Revisiting Chinese Knockoff Cables


Why I don/t know, but the first thread has been removed recently. So, having benefited from it greatly, I felt compelled to recap my journey, so that others of limited budgets might make a huge leap that they otherwise could not afford:

When I first got my EVS 1200 I was using Series 8 WireWorld interconnects, speaker cables and Pangea Premier XL 1.5m coax cable. As you mentioned, I was extremely happy with the amp (compared to PS Audio M700s). Eventually I came across the Chinese Cable knockoff thread and first tried the fau-Nordost Odin 1.5m coax which was/is amazing: as they were so cheap compared to the $169 1.5m Pangea, I also bought a 1.0M Odin, but didn’t try it until after I replaced both the WW cables with Odin 2 XLRs and cables. Then I replaced the 1.5m with the 1.0 and was kinda blown away that 0.5m of the same coax could be THAT much better.

While my all SS system sounded very good, it was a bit too sharp, so I ordered Odin Gold speaker cables (at ~ $170/2.5m). Unfortunately one leg must of had a bad solder joint as it barely sent the music . It took a couple months before they replaced it, which I finally installed 2 days ago: BAM. Even immediately, but of course it needs break in time. The weather here (Ft Lauderdale) has been really bad, I have only left for short quick trips. Today we are under a tornado watch, so won't leave, but as soon as I can get out for a few hours I will put on my XLO burn-in disc, which I use on everything I insert, including the M 700s, EVS, and Voyager which expedites break in, which still takes a good 50-100-200 hours!

Summing this up: cables can/do make or break a system. If I had these cables when I first got the EVS, I probably would never have gotten the Voyager, which of course I am itching to compare again, but could still be awhile

tweak1

How about genuinely good well built cables from China

There are very many serious audiophiles in China and they have had their own home grown brands going back to the 80s, that I know of.

W.r.t the knockoffs on Aliexpress, It reeks all day of some names having/had fab operations in China at some point, bought them en masse and sold them to a exceptionalist & patriotic group of north American audiophiles at 2000% markups, i.e., otherwise known as the patriot price.

 

Google is your friend:

 

https://verafiaudiollc.com/products/vibration-black-hole

 

Which Ali-E vibration control devices were you using tweak1?

 

@shawnwes Any update?

I was about to order a pair of Valhalla 2 from Ali, then I noticed they were not the same ones from RM Digital that most are referencing in here. Anyone have any thoughts on these?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805789562167.html

 

They are basically the same price, so I would probably change my order to the RM Digital ones, but I do like the wood.

@brad1138 

 

I purchased mine from Bassmin Audio Store. I paid $279CAD for a 1.5m pair. I think they're an excellent product and very well finished. I went with bananas. There seems to be varying price points for similar looking products. I picked up some inexpensive cardas clear light rca copies and they are garbage. a pair of Odin Gold rca copies @ $65 CAD seem to be as good SQ as the $200 Viborg pair I also have.