Sounds perfect mate, let me know how to progress buddy
Last edited:
Budget RCA interconnects
- Thread starter agw_01
- Start date
Sounds perfect mate, let me know how to progress buddy
Maplins, yes Maplins RCA cables.
Now i'll be honest, I've never purchased any of the expensive HiFi branded cables, always had what appeared quality but more generic types.
Anyhow the Maplin cables I've tried i'm sure are the best cables I've ever had, I'm referring to the ones in the green box with white and red cable plugs. The bay is still full of old stock, just buy one cheap and judge for yourself.
What I will say is I had a Technics 5 disk player from the 90's, that CD player never sounded correct (always a little bright), but when I used the Maplins cable it was perfect. I'm also using Maplins cable on my Asus ST and speakers in home office.
This was my post on them
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/maplins-rca-cables-were-brilliant.18823291/#post-31897266
Now i'll be honest, I've never purchased any of the expensive HiFi branded cables, always had what appeared quality but more generic types.
Anyhow the Maplin cables I've tried i'm sure are the best cables I've ever had, I'm referring to the ones in the green box with white and red cable plugs. The bay is still full of old stock, just buy one cheap and judge for yourself.
What I will say is I had a Technics 5 disk player from the 90's, that CD player never sounded correct (always a little bright), but when I used the Maplins cable it was perfect. I'm also using Maplins cable on my Asus ST and speakers in home office.
This was my post on them
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/maplins-rca-cables-were-brilliant.18823291/#post-31897266
Last edited:
I’ve ordered some VD XKE cable, also some sommer and star quad, I’ll have a go and do some tests. Looked at the MS Audio RCA’s? And Neutrik ones, which also look ok.
I currently run Chord cables, but a recent power amp means I need some 1.5m Interconnects, so instead of going down the few hundred quid route thought I’d look at DIY options. I know there’s a lot of controversy surrounding cables and most certainly some snake oil does exist. I actually sat in a demo run by chord which was quite revealing as up until that point I would have said it’s all bow locks, but there was most certainly different characteristics and detail with different cables. What was regarded as better or worse in my opinion was down to personal taste, I think it’s this that the cable companies try to maximise profit on, what they think we will think is worth paying more money for.
I’ll give this a go and try and get my hands on some better quality cable as well, I bet I’m not far of having spent the same amount as a decent chord cable already, but I can build a few sets, of which family and friends will benefit.
Thanks for all you input so far guys, much appreciated.
(I used to be a member on here many many years ago and used to shop @ OC UK 99-05 I reckon,they still in the same building)
Cheers Andy
I currently run Chord cables, but a recent power amp means I need some 1.5m Interconnects, so instead of going down the few hundred quid route thought I’d look at DIY options. I know there’s a lot of controversy surrounding cables and most certainly some snake oil does exist. I actually sat in a demo run by chord which was quite revealing as up until that point I would have said it’s all bow locks, but there was most certainly different characteristics and detail with different cables. What was regarded as better or worse in my opinion was down to personal taste, I think it’s this that the cable companies try to maximise profit on, what they think we will think is worth paying more money for.
I’ll give this a go and try and get my hands on some better quality cable as well, I bet I’m not far of having spent the same amount as a decent chord cable already, but I can build a few sets, of which family and friends will benefit.
Thanks for all you input so far guys, much appreciated.
(I used to be a member on here many many years ago and used to shop @ OC UK 99-05 I reckon,they still in the same building)
Cheers Andy
Yup
I'd be interested to learn if you find any benefit using the Starquad. From an engineering and application perspective, the benefits should only manifest in a balanced line connection (XLRs) and where the cable runs close to some or other very dirty power supply. Where you're using single-end (unbalanced) connections such as RCA plugs there isn't the opportunity to use the offset of the twin parallel geometry.
Also, if your existing cables were sitting in such strong and dirty magnetic fields as to need the benefits of balanced line and show an improvement with Starquad over ordinary balance line connections, then I think you'd hear the noise very evidently with single-ended cables. However, strange things can happen in Hi-Fi, and as you experienced in a way with the Chord demo, sometimes different is enough to convince people it's better, and folk have widely ranging opinions of what 'better' means.
If you're experimenting and fancy a go with some Van Damme Plasma Grade, I have some remnants you could have cheap. I also have some double-braid screened cables which are excellent for noise rejection, particularly at audio frequencies. There's a BBC cable I have where the shielding is insane.
Also, if your existing cables were sitting in such strong and dirty magnetic fields as to need the benefits of balanced line and show an improvement with Starquad over ordinary balance line connections, then I think you'd hear the noise very evidently with single-ended cables. However, strange things can happen in Hi-Fi, and as you experienced in a way with the Chord demo, sometimes different is enough to convince people it's better, and folk have widely ranging opinions of what 'better' means.
If you're experimenting and fancy a go with some Van Damme Plasma Grade, I have some remnants you could have cheap. I also have some double-braid screened cables which are excellent for noise rejection, particularly at audio frequencies. There's a BBC cable I have where the shielding is insane.
I'd be interested to learn if you find any benefit using the Starquad. From an engineering and application perspective, the benefits should only manifest in a balanced line connection (XLRs) and where the cable runs close to some or other very dirty power supply. Where you're using single-end (unbalanced) connections such as RCA plugs there isn't the opportunity to use the offset of the twin parallel geometry.
Also, if your existing cables were sitting in such strong and dirty magnetic fields as to need the benefits of balanced line and show an improvement with Starquad over ordinary balance line connections, then I think you'd hear the noise very evidently with single-ended cables. However, strange things can happen in Hi-Fi, and as you experienced in a way with the Chord demo, sometimes different is enough to convince people it's better, and folk have widely ranging opinions of what 'better' means.
If you're experimenting and fancy a go with some Van Damme Plasma Grade, I have some remnants you could have cheap. I also have some double-braid screened cables which are excellent for noise rejection, particularly at audio frequencies. There's a BBC cable I have where the shielding is insane.
I totally agree with this, especially regarding using the star quad in an unbalanced RCA, it’s all I have to hand at the moment, but I may hang back until the VD and Sommer materialises. Reality is my exsisting cables I think don’t suffer from strong or dirty magnetic fields, they are however running past and near electrical sources, amps, power outlets etc.. so there may indeed be some interference at some level. One thing I did notice in the chord demo was the most significant SQ differences came from, shielded cables and silver connectors, other than that to my ear, it was really hard to tell any real difference. Whether any of them sounded better than the other was for me more personal and total subjective.
I’m looking to improve the overall soundstage and presentation of my audio, thinking interconnects may be a good place to start.
Appreciate you offering your advice and experience in this field, it was this that attracted me to this thread in the first place, many thanks for that.
Regarding any spare lengths you may have, I need to make 2x1.5m interconnects, let me know what you have buddy, cheers again Andy
There'll be enough to do what you want and plenty more besides. I'll have a dig around over the next day or two.
Excellent, thanks, much appreciated
Message sent
Last edited:
Yes but the popular auction site is full of NOS old stock, and as said the cables in my view were good. I just presumed that Maplins cables were just over-priced generic cables, but I picked some up cheap when they were closing down and was really surprised by the audio quality.
As I type this i'm listening from my Asus Essence ST using a Maplins cable to the amp, they are worth a try if you can find one cheap if only to compare to your other cables.