We should get back to the original idea of the thread?... what cables do you use and perhaps how you come to choose them?
By coincidence I had actual tried some new cables a few weeks ago, out of curiosity and to try myself some recommendations I'd read from other forum members..... obviously not this forum!!!.
It had been a long time since I'd tried different cables, partly because believe it or not I am a partial cable sceptic, second I had faith in the cables supplied in the box with the equipment, being actually of a very good quality and far from cheap if bought separately.
Contacting a couple of my local dealers and arranging a loan set didn't present a problem, it was actually encouraged as the best way to try them, so I collect a mix of options to try out.
The objective of my little test was as follows.....
1. Evaluate mains cable effect...... ie fancy kettle leads
2. Compare alternative analogue interconnect cables.
3. Compare an alternative speaker cable.
Test method:-
In the comfort of my own home, try out over a week, doing some AAB comparisons (Tunedem method) and extended listening.
No blind testing planned or required. I have the ability to admit I can't hear a difference!!
Interconnects tried on the Streamer first then between Pre and Power amps.
Items on test
Standard Linn mains lead - Included in the box
Supra LoRad 2.5 pre made mains lead (also available at £10/meter off a roll)
Linn Silver analogue interconnect - included in the box, circa £200
Supra Sword analogue interconnect .....£400
Chord Sarum Super Tuned Array interconnect.... £2,000 (not a typo)
Tequilirium Ultra Black Speaker cable (My current cable)
Supra Sword 2.5 Speaker cable.
First up, mains cable swap, borrowed two ready made leads, only one would fit my equipment, as the other had an oversized plug, so perhaps the effect was limited.
I wasn't really getting any change, generally I've struggle with expensive kettle leads anyway, so my expectation was met!
The good thing is though this cable is fully screened and possible to buy off the roll.
I had a plan to tidy up my mains leads, by having two fused outlets and hard wire some made up equipment leads from a terminal box. A DIY extension lead with hardwired fly leads to the equipment. Using minimum plugs and connections and fully screened.
As my cables when back in the shelf/rack will cross each other and end in a messy tangle, I believe it's good house keeping for moderate cost to ensure I have minimum interference etc and take care of the details..
Time will tell on this one... In the end I wired up 5 equipment boxes for approx £150, used Martin Kaiser silver plated IEC plugs and a couple of MK fused outlets and some terminal boxes from Screwfix....some what cheaper than going to RA !!!
Next up I/C's... Swapping out the Linn Silver for the Supra Sword, though subtle at first this brought a more open and detailed top end. Sound/instruments had more apparent depth and space. Switching back made the sound slightly distorted or dirty/gritty. The smoothness and clarity of the Sword being lost. Music seemed more natural and easier to listen to with the Sword.
Repeating the process but with the Sarum, this produced the same effect.... interesting, considering the cost difference.
Not a huge game changing difference, but repeatable and consistent improvement heard from swapping back and forth over the week.
Next compared Sword vs Sarum.... Now it got really tricky, to be honest I couldn't choose a winner here, sometimes one sometimes the other...were they different?
If yes then not enough to identify one over the other reliably. If I had to choose a winner, it actually would be the Sword, as I felt it gave a bit more bite and impact on things like snare drums or sharply plucked or struck notes.
Using both, one on the Streamer, the other on the Pre-power, really gave a smooth, clean open sound free from any grain or distortion... Made it easier to listen at higher volume without any fatigue and for longer. The music seemed to flow and sound more natural. The ambience of the recording, whether real of faked made clearer to hear.
So next I tried the speaker leads...... hmm well I tried and failed, as it would appear these being a loan pair the previous recipient had been a little heavy handed and the the connection between plug and cable had been broken....I rang them out with a meter to confirm, yep on both lengths a least one cable was dead.... Shame, I'll perhaps borrow a working pair another time.
To conclude I bought two sets of the Sword I/C's, one set for the Streamer, the other between Pre-Power amps....... So yes I liked the "effect".
Plugged the new ones all in and took a quick listen, as often is the case new cables and equipment needs time to burn in, initially sounding a bit sharp and edgy and lacking bass weight or body. To run it in I disconnected one speaker lead, and left the streamer playing the a Radio stream at high volume over night and all the next day, (from Linn radio feed of coarse
Over the next couple for days the system sound returned back to how it was with the loan cables (which were a few years old and well used in the case of the Supra Sword). A few weeks on and everything has come together well.
As a package of changes so far I'm pleased, the smoothness, clarity and detail, the more open and spacious sound has made the music much more engaging.... I've relaxed and listed longer and louder to music via digital than I'd being doing before. Detail and clarity in the bass is quite staggering at times... In fairness some of this is still down to the upgraded power supplies I had fitted in my power amps some months ago... which was quite jaw dropping.....
Perhaps you could say it's made it more analogue like? .....
Anyway one last step will be to put another Sword I/C on the turntable phono stage to pre-amp.
Yep, the costs will alarm some, and not surprise others at all.....the Law of Diminishing Returns is of coarse very real, but then that's' true of any interest where you purse the last bit of performance..... from Cars to Overclocked PC's......
VFM?, will always be subjective... As with beauty, it's in the eyes of the beholder..... in the context of the system cost and performance level then squeezing a little more out of it and bringing all the elements better together is worth the cost and effort.... IMO.
What it has shown is price is not an indication of performance, the Chord cable was supposed to be the mutts nuts and for sure priced to reflect it..... for me it brought no extra over the Sword.... (BTW I wouldn't have paid that much for a cable, but I wanted to use it as a reference point and to test the claims I read).
Which for me underlines the message some of us have said here, choose by listening for yourself.... ignore the marketing, packaging and internet warriors.
If you can't tell the difference between cables in your budget range, buy the cheaper one. Perhaps try a range and type of cables, simple copper, silver plated copper, pure silver, different screenings etc.... rather than 3 types of the same material and construction which could be the same stuff rebranded!!!
The point of it all? ... in case some forget, is to make the Hi-Fi system as enjoyable and listenable and "musical" as possible.... So if your preferred cable adds or subtracts something it's the final result we are judging, within the context of your room, your system, your personal preference, your wallet....... enjoy the music.
