Need advice on interconnects: make a difference?

Only you can answer those questions!!! I recently did a cable shootout for my system using Synergistic Research Vacuum tube reference, Synergistic Solid state reference, Nordost Valhalla and Siltech LS 188. I can say without a doubt each cable could be distinquished from the other and I consider myself as skeptical about all the cable hoopla as anyone!

Vampire wires used to be very good, I have not heard them in some time though. Try this to hear the difference:
1. Install one set of cables listen for a couple of days or a week, then replace them with the other brand some night when you can concentrate and really listen. You should here a difference then. Before you decide which is really better give the other cable another listen.

Sometimes the differences are very noticeable and sometimes not. Its possible to have cables sound simlar.

I think sometimes there are psychoacoustics involved sometimes and we hear what we want to hear.

I have noticed that sometimes when listening to other people's stereo, we make changes in the setup, and swear it sounds better, and on another evening the old setup sounds better. My conclusion is that sometimes we do fool ourselves.

Another observation: Audiophiles are always looking for a change, hopefully for the better. You may make a change in your system for the better, but the next week or day that is fogotten and your're off to find a "new" fix. The one before forgotten. A question I often ask myself is am I really going to notice this new tweak a week later or is it just different and better for that day. It is this need to improve that enriches the dealers and manufacturers. Otherwise we'd buy once and be done. The truth is few of us are really ever done with our systems.

Thanks for both your responses. Yes, I agree that psychoacoustics can play a role and one is always in the "tweaking" mode. I will take your advice and go down the route of listening to them for a week and then switching.

Why not try very different cables,say,Purist Audio(any) or NBS? Your Arcam player should react to this.

Not until all the cables are in the same level, the weakest link can bottleneck the performance. I've similiar experience in telling the different between VDH Integration and Siltech 80B before. When I am able to upgrade all my cables and compare the 2 cables again, the different is huge! As I can tell the different, my $$$ has gone :(

I am currently trying new interconnects and was about to reach the same conclusion. The manufacturer was kind of light on burn-in recommendation so I didn't worry about it too much along the way not being that impressed with the cable. Yesterday I decided to break them in right and dug out my XLO test CD and purist audio break in CD. after using each of them all day yesterday I listened last night to an acoustical wyndham hills CD and couldn't believe what I was hearing. There were sounds that I didn't know were on the CD. The soundstage went from distant to immersive. In my head I move from instrument to instrument without losing focus. It was definitely a night and day experience. If you don't have a burn in CD music direct has a new one from Ayre for $20 that might be pretty good.

I am not familiar with the quality of most of your components (though I am familiar with the brands), but I think your system would be capable of letting you hear the differences.

This is my theory...Vampire is a major wholesale source of bulk wire. They actually supply the wire to many of the smaller cable companies. The other wires you tried may have actually purchased their bulk wire from Vampire, so that means the only difference would be in the terminations and connectors. Your ears may be telling you the truth.

You may want to experiment with a copper interconnect to hear a more drastic difference.

Be careful - cables have been called 'tone controls' by some; perceived differences aren't necessarily improvements. There is definitely a big difference between silver and copper. I'd do a comparison between those first to see if you have a preference (silver = delicate, detailed, balanced. copper = impact, power IMO) before going further. Most important: trust your ears! If you don't love the change don't buy it. One thing your post didn't mention is AC conditioning. I've found that digital really benefits from it... If you can audition one of those PS Audio powerplants, I'd try that before getting too heavy into the interconnect game.

how new is your equipment ? is it fully broken in ( at least 6 months).

also, is your speaker placement correct ?( down to 1/16 of a inch).

do you have challenging room that is not symetrical for the speaker ?

your speakers are meant for near field listening with toe-in. they are very sensitive about this. your listening position (ears) from the speaker should be the same. ie the distance from the right tweeter to your right ear should as the left tweeter to your left ear. you have to sit realtivly close to your speakers, they are designed for this. it is a little weird, but once you hear it- you will know. it is like looking into the recording through a window, and when sit down it snaps into focus and when you standup it is lost. if you dont have that- then you need to concentrate on that before you audition interconnects.

in your current setup, do the speakers totally disappear and you have image height, width, and depth ?

if you have answered yes to the the fully broken in and the speakers totally disappearing and you have them setup correctly - and you dont have a challenging room........then you should hear a major difference when you change interconnects.

ALSO, make sure you are listening to interconnects that are fully broken in ( this is of major importance !!!!)

if you need help with your setup then find then a really experienced audiophile who can help you tweek your setup and your room ( someone who has the same speaker in the same type room- you can also contact the manufacture- they have written alot of articles on speaker placement with their models

in regard to ic's most interconnects fall in the 2 camps:

1. warm / bloom / body ( ie. cardas )
2. fast/ imaging / revealing (ie. xlo)

despite many different opinions- there is connection between price and performance .

i like the xlo signiture II interconnect it is very synergistic in my system. the cardas is really laid back and slower and doesnt image as well.

i would suggest borrowing a set of cardas from the shop ( try the golden cross) and see if you notice a differnce in your system. you may like the sound or you may not. if you can also take home a pair of wireworld eclipse or silver eclipse ( or xlo signiture) to do your own side by side comparison to hear what a "slow" cable sounds like compared to a "fast" cable

if you dont hear a differnce then something is REALLY wrong with your setup.

hope that helps!!!

Mike