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Crimson Music Link RM spk cable: Hype or high Q?

I have seen a few ads on AG and E-bay for a speaker cable called, "Crimson Music Link RM". Has anyone recently tried them either as a loaner or purchase??

There seems to be some hype on their website about a "shootout" against ten top cables, and supposedly the Crimsons smoked them all. Is this hype or fact?? They seen somewhat cheap looking, especially compared to garden hose cable, like Straightwire Crescendo II, Acoustic Zen Hologram II, MIT, Kimber Monacle XL.

I heard the Straightwire, and later the Kimber Monacle XL on Harbeth, and Focal speakers and was very impressed if not almost blown away by their sound. But both are much more expensive than Crimson speaker cable.

Would appreciate to hear a few opinions before I rent or buy the Crimsons ?? Thank you
sunnyjim
bgeofft-duplicate-0
174 posts
 
I favored Crimson interconnects (single-ended) to their speaker cables with LFD amplification and Harbeth speakers. When I bought they had buy, try and return if not for you policy, so little to lose but shipping cost back to Crimson.
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,237 posts
 
Again, it depends on the rest of your system.
System synergy matters, big time!

The CRIMSON work with their own ICs and with hi-end tube gear, AUDIO NOTE electronics and JM Reynaud speakers.

To assert that one beats all comers is just a heavily biased value judgement should be limited to an opinion on a particular system. Just because it sounded good on system A is no assurance that it will sound good on system B.

Varying Room acoustics .... Another Wild card variable

The distributor in NA for CRIMSON is the same as the above gear if memory serves me correctly.
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
A word of caution, other discussions of "Crimson" cables have been confused by the fact that there are two companies using the name.
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
Jim, don't know about the speaker cables as I've never heard them but I do own a pair of balanced ICs. IMO they are a very nice cable for the money.
mcondon
235 posts
 
Crimson Music Links are excellent interconnects. I pretty much use them extensively, having demo'd and owned many other IC's, including Tara Labs, PAD, Cardas, Gabriel Gold. WyWires ICs are close, but not as open and resolving as the Crimsons.

The Crimson speaker cables were not as good in my system as Clear Day Double Shotguns. They just sounded a little too lean for my taste.

Overall, the Crimson Music Link ICs and SCs are exceptionally open-sounding, offering terrific resolution and a wide, deep soundstage. However, they don't add warmth, so if you are used to PAD or Cardas, you may not like the Crimsons. But they are excellent cables if you are not looking for tone controls.
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