All Cables From One Manufacturer, or Mix and Match?

[Empirical Audio]

I do not hear in the concert hall the razor-sharp, clearly-delineated images we sometimes prize on our stereo systems.

My system is extremely resolving and laser-focused and all of my classical tracks sound like I'm in the front row. I think it is easy to confuse venue reflections with jitter.

Steve N.

 

[Al M.]

I do not hear in the concert hall the razor-sharp, clearly-delineated images we sometimes prize on our stereo systems.

Depends on where you sit. If you sit close to the stage, then direct sound overtakes reflected sound, and you can easily locate the players with a pretty defined image. Usually towards the middle of the hall and further back it becomes one big mono.

 

[Al M.]

My system is extremely resolving and laser-focused and all of my classical tracks sound like I'm in the front row.

Most of them are recorded this way (or rather, often with mics above the players).

I think it is easy to confuse venue reflections with jitter.

Indeed.

 

[thedudeabides]

Do you have all cables from one manufacturer? If yes, why?

Synergy.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Please feel free to elaborate, dude.

What is the nature or source of the synergy? If we stipulate -- you do not have to so stipulate, but many people would -- that no conductor is perfect doesn't that mean that we are multiplying that imperfection (whatever it may be) by using the same wire to connect each component?

 

[Al M.]

Please feel free to elaborate, dude.

What is the nature or source of the synergy? If we stipulate -- you do not have to so stipulate, but many people would -- that no conductor is perfect doesn't that mean that we are multiplying that imperfection (whatever it may be) by using the same wire to connect each component?

Or multiplying the strengths. Which is why I have both interconnects and speaker cables from DaveC's ZenWave Audio.

 

[RogerD]

Synergy.

I love that word...synergy. I agree,but when people have no explanation for what they hear...synergy. Btw I have never heard two different cables sound the same. Now when you achieve a synergistic noise floor level...yes.

 

[DSkip]

It seems to me that if you like their IC's, you will probably like their SC's. I tend to agree that mix/match is fine but I like the idea of matching SC/IC. I see three distinct areas in cables that need to be addressed and therefore three distinct areas where mix/match can occur:

Analog
Digital
Power

I think the argument boils down to the matching pre/amp combo scenario. By sticking with products that are designed to work together, you avoid any mismatches, but MIGHT miss out on the best possible sound by doing so. You are however, guaranteed for good sound in most cases.

 

[RogerD]

Btw..the only way I have really measured any cable is what effect that cable has on the size of the soundstage. My reasoning is the dispersion efficiency of the driver increases..which is a good thing. Greater amount of signal less hash. I don't really worry about anything else as it seems to all come together anyway.