Interconnects

George Hincapie · 3 Nov 2015 at 08:45

What interconnects are you guys using between your Source and Amp?

Additionally, in terms of optical links, are they much of a muchness or is there an improvement from buying more expensive ones?

TIA.

Yaayuh! · 3 Nov 2015 at 09:00

popcorn.jpg

lucid · 3 Nov 2015 at 09:15

Chord Chrysalis or Chord Crimson for analogue interconnect. Digital coax is Liberty Interflex SD and BT3002. For optical I just use the basic interconnects from CPC. With optical the key criteria for determining quality is the polishing of the ends of the fibre. Outside of the data networking industry I haven't found anyone talking about that in a meaningful way to do with sub £50 interconnects.

George Hincapie · 3 Nov 2015 at 10:05

Thanks Lucid, that's great.

Nick1881 · 3 Nov 2015 at 19:23

I use these https://markgrant.co.uk/audio-cable...-cables-canare-l4e6at-star-quad-balanced.html

In fact nearly all of my interconnects are from Mark Grant. Also have a few from design a cable.

Kei · 3 Nov 2015 at 19:47

RCA interconnects (analogue or digital) I use are 75ohm BNC terminated Canford Audio SDV-LFH coax with adaptors
XLR between Preamp and power amps is Canford Audio HST terminated with neutrik or cannon connectors
Optical is VDC

If they are good enough for studios, they are good enough for the home.

9designs2 · 3 Nov 2015 at 22:35

Mostly been Linn Silver I/C's for many years, just in the last couple of weeks switched to Supra Sword cables between my DS and Pre, and Pre to Power amps...... But that little swap is a whole new thread on its own LOL......

Cosimo · 4 Nov 2015 at 08:30

Rossi~ said:
popcorn.jpg

Which connector does that use, does it make your amp pop?

joeyjojo · 4 Nov 2015 at 08:56

Whatever's lying around. Some Mark Grant, some high-end stuff bought on ebay for cheap, some cheaper ones (but not the kind that come included with things). As long as they're well made and shielded they all sound the same.

For optical (TOSLINK) again I use whatever as long as it feels thick and well made, to protect the fibre from bending too tightly. Currently using some low-mid range QED cable, picked it up for £10.

Kei said:
RCA interconnects (analogue or digital) I use are 75ohm BNC terminated Canford Audio SDV-LFH coax with adaptors

This kind of thing? They look good, and good price, will definitely use them next time.

Marsman · 4 Nov 2015 at 10:38

Please don't let spoffle in here. Not that I disagree with what he says on the subject of cables; it's just that we don't need another thread genuinely asking if there is any benefit to having more expensive cables, turning into another heated disagreement.

Cosimo · 4 Nov 2015 at 11:38

I use Van den Hul interconnects for all my source to amp connections. Have done so for years.

9designs2 · 4 Nov 2015 at 17:07

what's this ... confession time ...LOL

Cosimo · 4 Nov 2015 at 17:23

9designs2 said:
what's this ... confession time ...LOL

Just waiting for the chicken wire brigade to turn up and give us all absolution for our sins.

Raymond Lin · 4 Nov 2015 at 17:26

Cosimo said:
I use Van den Hul interconnects for all my source to amp connections. Have done so for years.

I have 3 pairs of VDH, The First, and First Ultimate and one cheap £20 one that's chocolate brown.

Tbh, it's bloody hard to tell between them, if at all.

Kei · 4 Nov 2015 at 19:26

joeyjojo said:
This kind of thing? They look good, and good price, will definitely use them next time.

This is what I use. I got plenty of off cuts from work when they moved premises. The cable is quite happy carrying 3Gbit HDSDI without issue so analogue audio, SPDIF and component video is no trouble.

Flukester · 7 Nov 2015 at 14:41

The only reason to buy a more expensive 'interconnect' would maybe be build quality. £10 is all you need for something well made. Any more does nothing / zip / nahdah etc etc.

There is no difference, one won't produce some magical increase in quality..... in a blind test you would not be able to tell the difference between a £10 cable and a £100 one.

As far as optical, it again would be quality of build nothing more. Light carrying a digital signal is just that. The light and associated digital signal either reaches the end point or not.

/leaves thread after throwing 'truth grenade'

ps: I'm not even a 'audiophile'... whatever one of those is. Just a ex audio electronics guy who does not believe in magic smoke.

Flukester · 7 Nov 2015 at 14:42

Raymond Lin said:
I have 3 pairs of VDH, The First, and First Ultimate and one cheap £20 one that's chocolate brown.

Tbh, it's bloody hard to tell between them, if at all.

There is none :-)

You would fail a blind test

Armageus · 7 Nov 2015 at 14:56

Tesco and amazonbasic "interconnects" (cables) for me I'm afraid. Certainly don't feel like I'm missing out. In the days of analog everything maybe it made a difference but with HDMI and optical as flukester has said, the signal either gets there or it doesn't.

9designs2 · 7 Nov 2015 at 17:06

Flukester said:
The only reason to buy a more expensive 'interconnect' would maybe be build quality. £10 is all you need for something well made. Any more does nothing / zip / nahdah etc etc.

There is no difference, one won't produce some magical increase in quality..... in a blind test you would not be able to tell the difference between a £10 cable and a £100 one.

As far as optical, it again would be quality of build nothing more. Light carrying a digital signal is just that. The light and associated digital signal either reaches the end point or not.

/leaves thread after throwing 'truth grenade'

ps: I'm not even a 'audiophile'... whatever one of those is. Just a ex audio electronics guy who does not believe in magic smoke.

Oh look we got a bite at last......

1. Please tells us which website you got that from.
2. Please list the cables you have tried to validate your claims/point of view.
3. If Blind testing is your line of attack then you have no idea how people enjoying and listening to music.

But then as "ex audio guy" you clearly misunderstood it all... as you say "some magical increase in quality"... ISN'T what happens, so no wonder your were disappointed....
No cable improves the sound, but some degrade it less.... therefore the perfect cable has zero degradation, zero effect, zero sound changing effect.

In practice many cables do change the sound by varying amounts....subjectively we each choose the one we think is right, which in the end is just a personal preference.

Alternatively it is far cheaper (but less rewarding) to go down the route that all cables, amplifiers, CD players, streamers etc all sound the same after few pounds....
I mean all computers do the same, all watches tell the same time, all cars do 70 mph... please insert the next 100 examples yourself....
Then we can all have a race to the bottom of the pile, and rid our lives of anything of any quality and value, because they're all the same and any crap is just as good an "expensive" one.....

Anyway it's a voluntary hobby, those that make an effort to check stuff out for themselves often benefit from a better sounding and more enjoyable system to play and enjoy music on..... but heaven forbid if we should dare to post something positive about it on a forum :rolleyes:

lucid · 7 Nov 2015 at 18:39

Flukester said:
The only reason to buy a more expensive 'interconnect' would maybe be build quality. £10 is all you need for something well made. Any more does nothing / zip / nahdah etc etc.
....

/leaves thread after throwing 'truth grenade'

ps: I'm not even a 'audiophile'... whatever one of those is. Just a ex audio electronics guy who does not believe in magic smoke.

That so-called 'truth grenade' is a bit of a dud I'm afraid. Just from a purely economic standpoint, £10 isn't enough money to buy a stereo phono cable that isn't a moulded design with God knows what cable geometry. Ditto for a digital coax lead.

Oh, and an audiophile is simply a word used to describe someone who cares enough about music to pay attention to the gear they use.