[Photon46]

I'm posting this in the ACI forum, because of the fact that I own Talisman SE's and I'm curious about other ACI owners experience with speaker cables. I'll preface my observations with the admission that things I've experienced with speaker cable changes make me question what I really know about audio! With my previous speakers (Magnepan 1.6 qr,) I'd upgraded from 12 gauge Monster type clear PVC jacketed wire to Kimber 4tc, and then to Audio Analysis Oval 9. I never really got any impressions of great improvements going from the 4tc to the Oval 9, but I just attributed that to maybe not having a revealing enough system. After upgrading speakers, preamp (Aloia pst 11.01), amp (newest Reference Audio Mods PS Audio HCA-2,) cd player (Marantz SA11-S1.) I'd swapped out the Oval 9's for Sonoran Plateau Deserts because I needed less length in my speaker cables. When I'd sent my HCA-2 amp off for rebuilding, I reinstalled my old Luxman amp and bought some $1.00 a foot Monster Xp speaker cable because 80's era speaker connectors don't handle big spades. I was quite surprised at how good things still sounded. The big stunner came when I put the newly rebuilt HCA-2 in my system. The Monster cable sounded ridiculously decent and the improvements brought by the rebuild were transparently obvious. The Monster cost me $20.00 and the Sonoran sells for $965.00. I wouldn't say I hear no difference between them, but not $945.00 difference. This pains the audio snob in me no end, it's like a wine connoisseur admitting they can't taste the difference between a Puligny-Montrachet and a $6 Australian "critter wine." That said, I readily hear more differences in interconnects, and surprisingly (to me,) I hear the greatest cable improvements with different power cables. (Perhaps I should also mention I use a PS Audio P300 power conditioner on all my front end stuff.) I read in other threads that other similar cheapie cable like the 14 gauge Dayton wire that PartsExpress sells have wowed audio critics recently. I'm curious about the experience of other audiofools with regards to this. Are some systems just inherently less affected by some kinds of cable changes? I'm not talking about obvious things like impedance mismatches or unstable oscillating amps.

[kbuzz3]

my two cents is if you use monster cable you subject yourself to the recently confirmed diagnoisis of "monsterligititus".
According to some, what happens here is yours ears automatically shut down, your wallet is skinnier and you have become so litigious that you cant focus on music anymore....

I have no verification but I have heard that a purchase from blue jeans cable cures this in a snap.

[griller]

Cables are another world for sure. Personally I have not found power cables to make much if any difference. But I can hear differences with ICs and speaker cables. At this point, the best sounding (not most expensive) cables I've had in my system are the DH Q10 speaker cables on my Sapphire XLs and BL ICs.

[Curt D]

My take is that any well designed amplifier should be able to drive any cable of adequate size and good quality. Some high end and boutique type cables actually add reactive factors that can make things worse! I use 12 gauge Monser bulk cable with my Krell and ACI G3's with great results.

[paul canady]

Here are some great inexpensive cables. All the way from power cords to digital. They are shipped from Taiwan and built extremely well.
We are talking $80 IC's, $120 for a pair of speaker cable, $60 for a killer digital cable and $120 for a very good power cord. I cut down one pair of speaker cables which I don't recommend doing but I am glad I did. I don't see how they can make any money making a speaker cable this way. Double runs of silver plated OCC wire nicely done. The IC's have very nice WBT like rca's for this price range, they grab just like the original WBT's. I like the pure silver solid core ic's they make the best.
Go to ebay and type in pure silver analog. You should see this ebayer vintage_audio_lab. The solid core silver has more extension and detail than the other IC's and they take a couple hundred hours to really relax but still very good out of the box. This is the best I have found for the money. Shipping is steap unless you lot some items together.

[Photon46]

Thanks for the heads up Paul. The construction of the cables he sells from Taiwan are remarkable at the price. Reminds me of my impressions when I was auditioning Usher speakers from Taiwan, high value products. I decided to gamble a hundred bucks and ordered Furutech's FS-502 speaker cable. It's quite inexpensive at around $22 a meter. The Sonorans I'm using now are very heavy and inflexible. They're difficult to move around when cleaning house which irritates my wife, so I'm going to try something more flexible (like the Furutechs.) I've been very impressed with every Furutech product I've used so far, so I hope this will be the same.

[mmakshak]

  Paul, I agree that the solid-core silver IC's from Valab(ebay) are a very good deal.  In fact, if things work out, I will be comparing it to my reference IC's(two different ones).  I liked their power cables compared to my Volex 17604, and am interested in their digital IC.  The comparison I am most looking forward to is my reference silver IC and their solid-core silver.

[kbuzz3]

is this the digital cable you speak of?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Silver-Coaxial-Digital-Interconnect-DAC-audio-alchemy_W0QQitemZ290226567545QQihZ019QQcategoryZ14965QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

[AliG]

Mike,
  Let me know what you think about these Valab IC.. I'm looking for a pair of IC for my phono stage.

Thanks
barry

  Paul, I agree that the solid-core silver IC's from Valab(ebay) are a very good deal.  In fact, if things work out, I will be comparing it to my reference IC's(two different ones).  I liked their power cables compared to my Volex 17604, and am interested in their digital IC.  The comparison I am most looking forward to is my reference silver IC and their solid-core silver.

[Mike Dzurko]

Mike,
  Let me know what you think about these Valab IC.. I'm looking for a pair of IC for my phono stage.

Thanks
barry

Barry:

If you're asking me, I use nothing but DH Labs cables in all my systems at home and at ACI.  Highly recommended. 

[paul canady]

Kbuzz, That is the stuff! The price has lowered but shipping is expensive unless you put some items together. The power cord on digital is really good, better than Analysis Plus Power Oval 2's I had but well behind the Lessloss cords I have now. They are also better than the Xindak FP Gold's on digital. I am using all Vintage Audio Labs wire except power cords now with JM Lab Electra 936's, two Linn Klouts bi-amped, Ming DA MC2A3 tubed pre( amazing after replacing the Chinese stock tubes), Upgrade Company modified Denon 5910ci (great piece as well).

[kbuzz3]

paul can you add anything re expereince with the digital cable between dac and source?

[paul canady]

I had a pre-pro before the Ming and used it for movies and some concert dvd's so I can't comment on what it would do between source and dac. It is the best I have used so far by a wide margin. It is better than most of the analog ic's I have used in comparison on redbook. I can't do any comparisons anymore since getting the Ming. I love tubes now and understand why a lot of people do.

[mmakshak]

  Barry, so far I haven't been able to compare my reference silver interconnect(APL MK111) to the Valab solid-core silver.  My reference isn't long enough to reach my amps.  I'm trying to get some longer APL's.  If I had to guess, I' de say that the APL's are more detailed than the Valab's.  Now, I'm not sure the APL is solid-core(ask Thingamaknob?), so you might lose the smoothness of solid-core with the APL.  I'm currently using both Valab and APL for my digital.  I will be setting up my analog soon, but with Oritek X-2's and Valab solid-silver to start.  I've heard that analog benefits from silver.  When my analog is up(Linn, Ekos, Archiv, Mana, Lehmann Black Cube SE, Oritek preamp{OMZ DAC}), I will let you know what I think of the Valab there.