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2017 Honest Cabling that doesn’t promote bankruptcy

Looking for experiences and recs for current mid to upper mid level cabling solutions

I’m talking about ICs and Speaker cables that do not require plans for high jacking an armored car with a couple gallons of chloroform and a helicopter with a really big magnet?

Neither is it a matter of seeking out an ‘all system’ same brand and model loom, though it could be.

In Your opinion and or experience which signal cables (or mix of) have proven themselves recently to enable a revealing system to maintain or demonstrate its integrity, truth and musicality on its best level?

Or, in other words, With which current line of wires or ‘cables’ would you feel very confident using to connect your upscale stereo outfit in 2017?

New, or pre-owned?

… and why, please?
Thanks so very much. j
blindjim
lostnamerica's avatar
lostnamerica
61 posts
 
Greetings.  Yeah, I am going to side with nonoise referring to the Zu Audio cable line, the LibTec Mk1's would do fine and can still be found.  Although I don't completely agree on the termination, as I like the bare wire and/or solid copper spades, I guess it will also depend on your speaker set up connections.  I would also like to add the Supra Ply 3.4 as a bare cabling set up, excellent quality and definitely The Best Bang for the Buck (about $12/meter).  Best wishes in your pursuit in the great cable hunt...
Cheers!
rotarius
431 posts
 
For interconnects when you need clarity without harshness - Mogami wire 2549, 2534, 2528, etc. with neutrik RCA plugs or better.  Needs 10-15 hours of burn-in for the bass to fill in properly.  Lot of outfits custom make these and they are cheap!  Another affordable brand I can recommend is Wireworld if you don't need heavy shielding.  Wireworld ICs would be a couple of notches higher in SQ than a similarly priced Audioquest cable IMO.  I also think Signal Cable is great value for money and leaves little to be desired.
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
@rotarius   Perhaps...but the one big advantage of the AQ interconnects is the 72V DBS system.  Once you  fire up your system you are getting 100% performance.  No cable run-in needed.
rotarius
431 posts
 
@hifiman5 The DBS system does sound interesting and I have not used it. Along with capacitance, I like to focus on the connector quality, materials & conductivity. That seems to make a big difference in SQ.
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@hifiman5 
once you fire up your system you are getting 100% performance

while I love the DBS system and own a ton of AQ cable it has been my experience that
a) it takes 48-72 hours for the DBS field to fully form if you ever unplug it, and
b) like all cables the DBS equipped AQ will benefit from burn in, I just bought a set of WEL that had been sitting for six months disconnected and they needed 48 hours on my cable cooker to perform their best (despite the DBS boxes having been connected all along)

so do try AQ DBS cables but give them time to settle in
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