[77SunsetStrip]

Several months back installed tube connectors in my speakers.  Like the material and concept of the tube connectors, but a little skeptical there would be much change.  Left a pair of the original connectors in place for comparison purposes.  Could not honestly hear much difference.  But wait - there is more to the story.

Listened for weeks after the tube connector change still not satisfied with sound quality.  REW measurements confirmed lower midrange down.  After some head scratching decided to eliminate potential trouble spots in the signal path from amp to speakers.  Found a couple relays that allowed switching between 2 sets of speakers with high impedance.  Eliminated the relay and a couple associated terminal connection.  Straight from amp to speakers.  Surprising change in sound quality.  Listened to many different tracks that were so much more alive. 

Next compared sound quality between the tube connectors and original terminals.  Ahh, the difference appeared.  Although the straight connection to the amp made a big difference, there remained a bit of harsh edge to some vocals using the original speaker terminals.  Also, piano and acoustic guitar tone just not quite right.  Switch to the tube connectors and harsh edge disappeared.  Piano and guitar tone correct.  Everything smooth with a clarity simply enjoyable at any volume level.

Just food for thought. Lesson I learned is the cleanest and simplest signal part resulted in excellent sound quality.  Tube connectors, for me, added refinement and clarity.
 

[Edgar77]

Thanks, interesting.

I have to admit I don't understand your sentence: "Found a couple relays that allowed switching between 2 sets of speakers with high impedance"

Did you, or anybody else here, tried the connections from amp to the crossover without any connectors? Just speaker cables soldered to the crossover without any connectors on the speaker side?

[electronicsfanatic]

Very interested in his response.  I will be running tube connectors to my X-Statiks and wonder the difference that the 24 conductor wire will make.  I might have to build these cables.  They do very much look like the Kimber cables but, will come in at a fraction of the cost.

[77SunsetStrip]

Sorry for not being clear.  Intended to keep the post on point without getting too long.  The 2 relays mentioned are in a control center unit.  My amplifier output is connected to the control center.  With front panel selector controls the 2 relays to route the Amp output to two different speaker pairs individually or together.  The relay contacts were dirty, corroded or just plain worn.  A good cleaning helped restore Left - Right balance, but sound quality still had some rough edges.

A direct connection between amp and speaker with no connectors could be feasible in some cases.  I use a tube and solid state amp depending on the music and mood, so connectors are necessary.  Don't know if wiring direct to the crossover would be significantly better than Tube Connectors.

After more listening I have to admit the magnitude of sound quality improvement was understated.  After listening to Pink Floyd Division Bell, Mark Knoffler & Emmy Lou Harris, and Ray Charles Genius Loves Company it sunk in how much distortion had been assaulting my ears.  The clean, clear, detailed sound delivery with a rightness of tone is remarkable.

I am not giving credit for all the improvement to Tube Connectors.  My situation included correcting significant signal path problems.  However, after those corrections the Tube Connectors added what I will call the final refinement.

[corndog71]

They do very much look like the Kimber cables but, will come in at a fraction of the cost.

I hate to be controversial but they’re Chinese rip-offs of US-made Kimber.  While I concede Kimber can be overpriced on most of their cables, they are built with US labor and have been making their braided cables for over 40 years.  You can still get great performance from Kimber VS and TC series at more reasonable prices.

[Early B.]

I hate to be controversial but they’re Chinese rip-offs of US-made Kimber. 

Two questions --

1. Hasn't every cable designer "ripped off" from Kimber? (see below)

2. What's wrong with a rip-off?


Here's an interesting paragraph I lifted from an article on the history of high end cables:

Ray Kimber’s “Aha!” moment arrived in the mid-70s while working as a sound engineer in Los Angeles when the first big discotheques were being installed in the States. The big problem encountered during the install was with cables picking up EMI/RFI noise from electronics and, especially, lighting systems. In a discotheque, placement is very tight so that noise from the lighting systems was significant and clearly audible due to ordinary cable behaving like an antenna. Kimber tried shielding at first by encasing the cable in a steel conduit. This did help with the noise, but sound quality suffered. The fix that worked was to braid the negative and positive polarity conductors of the cable at an angle approaching 90 degrees. At such angles, EMI/RFI is reduced through electric-field cancellation. Not only was lighting system noise eliminated but sound quality improved across the spectrum. After braiding the first speaker cables by hand and listening to the results, Kimber decided to strike out on his own with Kimber Kable. Since the initial need was for braided cable, he started buying braiding machines to expedite production. In subsequent years Kimber continued to experiment with the number of conductors, insulation, and metals, the ultimate goal being to make a cable that is as neutral as possible.

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/a-short-history-of-high-end-cables

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I hate to be controversial but they’re Chinese rip-offs of US-made Kimber.  While I concede Kimber can be overpriced on most of their cables, they are built with US labor and have been making their braided cables for over 40 years.  You can still get great performance from Kimber VS and TC series at more reasonable prices.

"Rip-off" isn't probably quite the right term? Since it would imply that the product is bad or a scam, but they are honestly great cables.
Tbh, a lot of the savings comes from doing the assembly yourself, as well as sourcing the braided cable from a Chinese manufacturer, which is honestly standard practice for most any manufacturer or  industry.

But tbh, it's on you where your values lie, and where/how you would rather spend your money.

To the larger point about tube connectors and the signal path in general, its definitely noticable going from bare wire with binding posts to tube connectors, even with cheap 14-gague zipcord. I noticed the difference in clarity and detail instantly, its not always easy to explain outside of an analogy like putting on a new pair of glasses after going 5+ years without updating the prescription. You could always see, but not things are just crisp & detailed. (Or like cleaning a dusty window, you get the idea)

Add in a better cable, like Danny's 16 or 24 strand kits & it really opens up the depth & imaging within soundstage, detail still comes in just as clear as ever, but it has so much more depth.

Its been a fun journey, seeing the differences that can be made in places where some will say none exists or matters.
And after reading thru your delima with extra components in the signal path, and how removing them made previously small changes appear as night and day.

But as I've mentioned in previous discussions, Tube connector's aren't "magic" that "adds detail" to the quality of the signal, it simply aims to do as little harm as possible, and in my experience, it does so with flying colors.
Its as close as you can get to a direct connection without having permanently attached cables..

[Speaker Challenged]

"But as I've mentioned in previous discussions, Tube connector's aren't "magic" that "adds detail" to the quality of the signal, it simply aims to do as little harm as possible, and in my experience, it does so with flying colors.
Its as close as you can get to a direct connection without having permanently attached cables."

Hi Hobbs I couldn't have said it better and that is the best description yet for using tube connectors. It makes it as close as you can get to a direct soldered connection.

Cheers
SC

[richidoo]

An audiophile miracle?

Audiophile buys a tweak, can't hear any difference. 
But instead of taking it personally and blaming others 
he thinks hmm, maybe my system isn't good enough to hear it 
Then he actually finds something wrong and fixes it himself 
and now he can hear the difference! 

Well done, sir! 

[Danny Richie]

Thanks for posting the feedback 77SunsetStrip.

"But as I've mentioned in previous discussions, Tube connector's aren't "magic" that "adds detail" to the quality of the signal, it simply aims to do as little harm as possible, and in my experience, it does so with flying colors.
Its as close as you can get to a direct connection without having permanently attached cables."

Hi Hobbs I couldn't have said it better and that is the best description yet for using tube connectors. It makes it as close as you can get to a direct soldered connection.

Very correct, and nicely said.