HAVE CABLES EVER TAKEN YOUR SYSTEM FROM SOUNDING JUST OK TO SOUNDING GREAT? Experiences ?

@calvinj, my experience was a specific case of reducing the transmission of as much RFI and EMI as possible coming from my Chord Mscaler going into my Chord Hugo TT2 DAC through the use of a design specific interconnect. If you can lower the sonic floor to where it is inky black with dead silence the better one can hear the layering and clarity in the music.

@adasdad funny you metntion that. That’s exactly what Hans does with the infigo cabling as well as the electronics. That’s the basis for everything we do. The more quiet the background the better the music. The better the silence between the notes in my system I can hear everything in a fast Ahmad Jamal piano run.  Sounds amazing.  

@adasdad by reducing the noise floor in the cabling and equipment you have a better listening experience. That’s the premise that we base everything we do on.  My system does that from the dac all the way to the amp and cabling. 

I recently started using UPOCC silver cables from Zenwave. I started with the new D4 ICs and the difference from my prior cables (TPC Iconoclast) was another level. So was the cost. However, there was much more musical resolution, image placement was much more accurate, the soundstage grew, and music simply became more involving. And I did also compare the Zenwaves to the Iconoclast UPOCC copper (I still own one of these) and while the difference was more subtle relative to the TPC cable, the Zenwave still shined in every way. These cables allowed my components to sound like they should to me, in an invigorating and musical manner.

I've also been trying some different power cabling over the last year as well. Audioquest Tornado and Hurricane, Triode Power Labs, and a few others. I have had both the Zenwave PSR silver power cable on my preamp and the copper PCR cable on my Pass amp as a trial for about a month now (I last week placed my order for 3 Zenwave PCs) and again, another level of resolution and musicality. The silver PCs are highly resolving and engaging, while using the copper PCR cable on my amp left the resolution in place, but added a bit more body (the eerie sensation of feeling a solo cello resonate musically is the sort of body I am talking about for instance).

One other interesting thing to me in my system with the new cables. Music that I really enjoy but was not that well recorded became more engaging with the new cables. Of course well recorded music sounded even better than before, but I find myself playing more music that is definitely not well recorded and being drawn in - more foot tapping and finger drumming!

I couldn't be happier with the Zenwave cable upgrade.

Yes. No doubt, sometimes huge.
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The dramatic improvement happens only when you change stock power cable of your amp to hi-fi cable, even not expensive. Later, if you hear a huge difference between two hi-fi cables, I think means, that one of them is dummy.

Yes. When I added Iconoclast Series 2 TPC speaker cables, the upgrade was dramatic. My boss called out from 2 rooms away to tell me that whatever I did, the system sounded much better. Later, she even turned the system on herself to sit and listen, which is rare. And the true test: She didn't start by asking "how much did it cost?" After she approved, I nervously asked if she wanted to know the cost. She said "no, it was worth it for that kind of improvement". (!!!)

Another big cable improvement was the Tubulus Concentus v.2 I2S cable btwn. my Jay's transport and PS Audio Stellar Gold DAC. Sublime!   

Yes, but not the ones you sell,

 reducing the noise floor in the cabling and equipment you have a better listening experience.

Agree if that is one's sonic target, it's an expensive endeavor with few with sufficient budgets to cover.  Also great if one can lower ambient noise, like in a dedicated custom treated audio room 

I just swapped out the Zavfino Highlands MK2 silver tonearm cable on my Sota for my Audience AU24 SE and I think the Zavfino may have been holding things back.  The AU24 SE is more "musical", and has more body.  There is a pretty significant price difference between the two, and in this case, for good reason.  

@gordon thanks for your response. 

@big_greg sometimes it’s a system matching issue and synergy. Your system probably needed that cable change.  I see that all  the time. 

@jas_in_phila1 different systems need different things. Glad you found something you like. 

My experience remains that cables do not totally transform a system (i.e., from bad to great) but, at least in my recent experience, they can certainly add that final touch that changes the sound from "something's still missing" to "nailed it!"  

I have been comparing eight different sets of interconnects in a system that requires two pairs at 2M and one pair at 0.5M, all balanced - XLR. 

I have zeroed in on a set of Belden tinned copper cables, a set of Gotham copper cables, or a set of Cardas Golden Reference ICs. 

The Gotham cables are quite sweet sounding, the Belden cables are also sweet sounding and have a hard-to-resist richness and musicality, and the Cardas GR cables have great tone, depth, and punch, while sounding just a bit more rounded/smooth than the others.  I was surprised my reference Furutech u-P2.1 cables don't seem to be making the final cut, and I am also surprised to be finding it hard to put away the Belden 8402 tinned copper cables.

@mitch2 great points.  It also depends how much a match they are to your system. I have had some of my customers at Infigo Audio tell me about a substantial jump in the level of their system after they tried our stuff. But sometimes it’s a matching thing. 

@mitch2 great points.  It also depends how much a match they are to your system. I have had some of my customers at Infigo Audio tell me about a substantial jump in the level of their system after they tried our stuff. But sometimes it’s a matching thing. 

Original posting question: 

Yes, cables were my last frontier. In short I was not a big believer in power cables but am now. Synergistic Research are predominant in my system now on the power side.

My system page lists all the cables I have tried in the last 3 years and I took it seriously to punctuate what my system was capable of. There were many setbacks and sideways moves. No full loom for me. I ended up after plenty of permutations on what I believe is 90% or better unless I spent much more farther up the brand levels.

I read a huge amount of reviews including by members here and sought mostly used cables recommended by you folks. Had many eye opening moments but once I got the taste of what was possible I kept going and am very happy.

Ready for sharing my system with others now.

No. And goodness knows I’ve tried a lot of ‘em.  10% improvement in some areas in the best case scenarios. If that. And ROI? Minimal. If that.

@bugredmachine Read for a few years before even posting and based many of my trials on recommendations found here (and then was able to source a lot on Agon).  

@calvinj  Excellent cables added for sure but nothing beats a great (treated or untreated) room. Many like drinking and touting their own Koolaid and that’s just the way it is.  

It also depends on what your going to and where you going from 

A step up in sound quality each time I pull out the credit card to buy a new cable.

BUT! …. I don’t buy new cables unless I’ve heard them in my system, and they had time to break in, and I clearly hear a difference going back and forth with my current cables.

Always use favorite heard many times music tracks and listen for more details and a relaxing (non ear fatigue) presentation

Cables are not a "belief"... their functions are supported by electrical principals and physics. This must be one of the top arguments of all time, but if we throw out the extreme stupidity involved with using "lamp cord" at the low end and then cables that cost thousands at the high end, we enter a realm of reality of where there are clear benefits given by the best conductors, shielding, terminations, solder, soldering process, etc. Will any of this make an audible difference, probably not in most cases. Is there a difference??? Yes, it is there, and I think of it this way, if I use the best possible gear that I can afford, I'm pretty sure that is a component I really do not need to worry about in my system. People will argue this to the death.

@dean_palmer 

Are you really the Devil?

We are told our gear and cable make good antennas for RFI: cellular towers, home wi-fi, home security cameras, digital TV, two-way radios, police radios,  powerful airport transponders--all make up the "fog" that occupies and clouds your music-signal pathways.  Good cables provide better shielding.  Better copper, such as OCC, has fewer grain boundaries and inclusions that distort the signal.  Believe what you want because you are told so, but there is no knowledge in this area without first-hand  experience.  

@roxy54

I'm certain the devil is much more fun than me ;-) 

Once the ganfet amps came in the door cabling in general became much more of an audible factor for me.

@jafreeman thats why at Infigo we allow people to try before you buy most of the time. It’s exactly why I started the demo program. I feel like a purchase like this you ought to be able to try it out most of the time.  Your system.  Your environment. Makes sense to me. 

I just added a second turntable. Since the new premium turntable cable was back ordered I used a cheapo just to get it running. I have to say when the new one came in and installed, the difference was incredible. I wasn’t expecting such a discernible difference. If you can afford it, I would definitely recommend considering a cable upgrade to your shopping list. TD124/SME M9R, VPI Classic HW/10” Fatboy

I noticed a very nice improvement when I went to using Cerious Technologies Graphene Lumniscate speaker cables. The music details were clear and had a bigger soundstage. I also noticed a nice improvement in sound when I went with a full lume of Veritas XLR cables in my system. Cables do make a difference, but everyone has their preferences and it’s system dependent.

Simple answer, no.

Yes I’ve heard differences and sometimes improvements but nothing earth shattering.

The biggest difference I've heard was with the addition of Silversmith Fidelium speaker cables.