Looking for informed opinions about the Grimm SQM XLR cables. Need to upgrade my cable loom. Also looking for used ones if anybody has any to part with.
Grimm SQM Balanced
Grimm SQM Balanced
Anybody heard the Grimm SQM cables?
- Thread starter Tuckers
- Start date
Well, I'm answering my own question. I got a pair of XLR to demo for a couple of weeks. My comparison cables are a custom design I formulated out of Duelund 20AWG tin-plated copper with cotton in oil dielectric which is also mixed with ultrapure solid silver in cotton. This cable is a Tone cable in that it really creates a vivid in the room sound. They are also more forward of the speakers than strictly neutral. Really excellent tone on vocals and brass, cymbals etc. A good mate with my system overall.
The SQM is a very solid well made cable, not too stiff, a pleasure to connect. The SQM was a much more recessed, behind the speakers presentation. overall it is a tiny bit polite compared to mine, which are anything but. I ultimately thought this behind the speakers presentation was a bit too much for my own tastes, but I am sure there are many that prefer that. But they did a lot more things right than my cables. SQM is a very quiet cable with dark deep background and soundstage, they really do reduce noise, allowing more detail, sculpture around images etc. They had a very natural balance overall. Probably the most balanced sound I've heard from a cable (which is what their reputation is). Bass was really excellent, went a bit lower than mine with really excellent delineation.
It is clear that the SQM is excellent at time and phase accuracy, definitely the best I'd heard to date. And something that my cables fail at in comparison!
So my overall assessment of the SQM is time and phase accurate, super transparent, while being just a tiny bit on the dark side, image definitely falling deep behind the speakers, extremely quiet, extremely balanced, excellent bass. Compared to the kilobuck cables I've owned back in the day, they are an easy win. I'd guess they are competitive with cables in the $1.5K+ USD meter pair XLRs in terms of overall performance (they are less than $600 USD). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to someone looking for a sub $1K XLR.
What is most excellent is that I analyzed the design of these cables, and decided to do some of my own experiments with star quad design, shielding across a range of frequencies, super tight winds, new shielding materials etc. And I've come up with my own DIY that I think successfully betters it in almost every parameter
. I'm looking forward to recabling my system with this, after I am done finalizing this design. Should cost quite a lot less than the SQM (though not if I count all my experimenting)!
The SQM is a very solid well made cable, not too stiff, a pleasure to connect. The SQM was a much more recessed, behind the speakers presentation. overall it is a tiny bit polite compared to mine, which are anything but. I ultimately thought this behind the speakers presentation was a bit too much for my own tastes, but I am sure there are many that prefer that. But they did a lot more things right than my cables. SQM is a very quiet cable with dark deep background and soundstage, they really do reduce noise, allowing more detail, sculpture around images etc. They had a very natural balance overall. Probably the most balanced sound I've heard from a cable (which is what their reputation is). Bass was really excellent, went a bit lower than mine with really excellent delineation.
It is clear that the SQM is excellent at time and phase accuracy, definitely the best I'd heard to date. And something that my cables fail at in comparison!
So my overall assessment of the SQM is time and phase accurate, super transparent, while being just a tiny bit on the dark side, image definitely falling deep behind the speakers, extremely quiet, extremely balanced, excellent bass. Compared to the kilobuck cables I've owned back in the day, they are an easy win. I'd guess they are competitive with cables in the $1.5K+ USD meter pair XLRs in terms of overall performance (they are less than $600 USD). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to someone looking for a sub $1K XLR.
What is most excellent is that I analyzed the design of these cables, and decided to do some of my own experiments with star quad design, shielding across a range of frequencies, super tight winds, new shielding materials etc. And I've come up with my own DIY that I think successfully betters it in almost every parameter
. I'm looking forward to recabling my system with this, after I am done finalizing this design. Should cost quite a lot less than the SQM (though not if I count all my experimenting)!
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Greetings Tuckers! I was wondering how your DIY cable design worked out and your impressions after recabling your system? TIAWell, I'm answering my own question. I got a pair of XLR to demo for a couple of weeks. My comparison cables are a custom design I formulated out of Duelund 20AWG tin-plated copper with cotton in oil dielectric which is also mixed with ultrapure solid silver in cotton. This cable is a Tone cable in that it really creates a vivid in the room sound. They are also more forward of the speakers than strictly neutral. Really excellent tone on vocals and brass, cymbals etc. A good mate with my system overall.
The SQM is a very solid well made cable, not too stiff, a pleasure to connect. The SQM was a much more recessed, behind the speakers presentation. overall it is a tiny bit polite compared to mine, which are anything but. I ultimately thought this behind the speakers presentation was a bit too much for my own tastes, but I am sure there are many that prefer that. But they did a lot more things right than my cables. SQM is a very quiet cable with dark deep background and soundstage, they really do reduce noise, allowing more detail, sculpture around images etc. They had a very natural balance overall. Probably the most balanced sound I've heard from a cable (which is what their reputation is). Bass was really excellent, went a bit lower than mine with really excellent delineation.
It is clear that the SQM is excellent at time and phase accuracy, definitely the best I'd heard to date. And something that my cables fail at in comparison!
So my overall assessment of the SQM is time and phase accurate, super transparent, while being just a tiny bit on the dark side, image definitely falling deep behind the speakers, extremely quiet, extremely balanced, excellent bass. Compared to the kilobuck cables I've owned back in the day, they are an easy win. I'd guess they are competitive with cables in the $1.5K+ USD meter pair XLRs in terms of overall performance (they are less than $600 USD). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to someone looking for a sub $1K XLR.
What is most excellent is that I analyzed the design of these cables, and decided to do some of my own experiments with star quad design, shielding across a range of frequencies, super tight winds, new shielding materials etc. And I've come up with my own DIY that I think successfully betters it in almost every parameter
So I have re-cabled my system. I have further refined my cables by developing a graphene shielding layer as well. With this, it adds to the quietness of the cable, and extended the top and bottom frequencies further. I like the results, but I would like to try some more reference cables to compare.
I brought them to a few audiophiles systems to do a quick listen. We switched them in for only 10 minutes or so, not a great comparison. IMHO they were quieter than their references, had a larger soundstage, and opened up the top end. Both audiophiles felt they were a bit too much on the top end, but I think the cables would need to settle down for a while before this was judged. Both audiophiles preferred systems that were dark on the top (admitted themselves). I like sound that is as open as possible on the top end, but definitely not etched or glaring or edgy - a hard needle to thread!
I brought them to a few audiophiles systems to do a quick listen. We switched them in for only 10 minutes or so, not a great comparison. IMHO they were quieter than their references, had a larger soundstage, and opened up the top end. Both audiophiles felt they were a bit too much on the top end, but I think the cables would need to settle down for a while before this was judged. Both audiophiles preferred systems that were dark on the top (admitted themselves). I like sound that is as open as possible on the top end, but definitely not etched or glaring or edgy - a hard needle to thread!
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