New Bryston SC4 speaker cables

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budt

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #20 on: 26 Nov 2010, 03:46 pm »
  To my ears the difference in cables is so small that it may only exist in my head.Then again maybe my hearing simply isn't good enough.
  This is one thing I do know from experience; what you have plugged into  in certain circuits can have a dramatic effect( it can be like changing speakers the effect can be that great). ie. play around with source/preamp/amp being on the same circuits,different circuits,2 on one ,each on their own etc...It is astonishing that such differences can exist. I would have never believed it if I hadn't discovered it quite by accident one time.
   I had changed something in my system and so I unplugged the preamp and source to make this change.When I was finished trying it I reconnected the system as before but the sound suddenly was very closed in. I checked,double checked,triple checked and couldn't understand what in the world had happened.Then it occurred to me that the only difference was that I had reversed the plug ins for the source and preamp. I changed them back and instantly the sound was back.It simply never occurred to me that a difference could possibly exist. This was the case in my previous house as well as my present house( perhaps bad power in both areas). In any event it doesn't cost anything to try it.
  I know it must sound completely crazy( but I am not a "tweek" kind of guy whatsoever).Most of my wire are BLUEJEANS with the exception of my speaker wire which is BRYSTON. I don't have cones,spikes or silk clothes under anything as I simply never heard a difference but the circuit thing was dramatic.....

BrystonFan

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #21 on: 28 Nov 2010, 11:22 pm »
Hi Joel,

What's the verdict ?

I'm especially interested in how:
Van Damme (4 x 9awg.) is vs. Bryston (4 x 12awg.)

I'm currently using 2 pair of Van Damme's bi-wired to my 4BSST2 (base/mids via banana and highs via spades).

Thanks,
BrystonFan

dubkarma

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #22 on: 30 Nov 2010, 05:22 pm »
Well, I've spent a week going back and forth between the Canare 4S11 cables and the new SC4. Both are in bi-wire configuration Both use WBT-style bananas on all ends, although the ones that come with the Bryston cables strike me as better quality. No way to compare the materials used, though, since I simply don't know.

In favour of the 4S11: higher SPL at the same volume setting on the preamp. This doesn't make the least bit of sense to me, especially since the SC4 is a 4 x 12 AWG cable compared to the 4S11's 4 x 14 AWG and the SWC4 is a 10 foot pair while the 4S11 is 12 feet. But I keep noticing it. Perhaps the SC4 adds less to the sound, that is, alters the signal from the power amp less in which case there's actually less "information" being transmitted by the SC4 with the result that a higher volume setting is required to achieve the same total SPL. If not that, I'll just have to remain mystified.

In favour of the SC4: Pretty much everything else! Deeper more clearly articulated bass; less bright, but at the same time more detailed HF (e.g., percussive metal sounds like cymbals, tympanis, gongs, cowbells); less sibilance on vocals, especially female vocals (love that Azam Ali!); more vivid transients; better separation of different instruments, i.e., quieter, more "delicate" sounds less "swamped" by louder sounds.

Now I can move on (or back in time) and compare the SC4 to the Bryston-Vandamme cable. One problem there is that the Vandamme is single wire and the SC4 is biwired—and I'm not about to reconfigure the SC4.

[Associated equipment: Technics SP-10MKII on davinci_redux birch plywood plinth (thanks again, Leon!) with Jelco SA-750E tonearm and Reson Reca cartridge; Perreaux TU3 tuner; Bryston BCD-1 CD player and Tascam CD-01U/Lavry Black DA10 DAC; Bryston BP-26MC; Ayre P-5xe phono stage; MC2 Audio MC750 amplifier; Tannoy System 15 DMT II speakers; Torus RM15; Mogami 3107 for all interconnects, digital and analogue, balanced and single-ended; DIY power cables (Carol 12 AWG for sources/preamp; Carol 10 AWG for power amp and Torus); isolated ground AC receptacle (requires 4-conductor wire) on dedicated 20 amp feed.]

vegasdave

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #23 on: 30 Nov 2010, 05:41 pm »
Cool review. Thanks.

James Tanner

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #24 on: 30 Nov 2010, 05:50 pm »
Thanks for the report dubkarma, the gain difference has be stumped as well :scratch:

You can just tie the 2 reds and two blacks togther if you want to try the SC4 as a single cable.

james


vegasdave

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #25 on: 30 Nov 2010, 05:59 pm »
Can one get the SC4 single wired?

James Tanner

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #26 on: 30 Nov 2010, 06:23 pm »
Can one get the SC4 single wired?

You mean just 2 wires inside the jacket rather than 4?

james

vegasdave

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #27 on: 30 Nov 2010, 06:30 pm »
No, James, outside the jacket. 2 leads. 1 black, 1 red.

James Tanner

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #28 on: 30 Nov 2010, 06:35 pm »
No, James, outside the jacket. 2 leads. 1 black, 1 red.

Yes that is the way it would normally be used.




james

vegasdave

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #29 on: 30 Nov 2010, 06:47 pm »
Ok, how much is a pair with bananas on both ends?

Ron D

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #30 on: 30 Nov 2010, 06:55 pm »
dubkarma,

I echo your findings on the "pluses" found with the new SC4 cables. Out of the box one of the quickest realizations was that the bass was much better than my former cables.

I can also advise that I too experience a difference in gain with the Bryston cables with them requiring a touch more volume on my preamp. No explanation, not an EE so I don't have an answer but will say that I am very pleased with the new speaker cables and feel they perform well above their price point. Probably shouldn't have said this as the price will go up in January   :duh:  - get them sooner than later just in case   :wink:

James Tanner

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #31 on: 30 Nov 2010, 07:12 pm »
Ok, how much is a pair with bananas on both ends?

Hi Dave,

$9.00 a foot for the cable - Spades at $5.00 each and bananas are $10.00 each.

james

vegasdave

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #32 on: 30 Nov 2010, 07:18 pm »
Ok, cool. I'll let you know.

1ZIP

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #33 on: 30 Nov 2010, 11:33 pm »
Ron:

Just curious, are your speaker cable runs about the same length as Dubkarma's., i.e., 10 -12 feet?

BrysTony

Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #34 on: 30 Nov 2010, 11:58 pm »
I have been using the SC4 cables (8 ft) for a couple of weeks now.  The main thing that I have noticed is a more cohesive and somewhat larger soundstage.  I did not notice any change in volume but I do think everyone has a tendency to up the volume when system improvements are realized.  If it sounds good a higher volume is appreciated with the corollary being that if it does not sound good - turn it down...
Tony

Ron D

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #35 on: 1 Dec 2010, 12:05 am »
my old cables were 16' and the new ones are 15' so in my books no appreciable difference and I highly doubt that moving to a "shorter" cable would create the need for addt'l gain, I would expect the opposite but I defer the science of it to an EE, which I am not. As information my amps are 7Bs and my speakers are Maggie 1.6's.

1ZIP

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #36 on: 1 Dec 2010, 12:19 am »
I agree with you, didn't mean to imply otherwise.  My cable lengths will be 22 ft., just trying to bracket the feedback!

Levi

Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #37 on: 1 Dec 2010, 05:39 pm »
This is the best money for the buck!  :)

James Tanner

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #38 on: 30 Apr 2011, 10:24 am »
From: out theresomeone
Sent: April-30-11 2:31 AM
To: James Tanner
Subject: Update

Hi James
 
Despite the minor complications with custom agency, the cables arrived safely.  Sure they are not the kind of fancy looking cables wrapped in snake skin and presented  in a hundred dollar Peli case.  But on yes,  they are still superb performers.
 
And by the way, my system is finally up and running. The 14B SST2 and  BP26 etc.  I must say that they are like a match made in heaven along side my PMCs,  i never expected to realize that i've been missing out on so much joy and fine musical details. I'd like to quote  a short sentence from one of PMC's pro brochure : ' ... Every bryston product is hand crafted by very nice people who belive they are building the ultimate amplifier.' .  well, now based on personal experience, i can say that i belive them, and i belive you. So, thank you James, and all 'bryston peoples'.
 
Best regards.
 
 XK.

vegasdave

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Re: New Bryston SC4 speaker cables
« Reply #39 on: 7 May 2011, 08:45 pm »
Hey James, what's the minimum length I would need for the 4BSST to each speaker? 4 or 5 ft? The amp is directly between the speakers on a Target base.