[Todd R]

To the owners of this speaker, What speaker cables did you settle on?
TIA
TR

[PhilNYC]

Acoustic Zen, of course! 

(I use Hologram II's on mine.  Tried the Epochs, but they really didn't sound very good with the Adagios...)

[Todd R]

Thanks,
Did you ever compare the Hologram II to the Audience Au24?
I'm currently using the Au24, but am wondering if AZ cables would be a better match?

[PhilNYC]

I haven't compared them, but I can try it out tonight or tomorrow (I have some Au24s available).

[Todd R]

Great!
Please let me know how they compare.
TR

[Todd R]

Phil?
Any word on the cable comparison yet?

[PhilNYC]

My apologies...shortly after I wrote that I'd try it out, someone contacted me to demo the Au24s...so I haven't had a chance to do it yet.  I'm supposed to get them back tomorrow, so I can give it a shot this weekend...

[PhilNYC]

Todd,

I put the Au24 speaker cables into my system early Sunday morning and have listened for a few hours both yesterday and today.  For some context, I'm driving them with a full Bel Canto system (DAC3->Pre3->ref1000), using AZ Matrix Reference interconnects and a Richard Gray's 600s power conditioner (on the front end gear) and Audience aR1p power conditioners (on the ref1000's).  Am driving sound-sources from my DVD player (EA-modded Sony S7700), my cable box (Motorola HD box) and my Playstation 2...all into the DAC3.

All comments about the Au24s are made in relations to the AZ Holograms.

The Au24's behaved very much as I anticipated...a very open sound with good harmonic richness and "air", but also a bit lean (specifically in the bass).  Despite the harmonic richness, I also found the Au24s to not have quite the level of detail that the Holograms have.  On the positive side, I think the Au24 offers a slightly more sophisticated mid-range, perhaps because the bass leanness was not masking as much.  For some kinds of music, I think the Au24 is preferrable (acoustic music, female vocals), but overall, the Holograms offer a more "complete" sound, doing better on a wider variety of music.  Things like soundstage and imaging, both are comparable, with no specific advantage of one over the other.

For movies and video games, my preference is strongly with the Holograms, primarily because of the bass extension and overall speed advantage they have over the Au24.

Both Au24 and Hologram are in the same ballpark...one is not an obvious upgrade over the other (they are also very similarly priced, so perhaps this was expected?), so it'll be a question of personal preference...

[Bill Baker]

 Although I have not used the Holograms with my Adagios, I have used other AZ cable as well as the AU24. For my context, the following comments are based on a system consisting of the following: EXtreme Adagio floorstanding speakers, Bella Extreme 100 mono blocs runing in triode, ModWright SWLP 9.0SE w/ external tube rectified power supply and Resolution Audio OPUS 21 CD player. Interconnects were both the AZ Matrix Reference II and Audience AU24.

I will have to agree with Phil regarding the different presentation. I too found the heavier AZ cables to have more body in the lower end with the AU24s being a bit faster. I did like the sense of air that the AU24s offered and again as Phil mentioned, this was more apparent probably due to not having the extended fullness down below. It's a matter pf perseption.

 I could live with either combination and believe choosing the right recipe would depend on one's system and personal preferences. As you notice, I didn't mention a preference.

 I have also used MANY other cables in this system including Empirical Designs, Sonoran by StarSound, Eichmann eXpress 4 and 6 and more.

[Todd R]

Thanks guys,
Looks like I'd better stay with the Audience, seems like the Holograms might make things worse for me?
 
My complains about the Adagio are:
A "softness" in the midrange, no bite on horns, too polite.
Slight lack of punch.
Bass is rather loose, not always well defined even though I seem to have plenty of it.

I am fairly sure break in on the speakers is complete by now. I didn't keep close track of the hours, but haven't really noticed any more improvements lately.

Let me know if you have any more suggestions.
TR

System is:
Cary 303/200 CD
VPI Scoutmaster, Benz M2, Benz Series 2 Lukaschek PP-1 Phono Stage
BAT VK-300x integrated amp
Cardas Golden Reference interconnects & power cords
Shunyata Hydra 6 (amp is plugged directly into the wall)

[PhilNYC]

Although I have not used the Holograms with my Adagios, I have used other AZ cable as well as the AU24.

Bill, what other AZ speaker cables have you tried with the Adagios?  FWIW, I originally tried the Adagios with the AZ Epoch, and it really sounded pretty bad (small presentation, no depth)...I was thinking about returning the speakers to AZ until on a whim I tried putting the Holograms in.  MAJOR difference, saving me a boatload in shipping...

Haven't tried the Satoris with them...

[Bill Baker]

Hello Phil,
 It was the Satori cables I was speaking of. I don't do a lot of retail cable sales (or even much retail sales period) so I don't bring in everything. I did have a customer bring in his Epoch a while back but I didn't get a chance to give it a good listen.

 To clear things up a bit more, I use tubes exclusively which requires a bit of a different cable choice. I do like a cable that provides speed and livliness over extended low end body and fullness.

[Todd R]

FYI,
I borrowed a set of Hologram II cables and liked them a lot better than the Au24 on these speakers.
As good as the Au24, is with other speakers, the AZ cables worked better on the AZ speakers. 

I found more detail, openess, and dynamics with the AZ Hologram II
Just thought I should put in my .02 of experence.
TR