[magister]

I searched this circle for speaker cables and found one or two helpful entries, but would appreciate any additional suggestions for cables that would work well with my jr's and my new PS Audio BHK 250 amp.  (There are many comments on the Masterbuilt cables, which I'm sure are excellent but outside my price range.)

Basically I like neutral, uncolored cables.  If we must deviate from neutrality, I much prefer slightly warm/relaxed sounding cables to those that are overly detailed/hot on the top end.  Setup is biwired and I listen mostly to acoustic music (classical, folk, a little jazz) along with a modicum of rock.

Thanks for any pointers!

[paul79]

There are some great cable companies right here on the Forum. Research the Triode Wire Labs and the Zenwave Audio cables. They both offer trial as well.

[magister]

Thank you, Paul.  I will check them out.

[BigSwede]

A questions like this is akin to asking what motor oil to use on an automotive board...you'll get a thousand different opinions, and end up none the wiser.

Having said that, and with the understanding that I am coming from a different financial spectrum than most on this board, I really like my Analysis Plus Oval Nines. (did you know that VSA used Analysis Plus cabling inside the VR33 and other speakers?). They have a palpable "weight" to the sound that just seems real to me. (I suggest you look for a used older pair with the purple ends, I prefer them to the newer yellow version.)

[SundayNiagara]

I searched this circle for speaker cables and found one or two helpful entries, but would appreciate any additional suggestions for cables that would work well with my jr's and my new PS Audio BHK 250 amp.  (There are many comments on the Masterbuilt cables, which I'm sure are excellent but outside my price range.)

Basically I like neutral, uncolored cables.  If we must deviate from neutrality, I much prefer slightly warm/relaxed sounding cables to those that are overly detailed/hot on the top end.  Setup is biwired and I listen mostly to acoustic music (classical, folk, a little jazz) along with a modicum of rock.

Thanks for any pointers!

Speaking of Masterbuilt, How's that website doing?

[magister]

you'll get a thousand different opinions, and end up none the wiser.

I see your point, but I actually disagree.  If people who have, or used to have, IV jr's can tell what worked for them, that provides a starting point for dealing with the very large number of cables on the market.  Of course we have different amps and so forth, but I still think it's a good way to begin.

Having said that, and with the understanding that I am coming from a different financial spectrum than most on this board, I really like my Analysis Plus Oval Nines.  . . . They have a palpable "weight" to the sound that just seems real to me. (I suggest you look for a used older pair with the purple ends, I prefer them to the newer yellow version.)

Thank you -- I will check out the Oval Nines.  They've been around long enough that there should be used pairs on the market, which is good for my bank account.

[danabunner]

I own, and have owned, some at least moderately pricey speaker cables.  Some bi-wired pairs from Tara Labs, multiple types from AudioQuest.  I have a pair of thick cables from PS Audio which listed at $750, now laying in a box.  On my VR-4 modified to VR-5/7, I am now using  AudioQuest 8 AWG stranded cables, for which I paid about $1.90/ft.  They don't sound any better than their standard 12 AWG cables, but they look a bit nicer and, hey, I paid for them several years ago, so why not?  I know Albert is a big believer in certain speaker cables, as I spoke to him about them some years back.  But as far as I'm concerned, most of them sound very similar.  I put my money into other components which I feel make much more of a difference. 

If I woke up tomorrow and all of my speaker cables were gone, I'd probably just get a roll of 12 AWG from Monoprice, making sure it was not CCA wire.  My VR-5/7 speakers sound fantastic with this stuff. 

[JackD201]

I second BigSwede's suggestion of AP Oval 9s.

[BigSwede]

I see your point, but I actually disagree.  If people who have, or used to have, IV jr's can tell what worked for them, that provides a starting point for dealing with the very large number of cables on the market.  Of course we have different amps and so forth, but I still think it's a good way to begin.

I completely understand - ya gotta start somewhere, right? OTOH, i have had my favorite interconnects sound like dog crap after changing the source component... system synergy strikes again. But I suppose speaker cables should be more consistent, unless you change amps of course.

[Delacroix]

Hi Magister -- any update on cables?

[jab]

i'm using the MasterBuilts with my BHK 300 Sig Mono's and VR55's.  I previously used A-P Oval 9's?  The system is revealing and uncolored.  Had a couple of audiophile friends over for a listen a week ago.  They said they had never heard music in a "home" setting sound so "live" and alive.  The fabulous Laufer Teknik Memory player, rounds out the system.  In a word, spectacular.

[raindance]

[Escott1377]

Probably going to get flogged for this 1 .

I own a pair of the Gen IV jr's and my reference cable for the pair was the purple series Masterbuilts.

Bi amp set up with Wyred 4 Sound MAmps on the low end and Prima Lina Dialogue 6 mojo blocks on the tweets / mids.

I built some Cat 5 cables using 3 strands per run, 24 AWG cable, works out to about 14 AWG combined.

Have not put the Masterbuilts back in since replacing - just seem to like the way these sound in my system.

Flog away...

[KLH007]

Triode Wire Labs has a neutral speaker cable at reasonable pricing.

[Delacroix]

 

Ha, well not quite a dead horse Escott --- but couldn't resist invitation to flog I also use DIY cables from time to time to remind myself what cheap can do and how anything I spend money on has to be better than the 12awg stuff I piece together. They work well for me too but not quite as good in my rig as the VSA speaker cables I've tried or the Elrod-sourced special runs Spectron sold me for my mono amps. Course, a DIY run of 12AWG costs a lot less -- I recommend everyone try a pair just as a reference.

[oem-wheels]

I'm liking my Zu Audio cables (currently Mission mk2 balanced interconnects and Libtec speaker cable).. Both pairs under $250 each... Every time I upgrade my amp, processor, etc... , the cables allows me to notice the difference between the good and the better components and their characteristics... They leave me to believe  that the cables add nothing to the sound and allows all the detail my system can reproduce...

[magister]

Thanks, everybody.  I am satisfied that the BHK 250 is now broken in, after 300+ hours (not an amp for the impatient) -- I just put up a few comments in the "amps that work with VSA" thread.  Now I will start looking into cables more seriously.  I've looked at Analysis Plus and will check out Zu Audio and Triode.  Delacroix's comments remind me that the cables I have now can't be too bad, since I have no trouble hearing how the BHK changed with break-in or when I substitute a different DAC or preamp.  But I do want to get some really good cables since I plan on keeping this amp for a while (the MasterBuilts, unfortunately, are out of my price range).

[SundayNiagara]

Thanks, everybody.  I am satisfied that the BHK 250 is now broken in, after 300+ hours (not an amp for the impatient) -- I just put up a few comments in the "amps that work with VSA" thread.  Now I will start looking into cables more seriously.  I've looked at Analysis Plus and will check out Zu Audio and Triode.  Delacroix's comments remind me that the cables I have now can't be too bad, since I have no trouble hearing how the BHK changed with break-in or when I substitute a different DAC or preamp.  But I do want to get some really good cables since I plan on keeping this amp for a while (the MasterBuilts, unfortunately, are out of my price range).

Speaking of price range?

[magister]

I have some flexibility, but certainly in the hundreds not the thousands.  Ideally I could get something in the $300-700 per pair range.  I biwire so I need two pairs.

[jab]

how long of a run do you need?