mid to low price interconnects

CButterworth · « **on:** 3 Mar 2004, 09:00 pm »

I suppose that I should take a look at the archives, but I have a question about interconnects:

Considering that I cannot afford to spend much over $40 US on interconnects, what would folk recommend?

I have:

AKSA 55 amp (newly made)
Phillips DVD/CD combo for the time being
Sony MB350H 8 inch 3-way speakers - for the time being
Homebrew passive preamp with Elma switch and Alps "Blue Velvet" 50K pot

Monster cable have an interconnect that costs around $30 for 1 metre. Between the amp and preamp, I do not need 1m of interconnect, so what 30-50cm interconnects are there that cost less than $40 that are recommended?

Thanks,
Charlie

Marbles · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 09:10 pm »

I recommend you make your own pair for that kind of money.

rosconey · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 09:12 pm »

rat shack golds-the mid line not the fusion

vpolineni · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 09:14 pm »

if you can raise your budget to 60 dollars, try the grover huffman interconnects... there's info on them at steve hoffman's forum:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=13962

F-100 · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 09:41 pm »

Quote from: CButterworth

so what 30-50cm interconnects are there that cost less than $40 that are recommended?

- Outlaw PCA-Pure Copper Analog (0.5m) - $34.95
http://www.outlawaudio.com

- Belden 89259 based cables with Eichmann Bullet Plugs (1m) for $50
http://www.heartlandcables.com/

JoshK · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 10:30 pm »

highly recommend reading VenHaus's recipe (www.venhaus1.com) for making fine silver DIY interconnects. Cheap, easy and sound fantastic!

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 10:46 pm »

I can second Josh's recommendation for DIY silver. I've heard Josh's DIY interconnects, which I'm assuming are the Venhaus recipe he is referring to, sound way better than a $40 interconnect ought to in systems based around very expensive electronics/loudspeakers (e.g., Spectral/Meadowlark and Spectron/Blue Circle/VMPS).

Michael

PhilNYC · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 11:08 pm »

If you're not into the DIY thing, I've been impressed by Signal Cable ($36 for a 1m pair). Check out www.signalcable.com

Also, the $20 AR interconnects that Sam Tellig recommended in Stereophile as "for some people, all they'd ever need" were surprisingly good (the 1m versions are the HT130 ICs. www.accessories4less.com still has the HT131 available; this is the 2m version of the same IC...and it's only $16...!)

mca · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Mar 2004, 11:11 pm »

I second the Signal Cable, they have been getting some great reviews for such little dough. Go to their website and have a look.

djbnh · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Mar 2004, 12:18 am »

Reditto the VenHaus comments. Also, he's selling them already made now, but they're a bit out of your price range.

sfpepper · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Mar 2004, 12:39 am »

Another vote for Signal Cable. The WHOLE LINE (PC, IC, SC) very
well done. cheers...

sfpepper · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Mar 2004, 12:40 am »

Another vote for Signal Cable. The WHOLE LINE (PC, IC, SC) very
well done. cheers...

nathanm · « **Reply #12 on:** 4 Mar 2004, 06:18 am »

I'd recommend the Elemental Voice Co-Axials Of Terror interconnects. These are definitely in your budget. If there's a Mrs. Butterworth I am sure she will be pleased at how much money you saved. But be advised of my bias, I am a dealer for said interconnect. Custom-made to your desired length! No B.S. - promise!

warnerwh · « **Reply #13 on:** 4 Mar 2004, 07:03 am »

You can get DH Labs used on audiogon for that much. Have my whole system on them and like them alot. I believe Martin DeWulf of Bound for Sound is also a big fan of them.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #14 on:** 4 Mar 2004, 12:07 pm »

Quote from: JoshK

highly recommend reading VenHaus's recipe (www.venhaus1.com) for making fine silver DIY interconnects. Cheap, easy and sound fantastic!

That DIY recipe was also in a Listener magazine issue that focussed on the various reviewers' fave interconnects. Their basic formula was to use ultra-cheap magnet wire from Radio Shack (like $3.50/three spools) and ultra-cheap RCA's from RS (suggesting the cheapies actually sound better). Seems they gave $6/pair as the approximate price no matter what length.

At the end of the article, they also suggested the use of silver wire (as in the Ven Haus recipe) as an alternative. Someone might try the magnet wire version as a trial run before using the more expensive silver wire. Listener disagrees totally with what VenHaus says about using quality RCA's, again claiming the ultra-cheap Radio Shack jobbies (like $4 for a bag of eight) SOUND better.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F003%5F001%5F011&product%5Fid=274%2D321

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=278-1345