[benn600]

I have purchased the complete Paradigm Signature S8 speaker system with the Anthem D2 preamp & Anthem A5 amplifier.  I am now trying to decide on the cable.

My dealer carries AudioQuest cable.  I have already purchased 33' pairs of Rocket 44 for the surround speakers in addition to a 30' HDMI-1 cable.  Both of which are quite pricey.  I'm trying to decide if I am making a mistake spending so much on the cables.  I'm used to finding dirt cheap cables online but this is by far the most I have ever spent on any theater system.

My dealer has suggested we go with 9' pair Rockefeller cables, based on all our equipment and room size.  He said we have the option to upgrade to the Gibraltar.  He did not recommend the K2 silver wire because he said it would make the system sound way too bright.  Then, of course, Rockefeller or Gibraltar (4' probably) for the center channel.

Finally, Sub-3 for the sub and King Cobra interconnects.  They have these interconnects from their display and are selling them at about half price.  They said DBS isn't really needed on these (or the sub cable) because they are balanced with the third wire.

It's just a mess.  I mean maybe we should just get Rocket 44 for the front speakers, too?  Or BLUE JEANS cable???  Their cable is much cheaper and 10 awg instead of 12 for the Rockefeller.  Please give me some ideas.  Of course they want to sell me more but I can't ignore the fact that these cables have to truly be "better" for whatever that is worth.

Thanks!

[mark funk]

I use all Belden cable from Blue Jeans Cable and it works just fine for me and it does not cost a lot.

[mark funk]

 -Read this before you spend a lot of money on cabling- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The nice folks from MIT cables asked us to do an A-B test of their $1500 a pair super cables with great big boxes built into the speaker lines.  We set up a true double blind test comparing the MIT cables with the ones I was using, especially modified 16 gauge zip cord from Home Depot (especially modified by me - cut to the correct length to reach from the amp to the speakers - very important!!    ).

The results, ran three tests with all listeners sent out of the room and the setup changed by one of my guys who did not take part in the listening tests.  There were four guys from MIT, me, Jim Salk, his wife Mary, and a couple of interested bystanders.  We held the test just after the show ended on Sunday afternoon.

The instructions to the hookup guy were to either change or not change the cables.  The amp volume control was not touched, we listened to the same cut, the first on on the Shelby Lynne album, "Just a Little Lovin'".  We were using my Insight Control amplifier and Insight DAC and Jim's new ribbon tweeter version of the Songtowers. It was as very high definition, transparent, dynamic, and wide range system.

After the first two sessions, in which the cables may or may not have been changed and who knows which were started with, I instructed my guy to definitely swap to the other cables for the third session.  Again no listener knew which they were listening to.

We listened a third time, and then voted.  In a nutshell, the first session received zero votes.  The voting was essentially split between session two and three with the vote divided between the two about equally and among both the MIT guys and the AVA - Salk guys.

Then the moment of truth.  The first session was MIT cables.  The second session was also MIT cables (nothing changed). The third session was my $2.00 zip wire speaker cables.

The results (just as I would have expected)  RANDOM!

I do admit than when I voted, and I voted last, I said that the differences, if any, were very very small, and that I thought that session two (MIT cables) were slightly better than session one (MIT cables), and that I thought that session two was slightly better than session three (zip wires).  I was as random as anyone else there.

So, given the price of the MIT cables ($1500) and the AVA Insight Control Amp ($1500), a buyer could have made the same budget choice of buying Jims's speakers ($2400) and our Insight control amp to drive them, along with some zip cord speaker wire, or buy the speakers and the MIT cables, and no amplifier at all!

Given the results of the test, which would you choose.

Best regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[benn600]

A lot of money on cabling? So what is a lot?  Originally I was looking at the 8' Rockefeller for around $700 I think (pair).  Here's a question: with the Rocket 44 @ $10/foot, it's only 13 AWG.  I've read people recommend 9 AWG wire, which can be purchased for a buck or two a foot, right?  Is the Rocket 44 cable a rip off?  I could much higher gauge wire for a lot less.

Also: what does 13 AWG refer to: there are 8 total wires, 4 in each half of the wire with 2 reds/ 2 blacks on each half.  Does 13 AWG mean the gauge of all 4 on one half of the cable?  Most of the 9 AWG wires are just two conductor.