Changing Speaker Cables - the differences still amaze me

[chrisa]

I've been operating with my newish Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables now for a month or so with my newish Soliloquy 5.3i speakers. I bought both with the intent of running a 2nd system. I'm still dialing in the speakers with positioning and speaker to floor interface, and I decided today to go ahead and try them with my main (and well seasoned) Mapleshade speaker cables. I've got a bit of cable experience under my belt, but was again super impressed with the immediate differences between the two. Nothing subtle about it.

I do like the Blue Heavens. They are excellent on bluegrass and jazz, great midrange and good deep bass, somewhat romantic and laid back (but not dark). They also have the best upper midrange color that I have heard (on my system) in a speaker cable.

I dusted off the Mapleshade Golden Helix cables, fiddled with the routing (as you must do with these wiry things), and reconnected them to the terminals. After being coiled up and out of service for awhile, they usually sound rather crappy for a period (wierd). But this time I left them hanging in place for the month they were out of service, and this time they sounded great immediately.

The differences were stark. Where the Blue Heavens were laid back and a bit inarticulate, the Golden Helix was out in front of the speakers, very palpable, and dynamic; explosive really. I've used that term to decribe them before and I'm impressed by that again. The other amazing difference is with the clarity, and the wide open nature to the sound. I think I'm hearing more ambient information and frequency extension, but things just sound more real. The bass also seems faster and better defined. Less overhang that I was blaming on the speakers (and the vibrapods they are now sitting on). Can a speaker cable increase the damping factor of an amp??
Tone and cleanliness is quite good, but not quite up to the Blue Heavens. There is a touch more sibilance and at times they can get a bit "spitty" (noisy ac?), but on balance I love these little wires.

The purpose of my post is really just to express my observations. I don't have other outlets for discussing audio wires, as my other friends eyes just glass over or it starts an argument about whether I can possibly hear what I am hearing.

I've seen some disparaging remarks about Mapleshade cables here and on other forums (and a few of Pierre Spray's tough to swallow claims). They may not work with some systems, but IMHO in the right system these things are really, really good.

Thanks for listening.

Chris

[stereofool]

Hi, Chris!

No doubt...cables can make a difference in a system...and even more so if there is some synergy between your electronics and 'said' particular cables.

In my years of AudioNervosa  ...I have found that each iteration of new cables brought forth an improvement in sound (eg more details, better soundstage, etc). Of course everyone's ears are different and I DO think that individual personalities contribute as to perception of the change, as well.

Years ago when Leon (Audio Advice) was telling me the high end Transparent cables were the 'thing'...I just internally scoffed...and said I would NEVER pay that much for a cable...and with some of their new concoctions...still will not.

However, my most recent upgrade...out of curiosity...and fueled by an offer I couldn't refuse...via Shane...I popped for the JPS Superconductor 3's. When I first put them in play...I asked myself...why did I pay for such a step backwards....but thankfully once they had some time on them...new unheard details sprang forth...thus I could breath a sigh of relief...money wasn't wasted, after all.

I know what you mean about not being able to talk about such things with your 'regular' friends...they just look at you with that...'well, bless-his-heart'...he's just a f*&#ing idiot who doesn't have any sense...for spending that much money...on a piece of wire  !!!

To the resuce comes your crazy 'audiophool' friends...who've either already been there...or are in the process of getting there . SO...feel free to share, vent, rant or whatever...we'll be your support group.

[richidoo]

Hi Chris, I always feel a good vibration from reading Mapleshade catalog. I don't think it is all hogwash as many people do. Innovative, yes, which usually meets with resistance. I tried fancy JPS aluminata jumpers on my Legacys and preferred the stock thin flat copper plates. That's exactly what Mapleshade sells in his catalog for jumpers.  I have wanted to hear those Helix cables for a long time since first reading the enthusiastic description. Let's get together some time?

I share your amazement of how speaker cables or any cables can make so much difference. The differences can really be eye popping.

"Well, bless-his-heart..."  that's funny steve!

A few weeks ago my neighbor was teasing me "Look at those speaker wires, they're bigger than jumper cables!!" We all had a big laugh at my expense. Very funny, laugh it up, oh excuse me I have to go season your, err.. I mean THE soup.   hehe

[miklorsmith]

 

Yes, the soup.  Sit down please, we'll serve you.

[chrisa]

Thanks for the feedback. My system is certainly mid-fi, but the concepts are the same and I figured the hobbyists in this group could relate.

Rich, you very welcome to come have a listen. I'll send you a PM.
You'll have to "listen past" the limitations of the equipment, but some elements of the sound are as good as I've heard anywhere.
We could talk some too about a thought I have about something like a system "open house" concept where folks come to drink some beer and to listen to some music on the equipment and setup that you have, with rather minor tweaking and swap-outs.

My experience is that it (normally) takes me a few hours to get a true understanding of a system change. Additionally, changing something such as the amp requires other changes to re-balance and dial-in the system to my liking (speaker toe-in and interconnects for instance) before I can really draw conclusions. 


Chris

[richidoo]

Sounds like a great idea.

[mdconnelly]

I, too, thoroughly enjoy the Mapleshade catalog and have had opportunity to buy quite a few items from it.   I love his approach to recorded music.   Very immediate, very dynamic, very real.   But I truly dislike his exaggerated claims when it comes to wires and tweaks.   Be that as it may, it is all part of the the AN we love.

[JBryan]

I have a theory....

Having tried many cables and wires over the years - Cardas, AlphaCore, Stealth, Marigo, silver, copper, DIY... the list goes on but gets embarrassing, I've had the opportunity to hear the differences and compare notes with many folks in the audiosphere. I've determined that every cable and wire has a signature and the more resolving the system, the more apparent it is.

That's pretty obvious I suppose but the fun comes in when I've loaned out pieces to friends and hear back from them in a few days (or hours). The usual response goes something like..." I can hear things I've never heard before..." which is just the way I feel when first listen to a new cable or wire. What I've come to realize is that initially, I'm mistaking the differences between the signatures for more information, detail, extension and such and I believe this must be the same phenomenon my friends experience.

To counter the initial reaction, I now tend to live with a piece for a few weeks or months and then put in the 'old' one back in for a similar spell. Over the few hundred hours, I am able to discern an overall impression of what the wire or cable is offering in my system and whether its really an improvement. It takes time to notice the nuances - a bit more kick in the bass drum, slightly more space between the instruments, a more "you are there" experience, etc. and to take in account my own moods and emotional states. I'm not a 'wires-is-wires' kind of guy but I do think that well-designed/implemented audio wires and cables offer quite similar overall impressions and each tend to bring out or dampen certain characteristics in a particular system. There will almost certainly be improvements with a $2K cable versus a $500 one but synergy and your system's ability to resolve those improvements may prove to be a very ineffectual way to spend $1500.

[chrisa]

I agree entirely. On the last stint I kept the Golden Helix's in for the better part of a year. I also tried many cables before them, Cardas, Transparent Audio, Analysis Plus, Signal Cable, Anti-cables, Audience, DIY, the list goes on.  I kept the Mapleshades in the closet and kept pulling them back out because (they were cheap) and there was something about them that was different. All of these cables seemed to mess with the signal to some extent, and the Mapleshades do too. I think in the end they mellowed a bit and I became used to (and expected) their signature.  I think they give me such pleasure because of the openness and punch. I think the tube preamp also moderated things a bit. Things could get analytical and whitish with the SS integrated amp at times, but it never seems to happen anymore with the tube preamp in the system.

My interconnect story is a bit different though. Nordost Heimdall.  After trialing many IC's, when I put this one in I never had a desire to pull it back out.  When I got separate amp and preamp, and then another Heimdall IC to connect it all, it was too much. Too quick and zippy. Slipped in an Audience Au24 on the CDP and everything's good again. That's when I really learned about synergy and balance.

I've got stories too about power cords and A/C outlets, but that's where I started developing an insane streak and I've quit that.  That's the Nervosa part I guess.

Chris