Auditorium 23
Reasonable high end interconnects: without breaking the bank
I am in the process of updating my audio equipment and have realized my interconnects are probably not up to snuff; I use the ones provided by the manufacturers. My current set up includes a Leben cs600 amplifier, California audio lab Icon Mark II CD player, Linn Akurate Streamer, Feikert Volare Table and Spendor SP1 speakers ( in final stages of upgrade to either Audio Note E, Devore O93 or Joseph Profile). I have been investigating interconnects and have a bit of sticker shock. So any suggestions on interconnects that won't bankrupt me? Is silver truly preferable to copper with respect to resolution and detail?
Thanks
MP
Thanks
MP
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- 118 posts total
I use a lot of Ernst&Engbring microphone cable in my audio systems. Neutral no-nonsens cables at a reasonable price. I haven't compared it to cables in the $1000/m range but so far they have outperformed all other cables that I have tried. They BTW comes as standard with Neumann microphones and Rupert Neve uses it a lot too. It's a 3-lead cable so for unbalanced connections it's recommended to use one of the leads as shield return. In this configuration I have used it for unbalanced signals up to about 20m without a hint of any problems. If it should be regarded as a high-end cable can of course be discussed as it is a professional product aimed primarily at the recording industry but you might already have 25m of this cable in your signal path without knowing it. That is, if the recording was made in a Rupert Neve designed recording studio with his mixing console and a Neumann U47 as the vocal mike. Even if one likes to spend more money on primary cables in a system it is an excellent cable to use with tape decks, FM-tuners and other such sources. It comes highly recommended! |
mpomerantz, I was the sole proprietor of a mid-fi to high end shop from 1986-1993, sold more than a dozen brands of cables, with the most expensive being MIT if I recall correctly. Was also a Spendor dealer, and we should have sold a lot more SP1's than we did. Nice speakers, to this day. Yes wires make a difference, but to those of us on a beer budget... buy beer budget cables. don't get me wrong, I sold a good bit of audio equipment to those that made 10, 100, probably even a few making 1000 times more than I did peddling hifi. I HEARD the difference that MIT-750 shotgun cables made in certain systems. As for what I used at home in my own system? Much less expensive stuff. I bought a bunch of Mogami neglex 2534 mic cable that came out of a decommissioned recording studio a few years ago, and have made up a lot of interconnects for myself, friends & customers using quality connectors when I have had the time to do so. They are not invisible, they are not perfectly transparent, but they are pretty translucent, and sound 100 times better than those "free interconnects" included in the box with stuff, and with some components sound as good as, or better than $500 retail interconnects. Depending on the connectors, I sell them as low as $25 a pair for a half meter. Its all relative. There is a lot of snake oil sales in high end audio, always has been, always will be. But if YOU hear a big difference between spending $100 and $5000 in interconnects and you can afford it and that makes you happy? fine bidnez. Don't even get me started on speaker cables, or internal wiring! |
Cardas copper.. Yet, reasonable price! https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PGICCASRR |
- 118 posts total