What Speaker Cables?

JackD201 · « **on:** 13 Nov 2008, 02:49 am »

Below are cables I've heard and definitely liked with VR loudspeakers, aside from Verbatims and VSA's own which are obvious fits. Please share your own experiences too. Asterisks denote "a cut above". There are quite a few I've tried at home and heard elsewhere that robbed the VRs of potential but I'll take the 5th on that matter

There are also literally hundreds I've never heard at all so time to prep that grain of salt guys

Anyhow here are the cables that (IMO only) passed with flying colors

Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8
Acoustic Zen Satori
Kubala-Sosna Fascination
Kubala-Sosna Emotion ***
Purist Audio Design Museas
Purist Audio Design Venustus ***
MIT Magnum ***
Cardas Golden Reference

I've heard from dimfer and delacroix that Virtual Dynamics cables mate well too. I hope to get to hear the combination sometime soon.

varsharun · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 04:49 am »

I would add Audience Au24 to the list - exceptional clarity and soundstaging. Was my cable of choice before I heard the VSAs.

-Arun

denjo · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 04:50 am »

And Auditorium Au23s!

McTwins · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 09:33 am »

I am using Cardas Golden Ref included interconnects. Benefit with these cables is that they are non-directional

.

DRjam · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 01:10 am »

I believe Albert uses analysis plus wiring in the innards of some of his speakers. So I would probably lean towards copper type wires. You may opt for the new VSA cabling which might be available already.

kgturner · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Nov 2008, 07:02 pm »

any experience with nordost? i'm leaning towards red dawn. i used blue heaven on a set of gershman speakers i owned previous to my dB99 and was impressed with the sound.

kevin t

stewie · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 02:26 am »

12 guage copper, shielded, RCA, sounds splendid! (especially at $10/100ft spool from local Goodwill!).

Before shelling out you hard-earned, or not-so-hard-earned $, as the case may be, be sure to check, nay memorize, Roger Russell's page. RR as you may know, was head of acoustic research at McIntosh Labs, and does not sell cable.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

es347 · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 04:35 pm »

stewie,

I found an earlier post of your's where you indicated you own Vr4 speakers. Based on the content of all but a couple of your posts, I had assumed that you were here for one reason only: to dispel the notion that there are sonic differences in speaker cables/ICs, so I'm somewhat comforted that you are here as an actual VSA owner. As I indicated in an earlier post, I have convinced myself that I do indeed hear differences in both speaker wires and ICs and am doubtful that anything you say or post links to will dissuade me. I read all about those double-blind tests back when the articles first appeared and suspect that I was aware of the controversy long before you were. My initial reaction was similar to yours but have since reevaluated based on personal experience. Even though I initially agreed with RR and company, I didn't see the need to mount my steed and ride about the countryside saving the unwashed from themselves. I also find your choice of the frowning finger-wagger especially distasteful. Even though you are apparently passionate about this topic, I think it's time for you to adopt more of a live-and-let-live philosophy and allow we uninformed the right to believe whatever we choose, even if, in your opinion, it's nothing more than an adult version of dungeons-and-dragons. Deal?

stewie · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 05:05 pm »

Hello ES,

Much beloved VR4 iii hse.

McTwins · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: stewie on 16 Nov 2008, 05:05 pm

Hello ES,

Much beloved VR4 iii hse.

What speakercable do you use?

JakeJ · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 05:53 pm »

Just chiming in. VR4 III HSE in the house here and I like 'em with Analysis Plus Silver Oval in a shotgun bi-wire setup.

¡muy bueno! Currently driving them full range with, of all things, a BEL 1001 Mk3 and it is a very nice combo.

Now I'm off to herd some leaves.

Jake

Delacroix · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 06:02 pm »

Quote from: stewie on 16 Nov 2008, 02:26 am

12 guage copper, shielded, RCA, sounds splendid! (especially at $10/100ft spool from local Goodwill!).

Before shelling out you hard-earned, or not-so-hard-earned $, as the case may be, be sure to check, nay memorize, Roger Russell's page. RR as you may know, was head of acoustic research at McIntosh Labs, and does not sell cable.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

I agree that it's useful to educate your self before you buy, but it is even more than useful to actually hear the cables in your system. Virtual Dynamics and some other companies have a decent home trial, money-back offer. You could have the cables back with them before you even had to settle your credit card bill. I didn't want to hear a difference but my cables did not go back and I paid up. If you hear no difference, save your money.

I've read Roger's page and despite all the measures, and at the end of the day he just says that if the copper is the right size, then in his experience there is no difference. Fine, that's his experience. I agree with him that there's a lot of BS in the marketing side, but unlike him, I don't dismiss it all as marketing, but that's just my experience. Some decent blind tests would be great, but it's amazing how difficult that appears to be for anyone in the industry to set up

stewie · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 08:06 pm »

Quote from: es347 on 16 Nov 2008, 04:35 pm

stewie,
I found an earlier post of your's where you indicated you own Vr4 speakers. Based on the content of all but a couple of your posts, I had assumed that you were here for one reason only: to dispel the notion that there are sonic differences in speaker cables/ICs, so I'm somewhat comforted that you are here as an actual VSA owner. As I indicated in an earlier post, I have convinced myself that I do indeed hear differences in both speaker wires and ICs and am doubtful that anything you say or post links to will dissuade me. I read all about those double-blind tests back when the articles first appeared and suspect that I was aware of the controversy long before you were. My initial reaction was similar to yours but have since reevaluated based on personal experience. Even though I initially agreed with RR and company, I didn't see the need to mount my steed and ride about the countryside saving the unwashed from themselves. I also find your choice of the frowning finger-wagger especially distasteful. Even though you are apparently passionate about this topic, I think it's time for you to adopt more of a live-and-let-live philosophy and allow we uninformed the right to believe whatever we choose, even if, in your opinion, it's nothing more than an adult version of dungeons-and-dragons. Deal?

ES,

A finger-wagging emoticon "distasteful"? My, how 18th century of you! One would have thought I'd eaten served black caviar on silver plate. Seriously ES, I have adopted fully the live-and-let-live philosophy that you kindly recommend. How is it exactly that you have not been "allowed . . . the right to believe whatever [you] choose"? It would be impossible for me not to "allow" it, even if I were so inclined, and I'm not.

As for mounting steeds and riding through countrysides (the 18th century, again!), no one likes officious, crusading types, so I do hope my posts don't adumbrate such a character. I'll only admit to thinking, here and there, of the person who stumbles on threads such as these and who assumes that since most of the respondents believe or seem to believe (I make no judgments) that expensive cables (lets say $500-8k) improve the sound of their systems, then it must be true. To that person, I offer another point of view, and suggest studies that will back it up. Spend your money where it will make a difference, I say. You, apparently, would like me to stop doing that. Why?

As for your being comforted by my being a VR owner (you're easily comforted, ES): you don't know that I own VRs anymore than I know that you are a retired electrical engineer and a reformed skeptic on high-end cable and not a 30-something high-end cable dealer. And honestly, my suspicions had not tended in that direction until you began to seem oddly insistent on curtailing my dissent. A retired EE . . . former cable skeptic . . . with a, let me guess, spouse who never notices anything, but said . . . .

All in fun, ES, I mean that.

Jake reminded me about my leaves.

es347 · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 08:27 pm »

"adumbrate"? Well at least I know you aren't an engineer, not with a vocabulary like that. You believe what you like about me and I'll do the same about you. You have 'offered your opinion' regarding cables several times. We all know where you stand on the issue and surely you know where most here stand, if that matters. If you want to jump in on every thread and restate your position on cables then knock yourself out, it's a free country...so far.

Gavin Hadley
BSEE Purdue 1970...look it up

ps...and I assume it is a white steed

fplanner2000 · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Nov 2008, 11:38 pm »

My experience has been that Synergistic Research Apex Tesla bi-wired speaker cables get the absolute best out of my system from a "you are there" perspective. Wonderful palpability and musicality with nothing added or subtracted. Virtual Dynamics cables, OTOH, were too energetic, covering up many of the nuances of my very revealing system. They added lots of sizzle - not what I am after. The SR's are much more true to the music, in my system, and I am using them throughout. Apparently, Albert was also very impressed....

es347 · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Nov 2008, 01:38 am »

Apparently, Albert was also very impressed....
[/quote]

fplanner,

I would be interested in hearing why Albert was impressed...thx.

kgturner · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Nov 2008, 01:41 am »

so i gather nobody has any experience with nordost and vsa?

kevin t

disco · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Nov 2008, 08:35 pm »

I used the Nodost Valhalla for many years and I loved it. It has a very lively upbeat presentation. Macro and micro detailing are exceptional. It is a very musical cable overall(toe taping for sure). I actually felt like the Valhalla would be the last cables I owned for many years until I heard the MIT Oracle V1.1. Now I have the top of the line MIT Oracle MA and they have such an organic presentation it is amazing! Yes, they are insanely expensive, but I cannot listen and enjoy my system without them.

msm_1 · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Nov 2008, 01:38 am »

Hi

I now use a bi-wired pair of 16' Red Dawn cables that my dealer gave me a very good price on! These are the best cables I've ever had the chance to use, and have only heard them bested by a pair of Odin's ( a 5 m pair my dealer let me try before selling these to a person who has 9's and yes, they are very expensive for cables http://www.nordost.com/productdetail.asp?ProdID=33 )

Thanks

Mike

kgturner · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Nov 2008, 06:45 pm »

thanks for the insight, fellas.

kevin t