[hertz]

If you were to change the odyssey Quattro reference cables, would you upgrade to the TS Premium or any other ?
Any experience with other cables ?

[drphoto]

Gregg Straley's Reality Cables. Not just a great cable for the money, but a great cable period.

[Eduardo AAVM]

I have been using  WHat else ? Groneberg Quattro Reference for the last 8 or nine years.

I have compared them with other brands and still I find better sounding from Groneberg even compared with more expensive products, with others it is the cost/performance thing that stillmake me choose Groneberg.

[machinehead]

I have the Groneberg Quattro's.

They replaced DNM's with Eichman bayonnets.

[DigiPete]

I am using Grover Sx speaker cables, only 1M long, from my black board khartago mono extremes to my Paradigm Ref 100 v4s. They are very transparent and neutral/natural sounding to me. I like 'em.

[Nicholas Bedworth]

These cables work very well indeed between the Stratos glass ceiling and Usher Be-718s...

1. Audioquest Kilimanjaro (solid silver)
2. Audioquest Meteor (silver over copper)
3. Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6 (silver over copper)

The speakers are driven in a dual bi wire arrangement. Differences between these top-notch cables are minimal; probably it's a matter of personal preference as to which ones are more enjoyable in a given situation.

[Oystein]

Although a Khartago is not a Stratos the internals and sound signature are almost identical so I post my answer for a Khartago Plus amp:

I use the DH Labs (silversonic) Q10 speaker cables.

As the amp is a real bargain it is easy to buy speaker cables which cost as much as the Khartago.
The DH Labs cables are also real good cables for the money so I found a good balance in total costs and result 

[BobC]

Went for Straightwire "Soundstage" (I think) to Groneberg TS Premiums with a noticable improvement.  Key factor for my selection of the TS Premiums was the thick (cat proof) plastic jacket.

[djbnh]

I've got a set of 1 m TS Premium ICs that I have not used for over 2 years due to a change in ICs. Comments / offers welcome

[TJHUB]

Hey guys,

I've only had my Odyssey amps a few days now and I'm still getting to know them.  I currently run Calabrine Quadio speaker cables and I was happy with them over the last year, but I may try something different soon.  One thing that would be very helpful is if those of you posting that one cable is "better" than another, I'd love to have you state what you heard that made them "better". 

About a year ago, I wanted prettier cables for my setup.  I went with Calabrine because they were "pretty" and not all to pricey.  I received the Calabrine's (a 14-4 cable) and quickly replaced my 7 year old Home Depot 12awg zip cord.  The sound was terribly dark.  The highs were so rolled off, it actually sounded like my tweeters were not even working.  I was shocked to say the least.  Long story short, I couldn't contact Calabrine and decided to purchase different cables to replace them.

My next purchase was from Blue Jeans Cable; go with something safe I thought.  I purchased some Belden 5T00UP 10awg wire and locking bananas.  The BJC's showed up and I made up my cables and again replaced my Home Depot cables.  The sound was now terribly bright!  Again, I couldn't believe it.  I was not aware that basically normal copper wires could sound SO different.  I was very disappointed, but I gave the Belden's a few days of listening to see if I could adjust to them.  NOPE!  Any recordings that were even slightly on the brighter side just bit at my ears.  I couldn't take it any longer and decided to pull them and once again go back to my Home Depot cables.

During my few days of giving the Belden's a solid objective listen, the owner of Calabrine contacted me and apologized up and down for the week and half delay in a response to my cable problems and return request.  He had been out for a surgery and things fell way behind.  The funny thing is that he asked me to call him on the phone because he needed to speak to me.  When I called he asked me about the sound of his cables and as soon as I told him what they sounded like, he told me he knew what the problem was and wanted to verify.  He also then told me that he had a full replacement set of cables on the way to me.  He said the problem was that a newer employee had made my cables from a R&D roll of wire and not the proper stuff. 

So a few days later the new Calabrine's show up and I swap out the Home Depot with with the correct Calabrine's.  Ahh, things sound the same.  I now had a pretty set of cables that sounded the same as my Home Depot cables.  Objective achieved!  I've been running them ever since.

So one weekend last Winter, I decided to pull out measuring gear (Room EQ Wizard with a Behringer ECM8000 mic).  I measured each cable I had: the Home Depot 12awg, the Belden 10awg, and both sets of Calabrine's.  I basically set up the test so that the only thing I did between measurements was power down my amp, swap cables, and power up.  I measured each cable 5 times and averaged the measurements.  Here's where things were strange.  EVERY cable measured EXACTLY the same.  The only colored line I could see was the one from the last measurement I had taken. 

I want to be certain that you understand that these cables sound VERY different.  The difference if far from subtle and anyone can hear the differences without focusing on the sound. 

Now here I am a year later and all new audio gear.  Just in the last two weeks, I've upgraded my preamp to a Rogue Audio Perseus (tube) and I have the Odyssey monos.  The sound is smooth and very detailed, but sometimes I feel like the sound could be just a bit more "open".  I don't know how to describe it other than that.  I don't know if it's the treble that sounds a touch rolled off or not because everything sounds very detailed and extended on top.  I guess I'd just like to try a cable that's a bit more extended sounding in the treble; something with a bit more sparkle.  Maybe like the Belden's sounded?

My other reason for wanting different speaker cables is that I currently have 10' long cables and with the monos, I only need about 4'.  Right now I have a large loop of cable behind each speaker and it's not looking all too cool.

Any comments?   

[pfradale]

If Room EQ wizard shows the same frequency response from each cable then the differences you hear are not really there, would be the only thing that comes to mind.  Ears pickup sound waves.  If the sound waves coming to your ears are the same from cable to cable, as measured by your software, either your measurement system isn't very good, or you are "hearing" differences that are not there, which is very common in this pursuit.

I've tried different cables from boutique to zip cord, am musically trained, run listening sessions with other musician friends and audio lovers; we've yet to find a repeatable difference.  Fancy speaker wires are pretty, I will give you that.

[ssglx]

TJHUB

One cable that is extremely open sounding and extended in the Mapleshade Golden Helix. Not expensive either at $85. On many recordings I am rather dumb-struck by how open they sound. I have tried many other good speaker cables and have only experienced this effect with the Mapleshae wires.
I also have a tube pre-amp, and solid state amps.
Chris

[TJHUB]

If Room EQ wizard shows the same frequency response from each cable then the differences you hear are not really there, would be the only thing that comes to mind.  Ears pickup sound waves.  If the sound waves coming to your ears are the same from cable to cable, as measured by your software, either your measurement system isn't very good, or you are "hearing" differences that are not there, which is very common in this pursuit.

I've tried different cables from boutique to zip cord, am musically trained, run listening sessions with other musician friends and audio lovers; we've yet to find a repeatable difference.  Fancy speaker wires are pretty, I will give you that.

Thanks, but I can assure you that I do hear the differences because they exist.  I'm not going to state that I understand why they measured so exactly, but I do know there is a lot more to sound than just volume. 

I also don't know where your being "musically trained" comes into play.  Are you saying you and your musician friends can hear better than a non-musically trained person?  Seems strange really, because I can EASILY hear differences in some cables and I don't even have to strain to do it. 

TJHUB

One cable that is extremely open sounding and extended in the Mapleshade Golden Helix. Not expensive either at $85. On many recordings I am rather dumb-struck by how open they sound. I have tried many other good speaker cables and have only experienced this effect with the Mapleshae wires.
I also have a tube pre-amp, and solid state amps.
Chris

Thanks Chris.  I'll give them a look.

[DigiPete]

The Grover cable is open, extended, but not bright, just transparent.
And with a 60 money  back garantee, its a no brainer to try them out.

[pfradale]

Thanks, but I can assure you that I do hear the differences because they exist.  I'm not going to state that I understand why they measured so exactly, but I do know there is a lot more to sound than just volume. 

I also don't know where your being "musically trained" comes into play.  Are you saying you and your musician friends can hear better than a non-musically trained person?  Seems strange really, because I can EASILY hear differences in some cables and I don't even have to strain to do it.

If you measured only overall SPL I could understand there being differences, but if you measured frequency response with controlled signals and found that at the same position in the room, with the same mic, frequency x, y, and z responses measured exactly the same regardless of cable, then there is no difference.  The waves vibrate your eardrum, that's all, and if the waves, which have amplitude and length and speed, measure the same, they are the same.

As for being musically trained, audio equipment serves the primary purpose of reproducing sound. The most challenging sound to reproduce with any fidelity is acoustic music, vocal or instrumental.  As someone who has played acoustic guitar for most of his life, whose father is a musician, and so listened to music from the day he was born, who has designed and built speakers, built his own amps, and who listens to music for most of the day, every day, I am simply preempting the common argument of "well, you're ears/system/aura are simply not refined enough".

[ssglx]

Its obvious we're not (or cannot currently) measuring the right things, or at sufficient threshold of detection. The differences in the way my system sounds with different cables are there, and have a great impact on my listening enjoyment.
For instance a volume measurement will not differentiate a cable that emphasizes the edges of transients, or one that softens them. Big impact (to me) on the listening experience.
And the wonderful thing is I don't have to explain why (though I am an engineer), unless I'm trying to convince someone else, which I'm not. Just reporting my findings.

[mjosef]

I've tried different cables from boutique to zip cord, am musically trained, run listening sessions with other musician friends and audio lovers; we've yet to find a repeatable difference.

I got a few musicians friends and they all listen on the worst possible systems, sure they produce very fine music and may have the best ears, but I would hardly ask them for advice regarding audiophilia.
I have quite a few of one pianist albums, and I told him I can hear him 'humming' every time he plays, he never realized just how loud until he heard it on my system.

Bottom line is, if you as a musician cannot hear differences in a variety of cables, does not mean those differences does not exist. Nor does it reflect on your hearing ability.

[TJHUB]

Its obvious we're not (or cannot currently) measuring the right things, or at sufficient threshold of detection. The differences in the way my system sounds with different cables are there, and have a great impact on my listening enjoyment.
For instance a volume measurement will not differentiate a cable that emphasizes the edges of transients, or one that softens them. Big impact (to me) on the listening experience.
And the wonderful thing is I don't have to explain why (though I am an engineer), unless I'm trying to convince someone else, which I'm not. Just reporting my findings.

Well stated and I could not agree more.

But you bring up and interesting point.  We were discussing the differences in some cables and wondering why it's not measurable with a full frequency sweep in REW.  If it's not a change in volume, than it has to be a change in transients, timing or phase that changes how our ears perceive the sound. 

My friend wasn't liking how bright his B&W 805Ss are sounding.  He is trying some other gear, but I lent him my Calabrine cables that sound rolled off in the treble.  He tried them this weekend and he told me they were far too rolled off sounding.  He couldn't even listen to them to give them a chance.  The strange thing is that he said the midrange was very clear and the bass was nice.  I just told him that he could more clearly hear the midrange and bass because there was no treble.  He agreed.

Just wanted to share...

 

[TJHUB]

I wanted to update this thread; although a little reluctantly...

Since getting my Stratos Extreme SE monos, I was growing more and more unhappy with them.  The sound was overly smooth and lacked treble detail and micro dynamics.  I was actually considering selling the amps.

Before I sold the amps, I figured I try new speaker cables.  I had previously owned Belden 10awg wires from BJC and found them to be so bright I couldn't stand them.  I ended up selling them they were so bad for me.  So thinking that I needed to brighten up the sound of my mono's, I purchase some more Belden 10awg wire from BJC a couple of weeks ago.

I cut the wires into 7' lengths and terminated them with some locking bananas.  As soon as I fired up my setup and started listening, I could tell things were MUCH better.

Now that it's about 2 weeks later, I can honestly say that things are sounding PERFECT.  Since the speaker wire swap, I have not been able to find one thing to complain about.  I am absolutely floored!  Everything sounds so perfectly balanced.  The micro dynamics are amazing and the overall tonality seems perfect to my ears.  Every day I listen, I only find more to like.  Everything I play sounds fantastic.  It's hard to believe that just changing speaker cables could take me from not liking my current setup to it becoming clearly the best sound I've ever had.  Things have been sounding so wonderful the last couple of weeks, I'm afraid to even consider changing anything as I feel the sound could only get worse. 

I honestly think I'm now hearing everything the my mono's have to offer.  They are absolutely fantastic sounding and they one of the best buys I've made in audio.  I have that very strong emotional connection to the music now.  It's been a long time since my setup has sounded this good.  I couldn't be happier.   

[bunky]

                  The Groneberg TS premiums are very good speaker cables