the Best Cables known around.

[byrdparis]

Hi folks,

I'm standing in a crossroad for decide about some new cables for IC especially.
i am using 3X Siltech IC (Empress double crown/770i) RCA 2 RCA and now it's seem that i will switch to an all XLR (Balance) System. (i am buying a new pre amp)
i will Need to buy 3 Balance IC for all my sources. DAC (infused by Hi configure pc) , CDP/SACD and a Phono stage.
i will still keep my Siltech's for now at least (they costed me a hefty load... and maybe i will use them in the future... )
I'm using one Siltech Empress D.C XLR to connect between my preamp and power mono blocks as for now.

my system (in my signature) playing in a very small room (i know... but i live in Israel, and that what i've got for now ) and every small detail noticeable a great deal!

i was thinking to "Continue" on buying Siltech D.C... but then i was stopped myself and rethink that approach. i Love the Siltech way but maybe i was missing others?!
unfortunately we don't have any Ultra High end dealers around here who keep such HIGH$$$ cables for demoing, so i will need to rely on others experience... what i heard in my Traveling etc.

some name dropping i was thinkinging about...
Siltech Empress D.C (obvious... )
Nordost Odin (1 or 2)
Transparent...
Crystal Cables - Dream line or the Absolute...
Argento Master Flow ( i have four power cables and they Great!)
etc...

i will appriciates any input, personal experience etc.
(pleas try to avoid any Forking about snake oils, money goes away from the window and other comment regarding)

thank you!
A.

 

[Speedskater]

All good cables should sound exactly alike.

 

[still-one]

All good cables should sound exactly alike.

Why? That is like saying all good amps should sound the same, or all good DAC's should sound the same. Most of us purchase our gear including power cords and interconnects based on whether item A sounds better than Item B, not because they sound the same.

 

[PeterA]

All good cables should sound exactly alike.

For the sake of clarity and discussion, can you give us an example of two specific cables from different brands that you think sound exactly alike?

 

[microstrip]

All good cables should sound exactly alike.

Yes, we can be tempted to consider that if electronics were perfect many "good" cables should sound exactly alike. Probably we would then find that none of the cables most of the high-end community prefers are "good" and go on preferring the "bad" cables ...

 

[microstrip]

(...) i will appriciates any input, personal experience etc.
(pleas try to avoid any Forking about snake oils, money goes away from the window and other comment regarding)

thank you!
A.

Any of our systems is an answer to your question, but IMHO it will be of little help. We cannot guess how your system sounds and what you like or dislike. However if you tell us about how the system sounds now and your preferences perhaps we can build a thread on suggestions, not just on "my cables are better than yours" or the inevitable "avoid snake oil".

Have you checked if Siltech can not change the cable terminations to RCA at the factory? Many RCA cables use balanced wire and can be changed to XLR.

 

[Steve Williams]

Hi folks,

I'm standing in a crossroad for decide about some new cables for IC especially.
i am using 3X Siltech IC (Empress double crown/770i) RCA 2 RCA and now it's seem that i will switch to an all XLR (Balance) System. (i am buying a new pre amp)
i will Need to buy 3 Balance IC for all my sources. DAC (infused by Hi configure pc) , CDP/SACD and a Phono stage.
i will still keep my Siltech's for now at least (they costed me a hefty load... and maybe i will use them in the future... )
I'm using one Siltech Empress D.C XLR to connect between my preamp and power mono blocks as for now.

my system (in my signature) playing in a very small room (i know... but i live in Israel, and that what i've got for now ) and every small detail noticeable a great deal!

i was thinking to "Continue" on buying Siltech D.C... but then i was stopped myself and rethink that approach. i Love the Siltech way but maybe i was missing others?!
unfortunately we don't have any Ultra High end dealers around here who keep such HIGH$$$ cables for demoing, so i will need to rely on others experience... what i heard in my Traveling etc.

some name dropping i was thinkinging about...
Siltech Empress D.C (obvious... )
Nordost Odin (1 or 2)
Transparent...
Crystal Cables - Dream line or the Absolute...
Argento Master Flow ( i have four power cables and they Great!)
etc...

i will appriciates any input, personal experience etc.
(pleas try to avoid any Forking about snake oils, money goes away from the window and other comment regarding)

thank you!
A.

with all of the brands you mentioned IMO you would be remiss in not auditioning Master Built cables which I just did. I swore i would never get back into the cable game but Master Built convinced me sufficiently that I am ordering a whole loom of Master Built Ultra. After my 6 week audition in my house with MB cable not only was I convinced to buy them but so also was I convinced that these cables are "lifers" in my system as I will never sell them. They are that good.

Here is one of the threads

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...h-Other-Cables&p=413090&viewfull=1#post413090

 

[Speedskater]

Well all good power amplifiers and all good DAC's should sound exactly alike but then, there a lot more design engineering challenges than in cables.
******************************************
Cables that sound alike:
Canare LV-77S
Belden 1505F
Blue Jeans Cable LC-1

 

[byrdparis]

Any of our systems is an answer to your question, but IMHO it will be of little help. We cannot guess how your system sounds and what you like or dislike. However if you tell us about how the system sounds now and your preferences perhaps we can build a thread on suggestions, not just on "my cables are better than yours" or the inevitable "avoid snake oil".

Have you checked if Siltech can not change the cable terminations to RCA at the factory? Many RCA cables use balanced wire and can be changed to XLR.

Hi.
thanks for your time.
i didn't expect you guys choosing for me , or guess how it should sound with one or the other.
just your inputs about those cables, and maybe against siltech maybe (as i have them already and can get some reference from it) if someone did try.
my System as i said; play in a very small room, and i like to get it natural and effortless as i can. i listen to music around 6-8 hours every day, sometimes more then that, so i need her to be as little fatigue as i can. i want to achieve celerity, a transparent presentation and natural sound to get a long with my valve power amps...

thanks again.

 

[byrdparis]

with all of the brands you mentioned IMO you would be remiss in not auditioning Master Built cables which I just did. I swore i would never get back into the cable game but Master Built convinced me sufficiently that I am ordering a whole loom of Master Built Ultra. After my 6 week audition in my house with MB cable not only was I convinced to buy them but so also was I convinced that these cables are "lifers" in my system as I will never sell them. They are that good.

Here is one of the threads

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...h-Other-Cables&p=413090&viewfull=1#post413090

thank you Steve.
i will read it.
which cables did you had when decided to switch?

 

[Steve Williams]

thank you Steve.
i will read it.
which cables did you had when decided to switch?

As to the cables I had in my system they were Valhalla and another top of the line cable. Neither even came close to the amount of detail I was hearing. You should read the other members' comments who are MB cable owners. Rarely will you ever see them for sale and those that you do are from a member who is moving up from Signature to Ultra or is looking for a longer cable

I found that the 6 weeks I had this cable on loan my wife couldn't pry me out of my listening room. IMO these are world class cables and if all the others you mentioned are on your short list I believe it is incumbent upon you to audition MB

 

[DaveC]

If you're familiar with Siltech, several of my customers have gone to my cables (D4 IC and SMSG SC) over the Siltech silver/gold cables, making money in the process of upgrading... that doesn't happen often! My silver/gold wire is OCC and will be more neutral and resolving vs Siltech.

Steve's suggestion for MB is good, but I've A/B'ed my D4 vs mid-line MB and no contest, not even close. My IC cables are far more resolving, totally different leagues. The newest and most expensive MB are probably more competitive with my cables, but lots of $. I'd bet anything my cables will be very close at ~1/10th the price.

My D4 XLRs have been preferred over top end Acrolink and Pranawire last week, my customer could have bought either at 50% off but chose mine at full price... this is a recurring theme, many people in the industry will choose my cables at full price over brands they can get at wholesale. My D4 ICs have been preferred over Stealth, Shunyata, Nordost, High Fidelity, Tara, Kubala Sosna and many more top-tier brands in the $5k+ range. If you want a neutral cable with the best resolution and most realistic timbre, my D4 is darn close to as good as it gets and price is direct-sale, very reasonable. I do offer free demos as well, you just pay shipping.

 

[DaveC]

As to the cables I had in my system they were Valhalla and another top of the line cable. Neither even came close to the amount of detail I was hearing. You should read the other members' comments who are MB cable owners. Rarely will you ever see them for sale and those that you do are from a member who is moving up from Signature to Ultra or is looking for a longer cable

I found that the 6 weeks I had this cable on loan my wife couldn't pry me out of my listening room. IMO these are world class cables and if all the others you mentioned are on your short list I believe it is incumbent upon you to audition MB

Lol, yeah Nordost is been passed by a long time ago.

If you're order for MB isn't set in stone you should try my cables. You'll save enough to buy a nice car, lol...

 

[byrdparis]

I found that the 6 weeks I had this cable on loan my wife couldn't pry me out of my listening room. IMO these are world class cables and if all the others you mentioned are on your short list I believe it is incumbent upon you to audition MB

that is the real problem.... i cant audition them ot pretty much anything from my short list (i have some friend who invest in some High$$ cables but not around my $ point... so maybe i can get a dream line or Valhalla and decided for the next level, but that is pretty much it.
thank you again Steve for you time and effort to consult.

 

[microstrip]

Hi.
thanks for your time.
i didn't expect you guys choosing for me , or guess how it should sound with one or the other.
just your inputs about those cables, and maybe against siltech maybe (as i have them already and can get some reference from it) if someone did try.
my System as i said; play in a very small room, and i like to get it natural and effortless as i can. i listen to music around 6-8 hours every day, sometimes more then that, so i need her to be as little fatigue as i can. i want to achieve celerity, a transparent presentation and natural sound to get a long with my valve power amps...

thanks again.

I would never buy cables without trying a full set - speaker and ICs - in the system for a few days. I can imagine this will be a problem to you, as it is for me - due to customs it is not possible to ask for loans from the US. It is why I am currently looking mostly at European manufactured cables or cables with local distribution.

I am currently using the complete set of the Crystal Dreamline - full bodied, plenty of detail and air, never fatiguing. But it does not have the slam and energy of the Valhalla1 or 2. An excellent match with the Audio Research, perhaps too warm for the conrad johnson's.

Long ago I had great experiences with Avalon and Audio Research using the old XLO signature cables - the grey/purple Signature 5.1 was even more stiff than the Van den Hul Cumulus I am trying!

 

[RogerD]

When comparing cables I would always choose the brand that produces the largest soundstage and best pinpoint imaging. I would also not mix brands although I have used different grades of cables of the same brand in my system for what I call the "core" ie speaker, IC's preamp to amp and sources. I think after the core cables,you can use a good pro audio cable. If you like digital as a main source,that may be the exception as most digital cables I have tried weren't that good. I have used NBS for years,FWIW,my digital is different though.. Good luck

p.s. It is my experience that some cables might require up to 100 hours to break in...

 

[Mike Lavigne]

that is the real problem.... i cant audition them ot pretty much anything from my short list (i have some friend who invest in some High$$ cables but not around my $ point... so maybe i can get a dream line or Valhalla and decided for the next level, but that is pretty much it.
thank you again Steve for you time and effort to consult.

I have no a cable agenda. most of my interconnects are proprietary; I use the 'BNC Zeel' interface with my darTZeel preamp and amp, and have 50 ohm 'zeel' interface in my tape repro.

I have a Lampizator Golden Gate dac which uses RCA's and I did go way over the top on my interconnects for that....buying the very spendy Tara Labs Grandmaster Evolution w/HFX 2 meter RCA interconnects. earlier I had purchased 1.5 XLR's of this cable for a Trinity dac I had. my comments pertain to both RCA and XLR.

what sets the Grandmaster Evolution apart from other top level interconnects are two things. first; the jackets are grounded to dual monoblock HFX grounding stations and then to the chassis of your gear. second; the Grandmaster Evolution has an air dielectric jacket yet is very flexible. and the performance of both the RCA's and XLR's in my system was astonishing. you cannot appreciate a low noise floor until you employ ultimate grounding.

I go to considerable effort to apply grounding throughout my system including Entreq and Tripoint Troy products. being able to ground a cable makes a difference.

I had used other Tara Labs cables prior which also used grounding, but the Grandmaster Evolution went to a whole new level.

 

[Steve Williams]

When comparing cables I would always choose the brand that produces the largest soundstage and best pinpoint imaging. I would also not mix brands

I agree Roger. That's what I search for as well

 

[Steve Williams]

you cannot appreciate a low noise floor until you employ ultimate grounding.

Mike, are you suggesting that the only way to reduce the noise floor is with ultimate grounding?

I ask only because I went in a different direction wrt the noise floor when I went to an all CMS rack system. My sound floor is astonishingly low based on the results I am getting with these racks

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, are you suggesting that the only way to reduce the noise floor is with ultimate grounding?

I ask only because I went in a different direction wrt the noise floor when I went to an all CMS rack system. My sound floor is astonishingly low based on the results I am getting with these racks

no, performance gains come from many directions....including resonance control such as your CMS or my Herzan active vibration control.

but I do strongly believe that if one has not worked on grounding in their system that there are gains in performance that are there for the finding. show me any sufficiently mature and otherwise well sorted out system, and that system has a world of opportunity for improvement from grounding.

while optimizing grounding always helps, until one gets the basics of a system resolved grounding benefits might be lost in the noise floor and other system chaos. so it's one of those 'last step' type optimization things as far as priorities.

do I think your system could benefit? absolutely. have you already found performance gains in other places? I'm sure you have. and those other system tuning changes you have made will only allow a greater degree of benefit from grounding and make it more obvious.