Jumper cables

[bvdiman]

Now THAT is interesting!!! He has a tube pre and Gryphon amp & hi-end Tranp Ref cables (sounds familiar ). The fact that he uses Opus jumpers is now super intriguing!!! OTOH, I was expecting the 'there's always a difference'...OTOH I was also thinking 'but could it really be that much of a difference?'

We shall see...thanks for that bvdiman. Do you think you can send me the link to that forum? I might just see if I can ask that person about his jumpers...but also his Q7. I have occasionally thought about Q7s as an outside candidate to replace my X1s.

Hi Llyod, here is about where discussions on TA Jumpers start :

http://www.audioaficionado.org/magico/21182-q7-delivered-6.html :b

 

[LL21]

Thank you!!! Great read.

Hi Llyod, here is about where discussions on TA Jumpers start :

http://www.audioaficionado.org/magico/21182-q7-delivered-6.html :b

 

[flez007]

I have Cardas wire jumpers - 2 of them per speaker - with Rhodium posts at both ends - works fine!

 

[ErikM]

Try and stick with jumpers that are the same or similar to the speaker cables being used...

 

[LL21]

I just replaced my 10-yr old pair of TA Ref jumpers with a trial pair of Ref XL Jumpers. All the benefits repeated themselves again, though in a less overt fashion (as compared to when I replaced my 10-yr old Ref speaker cables with TA RefXL (MM2) speaker cables).

Greater extension above, and a far clearer upper end from upper midrange all the way thru high treble. A even better controlled, more articulate midbass area. And during instantaneous boomy bass that then echoes on live performances (Rodriguo y Gabriela), we now have a series of distinct bass elements which now articulate what was originally just a heavy bass note and echo...a lot of fun to listen to.

I am expecting to hear TA RefMM and TA Opus before I make up my mind to see how much, if any, improvement these cables bring in what was supposed to be 'just a jumper'.

 

[bvdiman]

Great stuff!
I'm certain with your quality gears there'll be discernible difference if you further move up the line. Perhaps you might want to try sans the copper plate now.
My thinking is simply why pay so much for top wires only to have something meddling/adding their signature to it. But I may be wrong. Do update.. Cheers!

 

[LL21]

Great stuff!
I'm certain with your quality gears there'll be discernible difference if you further move up the line. Perhaps you might want to try sans the copper plate now.
My thinking is simply why pay so much for top wires only to have something meddling/adding their signature to it. But I may be wrong. Do update.. Cheers!

Thanks!! I may try that...but my instincts say leave it...I am told one of the key things when jumping to the bass is current capacity...the plate plus the cables max that out...and to be fair, the solid copper plate on its own had exceptional transient capability...its just that on its own it did not provide as much transient speed WITH natural overtones in the mids as when combined with the TA Ref XL.

As you say, I am hopeful RefMM (MM2) or Opus will yield even better results at [relatively] lower cost than an Opus IC or SC.

 

[Frank750]

Jumper Cables? Really?

I'm sitting here shaking my head. My speakers can be tri-wired and I've tried bi-wire configurations with both MIT MA-X SHD and Nordost Odin speaker cables. After some experimentation, I found I preferred a single or shot gun configuration and using the Sonus Faber supplied jumper cables. Quality jumpers to be sure, 8 banana to spade well built cables. I also had some Kubala Sosna Elation jumpers built a couple of years ago and have tried those on The Sonus Fabers. They were different, not necessarily better but I've mostly preferred to use the Sonus Faber jumpers to this point.

Last week I asked my dealer to see if he could get Nordost to supply a set of Odin jumpers for demo purposes. I wasn't expecting much but wanted to see how matching Odin jumpers with the Odin speaker cable would work out. I figured I'd listen for a week and send them back. Wrong! I keep looking at the back of the speakers like something is going on back there. As if things weren't already sounding great, the addition of the Odin jumpers has made things significantly better. No, not different, better! More weight, even tighter, better defined bass, voices have more of a you are there quality. I've never heard the mids so silky smooth but alive and the top end is phenomenal. Clarity, soundstage front to back, side to side is much improved and image placement is so good that I'm left sitting here shaking my head.

From jumper cables? All be it very expensive jumper cables, but I don't see how I can let them out of the house, they're that good.

I only wish I could squeeze all of the "all cables are the same" set into my room to hear this.

 

[bvdiman]

Good to know Frank! Yeah the difference is real and of magnitude especially with the level of gears you are running.
Been trying to share my initial excitement/findings in my first post of this thread some 1,5yrs ago.. What took you so long??
Enjoy! Cheers..

 

[LL21]

Great to read Frank750! Congrats and enjoy. Interestingly, since i never wanted to go thru the trouble (and cost) of bi-wiring with my X1s, i just went straight to jumpers after speaking with a number of people. My initial thoughts at the time were that most people would say you get 90% of the the benefit of bi-wiring, but in the end i found many people were suggesting to go with jumpers as their top recommendation. As you say, i am keeping mine, and they are not going anywhere. Enjoy yours!

 

[Stereophonic]

""

Problem is posts too close being only 4cm apart, and cable too stiff for such job (tight bends). Stress should instead ease given a tad more distance (say 5-6cm). They are ok now.

Another angle.
View attachment 12785

Hi bvdiman.

Are you using Siltech Double Crown on the speakers too?

 

[Jazzhead]

Totally agree. I had TA Ref jumpers which clearly improved on the stock metal bars of my old Guarneris.

Just recently, I pulled the jumpers out of the box to try them on my Wilson X1s. I tried them out by replacing the Wilson 1/4" thick copper plate linking 2 binding posts. The standard Wilson copper plate was better...more detail, more real. But then, I put the copper plate back and I ADDED 1 TA Ref jumper. That was a nice improvement. I then added a 2nd jumper (so Wilson copper plate plus 2 TA Ref jumpers...The Wilsons are wired with Transparent...wow...improvements were:

much improved micro dynamics, more instantaneous ability to deliver super-quick peaks, troughs of dynamics

Also, greater detail, decay...and a FAR more nimble bass. Suddenly the mid bass feels as articulate, micro dynamically shaded as the mids/uppers. It is somewhat weird because the X1 bass is excellent but not always so filigreed and delicate when called upon. Now, the power is the same...but teeny nuances and inflections in the bass.

A really nice 'free find' since the TA Ref jumpers were in the drawer.

BTW, I know a dealer who uses TA Ref XL jumpers with their Focal Grande ?Utopia EMs...said they were very surprised at how much better the TA RefXL jumpers make the big Focals sound.

Hi LL ,

If I understand correctly,you are using three jumper sets all at once . Are you still doing this as of today ? My Marten's have bi wiring posts . As my Stage 3 Mantikor S/C are single run , I use banana jumpers . How does using multiple jumpers help , possibly by reducing resistance ? Interesting though and maybe worth a try . Any problems with having S/C andJumper cable spades on the same post ? Anybody else tried this .....

 

[JackD201]

In my experience, in case one doesn't have split XOs, the use of jumpers is not of any big impact. If there is one tip I would give when using jumpers on typical not split XO, it would simply be to make sure tha the SC leads be used on the MT section of a loudspeaker, Given our naturally higher sensitivity to mid and high frequencies as opposed to the lower octaves, I believe that the mid and highs should be the primary connection point.

 

[Jazzhead]

In my experience, in case one doesn't have split XOs, the use of jumpers is not of any big impact. If there is one tip I would give when using jumpers on typical not split XO, it would simply be to make sure tha the SC leads be used on the MT section of a loudspeaker, Given our naturally higher sensitivity to mid and high frequencies as opposed to the lower octaves, I believe that the mid and highs should be the primary connection point.

Hi Jack , am doing the cross thingy .. +ve to the HF , -ve to the LF post . Works well for me amongst the tried combinations . Thanks for chipping in.

 

[LL21]

Hi LL ,

If I understand correctly,you are using three jumper sets all at once . Are you still doing this as of today ? My Marten's have bi wiring posts . As my Stage 3 Mantikor S/C are single run , I use banana jumpers . How does using multiple jumpers help , possibly by reducing resistance ? Interesting though and maybe worth a try . Any problems with having S/C andJumper cable spades on the same post ? Anybody else tried this .....

Hi Jazzhead,

Great to hear from you. Not QUITE that extreme. Basically, the X1 has a copper busbar (a copper plate) that connects two speaker terminals (which are NOT used as speaker terminals by Wilson, but in fact i think connect various drivers/crossovers somewhere inside the speaker.) Its about 2 inches wide by 1" by 1/8" thick.

I leave that busbar in place...and ADD a single PAIR of jumper cables that also connect those two speaker terminals. For some reason, removing the busbar and using only the Jumper cables added clarity, but lost a bit of oomf. The busbar alone had oomf but not as much clarity. dont ask me why, but adding both gave me the best of both worlds...maybe equal amounts of oomf/clarity...may be a bit less of each...but still better when combined than having lots of only one or the other...no science here.

But i like it better and i've stuck with it. The Wilson distributor and dealer were both supportive when i first inquired about this as well. In fact, Dealer fwiw also replaced all his Focal Grande Utopia jumpers with TA jumpers as well.

 

[thedudeabides]

Hi Jack , am doing the cross thingy .. +ve to the HF , -ve to the LF post . Works well for me amongst the tried combinations . Thanks for chipping in.

Same here. I believe its called "diagonal" cross wiring.

 

[Jazzhead]

Hi Jazzhead,

Great to hear from you. Not QUITE that extreme. Basically, the X1 has a copper busbar (a copper plate) that connects two speaker terminals (which are NOT used as speaker terminals by Wilson, but in fact i think connect various drivers/crossovers somewhere inside the speaker.) Its about 2 inches wide by 1" by 1/8" thick.

I leave that busbar in place...and ADD a single PAIR of jumper cables that also connect those two speaker terminals. For some reason, removing the busbar and using only the Jumper cables added clarity, but lost a bit of oomf. The busbar alone had oomf but not as much clarity. dont ask me why, but adding both gave me the best of both worlds...maybe equal amounts of oomf/clarity...may be a bit less of each...but still better when combined than having lots of only one or the other...no science here.

But i like it better and i've stuck with it. The Wilson distributor and dealer were both supportive when i first inquired about this as well. In fact, Dealer fwiw also replaced all his Focal Grande Utopia jumpers with TA jumpers as well.

Thanks , that clears it up . Was wondering , as most Wilson speakers known to me are single wire .

 

[LL21]

Hi Jazzhead,

I think i got the right photo attached so you can see what i am referring to.

 

[hongkongfoufou]

I use Furutech JumperB FLux.