[Carlman]

I am searching for a great set of IC's and speaker cable and many AC'ers have pointed to Bolder.  So, I came here seeking input on comparisons and expectations.  This will be a signifigant investment if I end buying new IC's, Digital, and speaker cable.

I currently use Kimber PBJ and KC-1.  I like it.  It has better'ed Audioquest Diamondback and Copperhead, Canare 4S11, and has been almost as good as some other higher priced cable.

I'm building Dan B's Beldenators at the moment (discussed in Critic's circle) and hope to have a slight improvement over the PBJ's.  If I sell the PBJ, I could use the money toward an M80 cable.

For speaker cable:  I've been seriously considering using DHLabs SilverSonic T14 speaker cable and building custom jumpers at the speaker end.  
Has anyone compared Bolder's M80 speaker cable compare to T14?

The M80's IC's have been well-reviewed and I will probably buy some.. but, if they aren't a signifigant improvement over the Kimbers or DIY Belden's, I will not want to keep them.
Has anyone compared M80's to KC-1 or PBJ?  I'd love your feedback.

Digital Cable: I have an Illuminati DV-30 now that is much better than the Aural Symphonics it replaced.  Anyone have experience with these cables?

Thanks and any advice or 'expectation-setting' is appreciated.  

-Carl

[Wayne1]

Hello Carl,

When I first made the M-80 interconnects, the DAM did a fair amount of comparative listening at Tyson's. Some of the results of those sessions are over in the BOLDER Cable forum on Harmonic Discord.

Tyson may be stopping over later this week to return some stuff he has borrowed. He has asked to borrow some more cables from my stockpile to do another round of listening tests.

I had planned on loaning him a pair of Kimber Tonik, Hero, ZU Oxyfuel, Belden 89259 single run (BOLDER Type 1), HT Truthlinks and maybe a couple of other interconnects so he can compare them to the Beldenators and the two pair of M-80s he has.

On HD you can also find a comparison Tyson did with the Digital cable I make and the Kimber Illuminati D-60 digital cable.

Tyson and Ernest have M-80 speaker cables. They replaced the Jon Risch designed CC89259 speaker cable with the M-80 and both felt it was a good step up. There should be lots of comparisons of the CC89259 to the T14 over on Audio Asylum's cable forum.

Thanks for considering BOLDER Cables

[Hantra]

Has anyone compared M80's to KC-1 or PBJ? I'd love your feedback

Carl:

The M-80's KILL PBJ.  I think I speak for Wayne, and myself when I say that we are both huge Kimber fans.  PBJ was my favorite reference interconnect for a long time until it was unseated by Silver Streak, and that was unseated by Silver Lace.  Then I got the 47 Labs, and I liked it better, but it was replaced by the M-80.  

M-80 is better then the 47 Labs, and the 47 Labs is way better than PBJ in my system.  I just traded my PBJ away to BradV.  

Anyhow, the 47 Labs was clearer, and way faster than the PBJ.  Things had much more bite.  The 47 Labs also was more tonally accurate to me than the Silver Lace.  So, the difference between the 47 Labs and the M-80 is that the M-80 is much more natural.  It is quite a bit easier to listen to than the 47 Labs.  Smoother, and more natural without even a hint of loss in the detail department.  

I hope that at least gives you some idea what to expect.  

I will be doing a comparison between Andy's Zu Varial, Jena Labs Trio+ and the M-80's real soon.  If the AU24's will ever get here, I'd include those in the comparison, but it seems that they are heavily backordered.

L8r,

B

[Jay S]

I don't think you can go wrong with the M80, particularly now that it is on sale ($100 for a 0.5m pair, I believe).  Guan, Kenneth, Icefox and I spent an afternoon listening to cables and really thought that the M80 was a very enjoyable interconnect to listen to.

[Carlman]

From AC, there was a guy selling the .75M for $75 so, I bought them.  I figured I could sell them for that price if I didn't like them or feel there was much of a difference.

I have them connected now and am comparing them to my newly created 'Beldenators'... I don't know if the M80's are directional but, one end has white shrink wrap and the other is black.  I have black on the source, my DAC.  I can only compare this one set of cables so, I'm just switching them on my DAC and using 2 inputs on the pre-amp.  The pre-amp to amp is the Beldenators.

Compared to PBJ, they are indeed a dramatic change.  I think 'Natural' is an excellent word to characterize the M80's.  However, the Beldenators are quite a step up from the PBJ's as well.  Much more bite, detail, and quickness.  There is not a huge difference between the Belden and the M80....  

The only signifigant difference in the M80 to the Belden's is that the pace seems somehow more correct with the M80.  The instrument placement is a little more accurate with the M80.  To me it sounded like more of a speaker cable change instead of an IC change which I found interesting.  

So, now I'm trying to decide whether the M80's are 'that much' better than the Beldenators.  I cannot sell the Belden's to fund new cable.  And, the cables I have made are in the same league as the M80's. (In my system, by my ear)  There is maybe a 5% improvement with the M80.  And, I 'need' new speaker cable.

Currently I'm using Kimber 4TC but, also have some Audio Magic 'Extreme' that I think sounds a little better.  
I may buy some DH Labs T-14 speaker cable and do a shotgun setup, I may buy some Bolder... just not sure yet.  I wish I had the knowledge to calculate what would work best so I didn't have to buy so much cable.

Thanks for the advice and expectation-setting.  The M80's are definitely a great IC.  They make a good reference cable while setting the bar fairly high.  

Hantra, if you're interested I could send you a spare pair of the Beldenators I made to include in your comparison.  They do a lot right.

Thanks again,
Carl

[Wayne1]

Carlman,

The white heatshrink should have printed on it " The BOLDER Cable Company SOURCE". The black heatshrink just has the company name on it.

Put the end with the white heatshrink on your DAC and the black on your preamp. I would suggest that you let signal flow through them for a few days and compare them again to the Belden.  I believe that the seller stated he hadn't used them for some time.

[Carlman]

Since I have them on backwards , I'll definitely give it another critical listen.  Somehow the word 'source' didn't sink in.

Thanks,
Carl

[GCS]

Wayne,

You are correct on that.  Once I got rid of my amp the M80s sat wrapped up in my drawer for about 2 months and had seen no action.  This was my reason for selling.  I hated to do it but I hate to see good things being wasted more.

As soon as I can get into separates I will DEFINITELY be getting some M80s to go between the pre/pro and the amp(s).

BTW that component cable you did for me is working out great.  FYI I still owe you some pics and a review.  I guess I really need to get off my ass and make it happen!

Thanks

Greg

[JoshK]

You won't be sorry.  The M80's are the second best IC's I have heard in my system.  First would be my bybee Nitros.