Author Topic: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?  (Read 11089 times)

Offline malloy

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2018, 10:32:06 PM »
I've gone from Monster :lol:, to Van den Hul clearwaters, to XLO's, to Kimber 8tcs, Ixos 606 silver and copper stranded, and finally to 47 Lab OTA stratos solid cores.

Monster simply sounded 'not right'. The Van de Hul's sounded dull, The XLO's were too bright after an amp upgrade. The 8tc's were ok but sounded veiled compared to the Ixos. The OTA beat everyone of them in terms of bass, clarity, tone, and detail.

I've been wanting to try some anti-cables, DNM reson, or goertz for the past few years now, but decided to get other better gear instead.  Has anyone tried Clear Day cables?

Offline Nick B

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 2018, 11:41:33 PM »
Hadn’t heard of them until your post. Seems like the price is just as reasonable as the Audio Envy cables I posted about recently. I’m intrigued with both. Let us know if you pull the trigger.
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline TomS

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #17 on: November 30, 2018, 05:31:53 PM »
Belden Iconoclast SPTPC speaker cables, which are now assembled and sold by Blue Jeans Cable. They replaced WireWorld Silver Eclipse which replaced DH Labs Q-10 Signatures.

It is very hard to say just one thing that improved as they are simply better all across the board, but bass/mid-bass clarity and tone, as well as cymbal brush work are quite amazing. You get complete clarity, but they retain a sense of ease that just seems very natural compared to the others.

It's also interesting that each pair comes with hand measured L, R, and C values. The designer is very transparent about his process and the exact science of what goes into the cables.
PS Audio Directstream DAC, PS Audio BHK Signature Preamp, Nagra Classic Amp, Focal Sopra No 2's, SVS SB16 Ultra

Offline Nick B

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #18 on: November 30, 2018, 06:12:16 PM »
Belden Iconoclast SPTPC speaker cables, which are now assembled and sold by Blue Jeans Cable. They replaced WireWorld Silver Eclipse which replaced DH Labs Q-10 Signatures.

It is very hard to say just one thing that improved as they are simply better all across the board, but bass/mid-bass clarity and tone, as well as cymbal brush work are quite amazing. You get complete clarity, but they retain a sense of ease that just seems very natural compared to the others.

It's also interesting that each pair comes with hand measured L, R, and C values. The designer is very transparent about his process and the exact science of what goes into the cables.

Didn’t see the SPTPC on the Blue Jeans site. Are they there?
Nick
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline TomS

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #19 on: November 30, 2018, 06:34:55 PM »
Belden Iconoclast SPTPC speaker cables, which are now assembled and sold by Blue Jeans Cable. They replaced WireWorld Silver Eclipse which replaced DH Labs Q-10 Signatures.

It is very hard to say just one thing that improved as they are simply better all across the board, but bass/mid-bass clarity and tone, as well as cymbal brush work are quite amazing. You get complete clarity, but they retain a sense of ease that just seems very natural compared to the others.

It's also interesting that each pair comes with hand measured L, R, and C values. The designer is very transparent about his process and the exact science of what goes into the cables.

Didn’t see the SPTPC on the Blue Jeans site. Are they there?
Nick
There is a pull down on the "Cable Stock" field with 3 wire types

http://www.iconoclastcable.com/speaker/index.htm
PS Audio Directstream DAC, PS Audio BHK Signature Preamp, Nagra Classic Amp, Focal Sopra No 2's, SVS SB16 Ultra

Offline Folsom

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #20 on: November 30, 2018, 07:02:44 PM »
I use 4S11. It is the best sounding of different DIY things I have tried. At this point I assume there is something wrong with a stereo if 4S11 isn’t good enough. But I admit the JPS makes me slightly curious.

Offline Jack

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #21 on: November 30, 2018, 07:17:59 PM »
Currently back to the ones from TWL as they are the best fit with this pair of speakers.
JVC QL-Y7 w/ Denon DL-301 Mk II
Vista Phono II
Jays Audio CDT3 Mk III
Supratek Cabernet
Kinki Studio EX-B7's
Holo Audio May KTE
Auralic Aries G1
Verity Otello
(2) Rythmik F12SE
TWL PC's
Audio Envy IC, PC, SC
Inakustik USB, I2S
PSA Stellar P3
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Offline malloy

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #22 on: November 30, 2018, 09:23:54 PM »
Hadn’t heard of them until your post. Seems like the price is just as reasonable as the Audio Envy cables I posted about recently. I’m intrigued with both. Let us know if you pull the trigger.

Hmmm. Haven't heard of Audio Envy until now. I didn't want to be sucked into making any cable changes again.  :lol: But I am looking at their RCA's. Are these Eichmann bullet plugs? Good price.

http://audioenvy.com/product/home-car-pro-interconnects/nv-4s-pr-rca/


Offline Nick B

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #23 on: November 30, 2018, 11:30:32 PM »
Hadn’t heard of them until your post. Seems like the price is just as reasonable as the Audio Envy cables I posted about recently. I’m intrigued with both. Let us know if you pull the trigger.

Hmmm. Haven't heard of Audio Envy until now. I didn't want to be sucked into making any cable changes again.  :lol: But I am looking at their RCA's. Are these Eichmann bullet plugs? Good price.

http://audioenvy.com/product/home-car-pro-interconnects/nv-4s-pr-rca/

They look like Eichmanns to me ...apparently now called ETI  http://www.eti-research.com.au
Yes, great pricing. As Charles met the AE designer, maybe he’ll have a bit more info next time he checks in.  Would love to try some stuff again soon. Gary’s cables are quite good, but ya never know
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline etcarroll

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #24 on: December 01, 2018, 10:22:57 AM »
I switched to bi-wiring when I switched to Supra Rondo 4 x 4.0 mm2, nice improvement though I never knew if it was from the cable or bi-wiring.

After speaking with Mr Vandersteen earlier this month I'm now in the hunt for Audioquest bi-wires. I'd love to buy a set of Rocket 88s, but too expensive. So I'm tracking older Audioquest products online waiting for a deal that I can't pass up.
"...if you want to enjoy your gear, don't listen to anything that might be better."

Offline malloy

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #25 on: December 02, 2018, 01:36:20 PM »
I switched to bi-wiring when I switched to Supra Rondo 4 x 4.0 mm2, nice improvement though I never knew if it was from the cable or bi-wiring.

After speaking with Mr Vandersteen earlier this month I'm now in the hunt for Audioquest bi-wires. I'd love to buy a set of Rocket 88s, but too expensive. So I'm tracking older Audioquest products online waiting for a deal that I can't pass up.

Interesting and good prices, too! I use their LoRad power cables that look exactly like these blue jackets and internal wires.

Supposedly the flagship Sword line is very, very good but out of my price range.  https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/sword-rondo_e.html

Offline gander

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #26 on: December 04, 2018, 01:11:43 PM »
I’m using Gary’s (aka gander) solid copper braided cables. They replaced the Straleys which I had and enjoyed for many years.

Glad you like them.   :D
Oppo 103, SSD drive
DIY ultra low capacitance power cords, ICs and speaker cables
Audio Note 2.1B DAC
Tortuga LDR passive pre
Primaluna Dialogue4 tube, Hegel H90 int amp
DIY speakers w/8” Rullit field coil FR drivers

Offline gander

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #27 on: December 04, 2018, 01:16:17 PM »
It's like reverb, but more subtle. It's inside the music, not laid on top like reverb. I think people think it's in the recording, the actual sound of the instrument. It's a sound we are all accustomed to, so we don't notice it until it's gone. I have read that silver also rings, but less noticeable, but this may be the cause of the silver fear many audiophiles have - too much detail, tizzy, etc.

Do you have links to articles about ringing because of copper, etc?
Oppo 103, SSD drive
DIY ultra low capacitance power cords, ICs and speaker cables
Audio Note 2.1B DAC
Tortuga LDR passive pre
Primaluna Dialogue4 tube, Hegel H90 int amp
DIY speakers w/8” Rullit field coil FR drivers

Offline gander

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #28 on: December 04, 2018, 07:02:28 PM »
OK I'll throw this out there.

Over about the past 6 months I have found that insulation on wire actually dulls the sound. Yup, it does, to some degree.

My latest DIY power cords (with PC bare wires soaked in grapene), digital IC, analog ICs, speaker wires and speaker internal wires all use a special type of bare copper wire separated from each other with a special material, creating mostly an air dielectric. The result is a much lower capacitance cable (50 pF per 4-foot 10 ga power cord, 29 pF per 4-foot IC, measured with a capacitance meter) and sound has really opened up using this approach.

Could it be that the sound artifacts you are talking about are to some degree not because of the wire itself, but the insulation on the wire?  Since we have been using insulated wire from day 1, could it be that insulation was assumed to be sonically transparent when it is actually not? 

If so, then just about all the cables you buy that use insulated wire has this problem.

Hmmmmmm... pondering...

Gary


Oppo 103, SSD drive
DIY ultra low capacitance power cords, ICs and speaker cables
Audio Note 2.1B DAC
Tortuga LDR passive pre
Primaluna Dialogue4 tube, Hegel H90 int amp
DIY speakers w/8” Rullit field coil FR drivers

Offline P.I.

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Re: What speaker cables are you using, what did they replace, and why?
« Reply #29 on: December 04, 2018, 07:57:18 PM »
OK I'll throw this out there.

Over about the past 6 months I have found that insulation on wire actually dulls the sound. Yup, it does, to some degree.

My latest DIY power cords (with PC bare wires soaked in grapene), digital IC, analog ICs, speaker wires and speaker internal wires all use a special type of bare copper wire separated from each other with a special material, creating mostly an air dielectric. The result is a much lower capacitance cable (50 pF per 4-foot 10 ga power cord, 29 pF per 4-foot IC, measured with a capacitance meter) and sound has really opened up using this approach.

Could it be that the sound artifacts you are talking about are to some degree not because of the wire itself, but the insulation on the wire?  Since we have been using insulated wire from day 1, could it be that insulation was assumed to be sonically transparent when it is actually not? 

If so, then just about all the cables you buy that use insulated wire has this problem.

Hmmmmmm... pondering...

Gary
Dielectric absorption and attendant ringing (smear) is a well known problem.  That is one of the reason that the cables I build have had organic fiber insulators and cores for the last 10 years..  not a mystery here, just physics.
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