Hi Gavin,
I wrote you a long PM but I accidentally closed the darned window! Grrrrrrrrrr.
Anyhow my thinking on cables is this. The ultimate cable should sound like no cable at all. The problem is nobody knows what that is!
So, I put cables as totally subjective. In a system that is as evolved as yours where power cable changes have already become noticeable, I suppose the only way to choose a cable is to actually try it. Luckily I'm a dealer and good friends with all the other dealers over here so we get to swap stuff around for the shear fun of it. I can't say I've had much experience with CAT 5s and the like. I only have one client that uses home brew CATs and he is down south. That means the only time I heard them with VRs was the day Keith and I flew down to deliver and set them up. The surroundings and associated equipment was too alien for me to compartmentalize their sonic contributions.
This doesn't mean to say I don't have my favorites. All my favorites let a spectrum through with little emphasis on any frequency band while letting lots of harmonics through too. In other words, neutral in the good sense. These cables really won't help folks that are trying to manipulate their tonal balance.
Lets use your VSA Master Built Bi-Wires as an example. I'd say it was fairly neutral but a touch rolled off on top which in turn makes the mid-bass and bass seem a tad fuller as compared to the Signature Version or the Verbatim Signatures. Depending on any number of circumstances any of the three might be the right choice depending on the desired outcome. So there really is no right or wrong only what you prefer.
For clients that use VR-5s and up I normally recommend Kubala-Sosna Emotions or VSA Master Builts for a warmer more romantic sound albeit the K-S are a touch more romantic with some very slight emphasis on chest tones than the VSAs and more extended too. The VSA Masterbuilt Signatures are just as extended but a bit more neutral in the midrange. K-S Elations however are even more neutral than the Signatures and a touch less romantic. This is closing in on "the no cable paradigm" along with the MIT Oracles. My reference Verbatims are close but not as refined as these two. Unfortunately I can't afford either and if I could I probably would go get that Harley-Davidson I've always wanted
Here's the thing though, very neutral cables matched with very neutral or well balanced speakers like VSAs are snooty as heck. They put everything before it in full focus. They tempt analog nuts like me to adjust VTA every time I switch from a 150g to a 180g LP because you can really hear the difference. I'm over weight and need exercise anyway so this fits me fine
They are also a nightmare for Vinyl sellers because surface noise that they didn't hear while play grading LPs on their systems are suddenly obvious.
The long and the short of it is just go with what sounds best at the amount you're willing to spend. Cables are funny that the majority of the time the changes are sideways and not upgrades or downgrades even if prices vary greatly because as I said it is really purely subjective. One man's edge is another man's bite. I'm sure if you scoped these top cables there wouldn't be any significant differences in their measurements.
Every time I get over excited about cables and how they sound, I just remind myself that they don't add anything. They all just let different amounts through while holding back some electrons here and there. It's just a reminder that no perfect cable will ever exist, only one perfect for what we might be looking for. There will always be trade offs especially when comparing the best ones out there.
Boy am I seriously off-topic or what!!!!
