priaptor]

http://www.lessloss.com/tunnelbridge-distortionless-interconnect-system-p-204.html

 

http://www.lessloss.com/dac-2004-mkii-c-69.html

 

Since Louis Motek is located in Lithuania there has not been much press about his products in the states. From the one person in the states who has used and purchased this unique interconnect solution and who I have spoken to, has raved about this product and in fact has replaced his Nordost Odin interconnects, a fairly significant commentary. While on the surface, it is expensive, it becomes cheaper the more interconnects necessary as the power box can supply 4 pair of interconnects.

 

I have also heard outstanding reviews about his DAC 204 MKII.

 

I would love to hear from anyone who has had any experience with either.

 

I have purchased his DFPC Signature Power Cords which I consider a bargain, while still expensive, relative to the competition. Plus they are flexible.

 

There is also a great site to download some extremely well recorded music, cuts I will use when tweaking my system or comparing products:

 

http://www.lessloss.com/high-resolution-audiophile-recordings-c-68.html

 

[barrows]

at RMAF last year. He is a great guy and very enthusiastic about audio and tweaky products. I had a good time talking with him and listening to Anne Sophie Mutter playing Bach in his room. I do not know if he will be back this year, but if he is, be sure to make a visit to see him if you go to RMAF.

 

[realhifi]

All good in the context of sympathetic systems.

 

Those Maggies really seem to like the weight that Audioquest provides.

 

[Priaptor]

his DAC or TunnelBridge?

 

[barrows]

He had all that stuff going on. I will not comment on the sound, considering it was at a show in a small room. We had quite an involved discussion regarding his approach to cabling.

 

[Gobbledigook]

Oldies, but very good for my system. Tried many different cables and brands, but MIT gave the best bang for the buck.

 

[Priaptor]

insight to what you saw and heard.

 

I understand a show can not allow one to judge, but as a "scientist", I find Louis's approach both, regarding his DAC, Powercords and particularly the TunnelBridge unique. The pictures of his DAC are gorgeous, if that means anything.

 

Right now I am using MIT's Oracle Matrix HD 90 Bi-wire Speaker Interface as well as Magnum MA Proline Balanced Interconnects, which I enjoy, but would love hear Louis's TunnelBridge in lieu of my Magnum's. Just wish there was a USA dealer to audition.

 

Any additional comments would be appreciated.

 

 

 

[barrows]

do not remember much of the details of our discussion. I do remember thinking the approach was interesting, but it is quite complex, and I generally prefer simplicity. I know the power cables are well regarded, again I tend to prefer a simpler approach with wide bandwidth power cabling rather than cables designed as filters.

Without a US distributor, I think experimenting with Louis' gear might be very expensive and inconvenient, maybe someone will step up and decide to distribute Louis' gear here.

I have the same music we listened to, I prefer the sound in my system, the show set up sounded very relaxed, too relaxed to my tastes. There was A LOT of LessLoss noise reduction tech in this system, and if pushed to make an observation, I would say the system may have damped down too much by all the noise reduction.

 

[RussellJBennett]

I use AudioQuest King Cobra (XLRs) as my interconnects from the DAC to my Krell Integrated Amp. I bi-wire my MartinLogans with double runs of AudioQuest Gibraltar (each pair only 6 ft. long). Although I had not intended to bi-wire with Gibraltar, when I replace my previous AudioQuest bi-wires with a single run of the Gibraltars the result so startled me, I immediately sat down and ordered a second pair.

 

[Priaptor]

I agree, it would be an expensive experiment to try his TunnelBridge and since there are no real dealers in the States, it would require a pretty big outlay of $$ to get them here AND if indeed I didn't like them, it would require loss of $$ and a big return bill.

 

Since I am tapped out now and like my sound, I am just going to sit tight.

 

I was enticed by the physics behind his TunnelBridge as I was with Galileo System from Synergistic, the former much cheaper than the latter, but such is life

 

 

 

[Desk Jockey]

Chris,

 

Redco made the cables for my Metric Halo LIO8. The experience was great all around. The cables arrived on time and very professionally assembled.

 

Your experiment is intriguing and I'm looking forward to your opinion of the results. Are you going with standard lengths or will you customize to optimize cable routing?

 

Cheers,

 

Greg

 

[Brian A]

I spent Saturday crawling under the furniture trying to figure out what cables I am using for what (yes, quite embarrassing that I don't know).

 

For speakers, I am using 5 meter lengths of stuff called, “Monster Cable High Resolution Precision Stranded 'Time Correct' Speaker Cable with Magnetic Flux Tube and LPE Dielectric.” I think that is a record for two-bit words.

 

It looks to be about 10 or 8 gauge. Don't want to hijack this thread, but can anyone comment if this is is good or bad cable? (I remember liking the sonic change when I hurriedly bought them.) (...and was expecting a downgrade from my "better" too-short cables.)

 

[Paul R]

I actually have a set of the "1000" series of that cable, and truth to be told, they don't sound bad at all. I think I bought it on Amazon just to see what it was like.

 

It does not compare to the Nordost cable, even the low end Nordost cable I have. I may still just be in amazement, but nothing except the speakers has made as much difference in the sound I hear as those Nordost cables.

 

Now I can't help but think what better cables will sound like. Upgradeitis Extremis.

 

 

-Paul

 

[bernardl]

I have been very happy with my pair of Viard Audio Design HD20 speaker cables.

 

They are a pretty incredible bargain and have been selling like hot cakes at Tokyo's best audio store Dynamic Audio.

 

Cheers,

Bernard

 

 

 

 

[RankStranger]

terminated with WBT spades. I love it but I bought it just after I spent about 3 months living with borrowed Nordost Frey.

 

Holy Crap.

 

They were the best cables I've ever heard. Absolutely no doubt. They bought a balance and realism to my system that I haven't heard since and don't expect to again until I can afford to drop $4k on some bits of bloody wire and that's the problem. They cost more than any other component in my system. Something can be exceptionally good value but still be too expensive.

 

Pfft.

 

Whatever, I love my Epics.

 

RS

 

[Jud]

Have had a biwired set of Audioquest for my Vandersteens for ~20 years. Nothing fancy - was called "Cobalt" or "Blue" back when I bought it, I think.

 

Many of my other cables are Omega Mikro, and I've had the same experience with them in their various applications as 57gold did with their speaker cables. In order to get something approximating the Omega Mikros at a price I can afford, I intend some time in the next several months to order materials from them to make my own speaker cables. (They have a nice little DIY section on their site.)

 

[VT Skier]

Monoprice for me, 14 gauge copper with bare ends.

 

[Brian A]

Quoting Jud on Fri, 07/22/2011 - 04:03:

"... Omega Mikro ... order materials from them to make my own speaker cables. (They have a nice little DIY section on their site.) ..."

 

I checked their site and saw the raw material under their DIY section. Are there instructions somewhere? (Please post link).

 

I enjoy DIY projects and currently need speaker cables. Perfect.

 

 

 

[EuroChamp]

Now I'm using P.A.D. - the cheaper ones.

http://www.puristaudiodesign.com/

 

But I have tested the top of the line speaker cables from Accustic Arts PREMIUM LINE-MK2. They are amazing! I will switch to them, I think they are available in the US too.

http://www.accusticarts.de/pages/en_zubehoer.html

 

Enjoy listening, Bernhard

 

[Jud]

Are there instructions somewhere? (Please post link).

 

E-mail Ron Bauman at the address given on the site. That's what I did. He's really nice about providing directions, and good advice on what you're contemplating.

 

[esldude]

Audioquest Cobalt here with Soundlab Aura speakers.

 

However, you know what? Since owning a Tact, I think cables basically make minor adjustments in the response. Since you can make such changes at will using a Tact, well cables almost don't matter.

 

Banana plug vs. spade? Give me a break! What do you think is going on?

 

Control the response and you don't need to give a rat's rear end about the cable.

 

Very minor wide band response adjustments (a couple octaves or more) are audible. Forget the cable, control the response and you don't need to worry about the cable within pretty clearly defined electrical parameters. Cables can cost far more than a Tact or similar unit. Get basic decent cable and use such a device to get the sound you want.

 

If you don't believe me, you can give it a try. Download Audacity (no cost), duplicate some of your favorite song files, and adjust the response of the music file. Open the file in Audacity, go under 'effect' and open the equalization. Bump up or down say 500 hz to 2500 hz or maybe 1khz to 3 khz by half a decibel. Or even do a full decibel though a half will be noticed. See if your imaging, depth of field etc don't change. Do the same from 8khz to 20khz. Then try the same from about 2khz to 8khz. See if you don't think these minor changes sound an awfully lot like what some cables do to your system's overall character.

 

[barrows]

while your approach of control response via equalization is certainly valid, it cannot make up for the resolution lost in lesser cables. Cables are lossy devices by nature, better cables have less loss. Once the resolution is lost, no amount of equalization can get the lost details back.

Actually, the termination and contact points of the cable are especially important: there are both contact resistance losses, and losses due to eddy effects in high mass connectors.

 

[bdiament]

And amplitude "remedies" will do nothing for time-based problems.

 

To see different cables only in terms of frequency response is to ignore the forest while focusing on a single tree.

 

To see room issues in terms of frequency response is to treat symptoms rather than causes.

 

Just my perspective of course.

 

Best regards,

Barry

www.soundkeeperrecordings.com

www.barrydiamentaudio.com