Reality Cables Interconnects.

Lizard_king · January 27, 2010, 02:23:03 PM

Hello,

A highly valued references has told me about this line of ICs and Scs. Can I please ask those of you that have used these and get your feedback?

Thanks in Advance.

TomS · January 27, 2010, 03:56:38 PM

I've had a wide variety of cables in and out of my system the past few years including Audience, Cardas Golden Reference, Analysis Plus, Kimber, AQ, etc. For a modest budget (as in not JPS sized) the Reality Cables are a great choice. I've settled on them for both interconnect and speaker cable (replacing Golden Ref) and been very happy with them, not really feeling the need to change.

As usual, you need to try them in your own system, but these have been very effective in several I have heard. For whatever reason they don't seem to like to be mixed and matched, so I would go with both before passing judgement.

Gregg Straley is also a pleasure to do business with if you buy direct. Highly recommended.

Tom

topround · January 27, 2010, 04:08:41 PM

I think the reality cables are a great budget cable.

They are very open, and have great bass, tremendous amounts of detail as well.In my case they were just out classed in terms of refinement by other cables. My only experience was with the speaker cables, so I can't comment on the Ic's or how the Ic's interact with the speaker cables used in conjunction.

My only negative is as you move up the line with gear, these cables will hold you back.

The better cables just allowed the beauty to flow easier, but also that comes with great expense, but usually at that point everything in your system becomes a big expense.

All in all a very good cable, and I was very happy with mine for a while, until something better came along.

Funny how that is.....

Mike

musicfile · January 27, 2010, 04:46:20 PM

Quote from: topround on January 27, 2010, 04:08:41 PM
I think the reality cables are a great budget cable.

They are very open, and have great bass, tremendous amounts of detail as well.In my case they were just out classed in terms of refinement by other cables. My only experience was with the speaker cables, so I can't comment on the Ic's or how the Ic's interact with the speaker cables used in conjunction.

My only negative is as you move up the line with gear, these cables will hold you back.

The better cables just allowed the beauty to flow easier, but also that comes with great expense, but usually at that point everything in your system becomes a big expense.

All in all a very good cable, and I was very happy with mine for a while, until something better came along.

Funny how that is.....

Mike

Can you tell us what you moved up to
I have the Reality Cables powering my Sason's and they sound quite good to my ears now you've got me thinking

_Scotty_ · January 27, 2010, 04:59:16 PM

I have been using them for about five years, both speaker cables and ICs. Every time I have made an improvement to my system the cables transparently passed the extra information. These cables excel at preserving the dynamic life that may be present in a recording. They also do a wonderful job at reproducing the acoustic space that might have been captured during the recording process. I am not looking to replace them anytime soon either. There seems to be no upper limit on the resolution possible from the cables. Be advised that they cannot be used as a band-aid for a system with problems. There seems to be a very high degree of synergy between the ICs and the speaker cables,so much so that I highly advise using the ICs and the speaker cables together and consider these cables as part of a systems approach to signal transfer in your system. The products really can't be fully evaluated when separated from one another. There is also the matter of system synergy and the only way to know for sure if they are right for your system is to try them out.
Scotty

topround · January 27, 2010, 05:05:07 PM

Things come and go.
I switched to Audio Magic Silver ribbons, they just had alot more upper end refinement.
Then I went to Stealth Audio MLB juniors, not bad , but I think I preffered the Audio Magic,
tried some Signal Cable which was just aweful. some Gronenburg from Klaus at Oddyessy which is pretty nice, but the top is dirty.
Tried some Transparent Cable which was absolutely stunning!!! but not my cable.
I had the Goertz Alpha Core which seemed to do everything right but it just lacked musical engagement.
A few other as well, but I forget what they were.
I happened upon Kimber 4AG which works real well in my system, and has stayed ever since.

IC's are Yamamura copper in cardboard and silk
Silkworms originals ,

IC's come and go but this combo seems real nice right now

musicfile · January 27, 2010, 05:13:56 PM

Quote from: topround on January 27, 2010, 05:05:07 PM
Things come and go.
I switched to Audio Magic Silver ribbons, they just had alot more upper end refinement.
Then I went to Stealth Audio MLB juniors, not bad , but I think I preffered the Audio Magic,
tried some Signal Cable which was just aweful. some Gronenburg from Klaus at Oddyessy which is pretty nice, but the top is dirty.
Tried some Transparent Cable which was absolutely stunning!!! but not my cable.
I had the Goertz Alpha Core which seemed to do everything right but it just lacked musical engagement.
A few other as well, but I forget what they were.
I happened upon Kimber 4AG which works real well in my system, and has stayed ever since.

IC's are Yamamura copper in cardboard and silk
Silkworms originals ,

IC's come and go but this combo seems real nice right now

Thanks Mike
I have the Original Silkworms as well ..I've tried other Cable manufacturers and seem to go back to Straley cables I have mine biwired the red higher guage wire for Tweeeters and the White lower guage for the Woofers
If I ever move to another cable I will go with the RSAD Altethius me thinks it will be a good match with the Sasons

topround · January 27, 2010, 07:14:42 PM

I guess I was handicapped with only using the speaker cables and not the Ic's as well.

Cables are a strange game, you never know what will work best, and it usually it does not have to do with money.

Mike

Carlman · January 28, 2010, 06:20:06 AM

I thoroughly enjoyed the Straley cables. They have a whole, organic sound that doesn't impart much sonic signature into the overall sound. I found it depends on the amp and speaker's crossover as to which cable works best. I think there is an actual science to determining how a cable will sound based on the load presented by the circuits involved... it's just so highly variable from speaker to speaker.. and amp to amp that it's tough to take apart the xo's and measure output voltages of amps to get a real chart going. Anyway, that's a topic for another day...

But my point is that it may work great in your system.. you just have to try and compare.

-C

richidoo · January 28, 2010, 06:48:53 AM

I've heard Carl's Reality SCs compared directly to a variety of other brands on a few occasions on different systems. They were never my favorite. But they are better than the "little giant killer" BS brands sold on Audiogon. For similar money I would prefer JPS Ultraconductor. People think JPS is too expensive, but they make lobuckchuck too and it is very good. JPS does a shitty job promoting it, which is a damn shame.

hometheaterdoc · January 28, 2010, 08:34:37 AM

Both JPS and the dealers do a crappy job promoting it

The UltraConductor 2 line is very good. But it's not as good as the real magic in the lineup, which is the SuperConductor 3 and Aluminata series......... nor should it be as good... it's at least 5X-40X cheaper

For someone that can't or won't spend the SC3 kind of budget on cables, you can get a flavor of Alumiloy conductors and a good little chunk of the upper end stuff performance for pennies on the dollar:

A 1M set of RCA interconnects is *MSRP* $199.00. An 8 foot set of speaker cables is *MSRP* $299.00.

I'm extremely biased because I sell the stuff. But I prefer the Ultra2 stuff over Straley. I've found the Straley to be an extremely good performer and value for the money spent compared to other brands out there. But it always sounded less defined in the soundstage, a bit fuzzy sounding compared to JPS. It was a little muted and smothered sounding. My vocabulary is escaping me today. But it was kind of like the Belles 21A versus 22A shootout we did a while back. The hashy extra noise in the circuit of the 21A made things seem like they were prettier sounding. But it wasn't real warmth, it was just noise in the circuit. Once that got pulled back (22A), you hear more and there is more defined sense of spaciousness and more subtle details come out of a blacker background... I'm not sure if that makes sense. I think I need more caffeine.....

musicfile · January 28, 2010, 09:36:35 AM

Quote from: hometheaterdoc on January 28, 2010, 08:34:37 AM
Both JPS and the dealers do a crappy job promoting it The UltraConductor 2 line is very good. But it's not as good as the real magic in the lineup, which is the SuperConductor 3 and Aluminata series......... nor should it be as good... it's at least 5X-40X cheaper

For someone that can't or won't spend the SC3 kind of budget on cables, you can get a flavor of Alumiloy conductors and a good little chunk of the upper end stuff performance for pennies on the dollar:

A 1M set of RCA interconnects is *MSRP* $199.00. An 8 foot set of speaker cables is *MSRP* $299.00.

I'm extremely biased because I sell the stuff. But I prefer the Ultra2 stuff over Straley. I've found the Straley to be an extremely good performer and value for the money spent compared to other brands out there. But it always sounded less defined in the soundstage, a bit fuzzy sounding compared to JPS. It was a little muted and smothered sounding. My vocabulary is escaping me today. But it was kind of like the Belles 21A versus 22A shootout we did a while back. The hashy extra noise in the circuit of the 21A made things seem like they were prettier sounding. But it wasn't real warmth, it was just noise in the circuit. Once that got pulled back (22A), you hear more and there is more defined sense of spaciousness and more subtle details come out of a blacker background... I'm not sure if that makes sense. I think I need more caffeine.....

I think you articulated it well .

mfsoa · January 28, 2010, 04:16:07 PM

I have some Superconductor Qs on the way (Thanks, Shane

) to compare to my Realities, from CD to preamp.

I'll report back here.

My take on the Realities was that they were a lively, forward cable that adds good life to a system. I'm hoping the JPS will be a bit rounder and fleshier w/out being any slower or less extended.

-Mike.

_Scotty_ · January 28, 2010, 04:28:30 PM

Mike, what speaker cables are you using.
Scotty

mfsoa · January 28, 2010, 05:24:27 PM

Biwired with Analysis Plus Oval 9s for the midrange and tweeter, and Reality for the bass of my Von Schweickert VR4JRs.

I like the depth and ease of the AP on top and the fast start and stop of the Reality for the bass.

Right now all from a Digital Amp Co Cherry Jr., a big power Class D amp, but sometimes biamped or run full range with a VAC PA100/100.

-Mike

Reality Cables Interconnects.

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