Shopping for Interconnects

Thanks.  Will be trying a few different DIY IC's now that I've read enough information about them.  Could easily be much better than anything I could buy for a comparable price.

Also going to look into DIY speaker cables next.  Just read a thread about the Duelund cable yet again being a great speaker cable as well.  

Although I was able to pick up 2 sets of Dueland IC  with dueland connectors from members of AC for a very good price , they are certainly amazing in a high end system ! their is a person on Ebay that sells them for $ 99.00 a pair.
I also own 6 sets of Zu audio Mission & wylde IC silver coated with copper about $ 40 to $ 50 a pair from ZU on E-Bay , they are discontinued models but sound amazing ! you just can't go wrong with these cables

Thanks Carpathian.  So many cables yet so few dollars to spend.  :-)  

Know I’m a little late to this, but ZU Audio is auctioning off their Mission series IC’s and power cables on eBay right now, and there’s potential to pick them up for around $50. Been going on for a while now, so I don’t know how many they may have left. If someone has already offered this up, my apologies, I didn’t read through the thread...Cheers and Happy New Year

Schubert.  Cost of those SE's is over 300 bucks.  3 times the cost of the original edition.  Can't afford to spend that kind of money for cables.  

Yes that is the correct Belden Cable on your above link.  My reference regarding Nickel vs Gold Neutrik male RCA's is for example.  My mono block amplifiers have Nickel Female RCA's and my Preamplifier has Gold Female RCA's.  So when I custom made my interconnects I had Nickel RCA's for the amplifier end and Gold RCA's for the Preamplifier end.  Just check to see what your components have.  If you are fortunate they will be the same metal and you will be able to use one kind.  Just make sure before you order. 

I have, they are at least 50% better .Again , the Shadow connections are the best , WELL worth the extra bucks IF you listen to acoustic music .

marqmike.  Yes, they are good cables.  It is quite easy to assemble a good two channel stereo system now without having to spend thousands of dollars on each component.  Even just a few hundred for each pice coupled with some modestly priced cables like the IC3's will offer great sound that would satisfy most people.  I just can't justify spending thousands on a new system when much of my old gear still sounds good to this day.  Unless a component completely craps out there is no reason to replace it.

Have you compared the IC3se to the IC3?  Wondering how much of a difference there is in the sound.

perazzi      Spellcheck keeps changing your name.  Just caught it again.  Let me know if that is the right cable and also about the Nickel Connectors.

Shubert
Thanks for your service as a teacher. A very undervalued service that is provided.
I watch my budget to yet feel my purchases for audio equipment are important. One reason I, like you, like the Audio Art stuff,  is it is very good and very well with in budget. Listening to audio stuff for about for over 4 decades tells me you can get 100% there with some good stuff and good synergy. Many times more costly just sounds different. I think Audio Art cables I have get me 100% there.

perizi.  Is this the right stuff?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-feet-Belden-9259-RG-59-75-ohm-Video-Cable-Coax-22-AWG-copper/38094001204...

perizi.  What does the Nickel do to the sound quality?  I've never heard of anyone using Nickel plated RCA connectors before.

Found someone that can do the soldering.  Same guy that is looking at my Denon amp.  Will look into the wire you suggested as well.  My guess is that I will have around half a dozen different IC's and eventually I am certain that with some recordings I will prefer one set of cable or two over the others.  Makes sense to have a variety considering I have a large collection of music.

Quick addendum to my above post.
If you don't have the soldering equipment or skills then take your components to an electronics repair shop and have the technician do the work for you.

I purchased an adequate length of Belden 9259 on eBay and the RCA's from Parts Express
Gold Male RCA's https://www.parts-express.com/neutrik-rean-nys352g-rca-plug-connector-gold--092-112
Nickel Male RCA's https://www.parts-express.com/neutrik-rean-nys352-rca-plug-connector-nickel--092-110
These Neutrik connectors worked very well but require soldering. Avoid crimp types. Match the metals at each end to your amplifiers Female RCA's and your Preamps RCA's

One of the major advantages to cables is that it will help shore up shortcomings in some parts of a system with improved audio quality.  A much more affordable way to upgrade the sound of a system vs buying new and much more expensive gear.

Transparent +1

marqmike, as a retired teacher I ain’t rich .You described the IC-3se better than I can and you are spot on .
I first bought 2 with DHL as there is a price difference.
AudioArt had told me the Shadows were better though and as he is as honest as it gets, few weeks later sprung for a pr with the Shadows.
DHL prima , Shadows off the chart !
Month later I sprung for a 3 meter Shadow which is placement necessary in my small condo and I know the most important IC is between the pre and amp . System is better than I ever thought possible in my small condo .

I do own the IC3 IC and am very happy with them.  Perhaps I should just stick with them.  Also like the LC-1 I ordered from BJC as well.  Different sound but still decent.  Not as good to my ears as the IC3 though.

Have ordered the Morrow MA1.1 and will at least try them.  May be surprised.  

Would like to avoid buying a new amp right now.  Money is tight.  Have home upgrades that come first and have to pay a ton for heat right now due to the cold temperatures.  Figured I could get by with the amps I have for now and if they really fail then look at new.  Always was happy with the A 500 from Yamaha and the Denon PMA 520 also sounds excellent though different than the Yamaha.  I don't know why some people think just because a amp is 30 years old it still can't sound good.

I am like Shubert and think the Audio Art IC-3se's are very good. Not just good as an interconnect passing the signal but they have a high degree musicality along with it. I think it is the way it highlights microdynamics but I really don't know what I am talking about when it comes to why. I have the DHL connectors and would like to try the Shadows.

If you go to the AudioArt IC-3se you will have the best on the market under 2k .
DHL connectors are very good, The Shadow ones are fantastic !

The solderless RCA plugs that appear on Amazon don't look like they are very good quality.  Reviews indicate larger wires like 12 gauge may not work either.  Want to use larger gauge wire of course.

Any other sources that sell solderless RCA plugs for home stereo use?  Prefer something that will last.

@will62 

From the Morrow Audio website...

The MA1.1 consists of 4 runs of solid core, small gauge and individually insulated, silver coated copper wire which is then silver soldered to the termination of choice. Silver coated copper wire was chosen for the excellent balance of sound that it provides. The cable has an attractive appearance and possesses excellent RFI and noise rejection. That cable is flexible, durable and easy to manage.

perrazzi.  Thanks for the tip.  Will look into that other cable as well.  May be able to make my own with it since it appears I can find solderless RCA connectors.

ghost house.  Will try them and find out.  The Audio Art cable is a combination of silver and copper and that is not bright to my ears.  

herman.

Not changing speakers.  Already have a pair of Mirage OM 10 Towers and Castle Conway 3 Towers.  Love both paris and don't want to part with them.

Yes, I do agree on the integrated amp's possibly being the weakest link in the system right now.  In fact the Denon just developed a noise on some deep bass notes while listening to a Wes Montgomery CD.  Swapped out the amp to the A 5oo and the noise was gone.  

Going to at least get a diagnosis of the problem to see if it worth repairing.  If not I will likely look for a new integrated amp in the Spring.  Won't be able to spend over $500 at this point unless when I take a transfer with my company at that time, I find that my earnings have increased by at least 25 percent.  That may happen but I won't know until April or May.  

Don't want the new Yahama amps.  Too bright now.  I've read the Onkyo 9050 and Marantz PM5005 might work since they are more neutral to a bit warm.  Also can be bewired which is something I plan to do.  

To finish my thought

Starting out get some neutral cables whether it be CAT5 or some other inexpensive option, probably just keep what you have, then go after speakers and electronics. Since the speakers are the most colored component start there, find a pair you like and build from there. The idea that you must start with the front end is incorrect. A $2000 front end driving compatible $50,000 speakers will sound waaaaaay better than a $50,000 front end driving $2,000 speakers.

If you want an immediate upgrade and want to keep the speakers, you need to go after the weak link in your system which IMHO are the old integrateds. Despite what some may think, electronics ,especially the power supplies do deteriorate and after 18+ years you are due for an upgrade.

Once you get the speakers and electronics up to a level you are happy with, then, and only then, should you consider spending more money on cables. 

@will62 
Confirm with Morrow, but I'm pretty certain their wire is silver plated copper and not pure silver.

At this point in the development of your system you do not need to spend much on cables. CAT5 will do you just fine. If you don’t want to solder you can buy solderless RCA plugs on Amazon at 10 for $6 and CAT5 cable is a few cents a foot. Spending any more on cables with a system at your level just doesn’t make sense. I use it between my DAC and preamp and the system sounds fantastic. Yes, I am a cable skeptic, but hearing is believing. Check out my system in the virtual systems area.

CAT5 also makes good speaker cables just use a few pair together in parallel

Diageng 10pcs Phono RCA Male Plug a AV Tornillo Terminal Plug Conector

I would take exception to recommending the Belden 89289 or the 1505f.
Even after trying the much lauded 8402 they all fell short of the 9259! Very highly recommended.

Ordinarily I would not be up this late but I am dealing with a  bad head cold and now diminishing sinus infection.  Thanks for the additional suggestions.  

Just ordered the Morrow MA 1.1 to try out.  Found out they are silver and not copper wires.  I've heard silver can be bright which I want to avoid.  Hopefully Morrow has found a method to tame the bright sound from silver.  

Will still be buying a couple more pairs in the not too distant future.  Will consider all the additional suggestions as well.  Since I am shopping for two systems, ultimately I will need at least two more pairs of IC's.  Like to have different cables since each produce a different sounds and will help certain recordings to sound better.  One cable does not fit all.

Don't assume that a hundred bucks need be spent on a pair of RCA cables.  A decent pair costing 15 to 20 bucks from a reputable online dealer like Monoprice will squeeze every available ounce of SQ out of your system.

Use the saved $160 to buy music.

Signalcable +1

Beyond ANY doubt the ZU cables on Ebay are the best buy in audio!
Good sound and service , very honest and their build quality is excellent .

My budget pick:
Zu audio, you can buy their older models at a discount on Ebay.
My preferential choice:
Audioquest.
B 

On the list should be:
Canare lv-61s (detailed and punchy to my ears)
Canare LV-77s or BJC LC-1 (fuller, more laid-back)

The Belden 89289 used to be on audiophiles' top list also.
Ordering from Bluejeancables guarantees the best connectors (Canare), same with signalcables.

No one mentioned PBJ????
You might also look at Kimber Kable - note: Amazon has a lot of fakes https://www.kimber.com/counterfeits. Ray Kimber will take old Kimber in trade.  That's when many found out that the stuff they have is fake, so buy only from a legitimate dealer or direct.
PBJ interconnects are classic (pun not intended), and with a very slight discount would be in your range, and you can customize them as to length, connector, etc..  If you have any local dealer, you could expect a better discount as my understanding is that the margins on cable are higher than other audio gear. Tonic is well within your price range. Here's a review, and on page 2 there's a link to Dudley's Tonic review. https://www.stereophile.com/content/entry-level-18
I have used PBJs in the past, and thought they were quite good; nothing outstanding; quite neutral. There are hundreds of reviews of PBJ all over, and they set the benchmark for good budget ICs - for > ten (20?) years!. I upgraded to SilverStreak.
Ray also has do it yourself parts- very high quality- the same stuff he uses: https://www.kimber.com/series/diy 

Thanks for the additional suggestions.  I will research these as well.  Since I plan to buy three new pairs this year, I will take some time before buying the second and third pairs while I research other cables.

I'm very happy with Virtue Audio Nirvana interconnects (within your budget):
https://store.virtueaudio.com/product-p/vrtu-ic-nrv.htm
Previously I had a mix of Audioquest, Kimber and Bluejeans,
I recently re-cabled my whole system with these, including phono, to good effect.
Warm-ish, clear, with excellent rca connectors, and a good price and service from the makers.

Purist audio design poseidon or elementa advanced fluid cables 

You can grab a set of cardas or transparent entry level for around 100. I’d look no further. 

Scott:  Thanks.

I have to be careful to avoid brighter sounding gear.  For years I had Klipsch Heresey's with my Yamaha A 500 and they grated on my ears.  And then I switched to a  Cambridge Audio Amp a decade later and the result was still the same with that amp though it was not as bad as the Klipsch.  

Right now the synergy with the gear I have is good.  Neutral to a bit warm though the Bass on the Castle speakers with the Denon is a bit heavy at times.  But I think by changing the amp over to the Yamaha with the Castles and then matching the Denon to the Mirage speakers will resolve the issue.  

@will62 

You have done your research well.:-)

I used them for a couple years. While I wouldn't describe them as harsh, they are fairly neutral but lean to the bright side of things a bit.

Cheers,

Scott

I was doing some reading on the Blue Jeans Cables again.  Noted a couple of people are very happy with the Belden 1505f wire cable they use.  Only around $40 a pair.  I'm happy with the LC-1 that I have.

Has anyone compared the two or use the Belden 1505f cable from BJC?  Thoughts?

Let me qualify my previous statement about three pairs of IC's for under $200.  Make that two right now.  Will shop for a third pair later in the year when I purchase another CD player.  

samac.  I've read some reviews on the Signal cables and some people claim they are harsh or too bright.  I need to avoid that kind of sound.

Prefer neutral or a bit warm without heavy bass being amplified any further.

Do you own these cables?

@will62 

This is a good interconnect that would come within your budget.

http://http//signalcable.com/analogtwo.html

Cheers,

Scott

I forgot to post the link.  Got distracted by a phone call.  Work related.

https://www.performanceaudio.com/shop/Mogami/Bulk-Microphone-Cable-1701/

Have noted some other more expensive cables.  Wondering if they would offer different performance?  Even something more expensive will hardly add to the cost of the IC since I will only need a few feet.

My standards are simply this.  I want the right sounding cable for my systems that won't cost an arm and another part of my anatomy that I would early like to keep.  Want to keep my total cost for three pairs of IC's to under $200.

I can't see the list of cables in your response but --
I've used the Mogami microphone 2549 cable with good results.
I can't say they're ideal, I haven't tried every cable out there and my standards may be lower than yours, but Mogami cables of all kinds, microphone, interconnect and speaker, are studio standards, very well made and easy to work with.
https://markertek.resultspage.com/search?w=mogami+microphone+cable&sitepref=1

sfar.

Which of the following Mogami cables would be ideal for use with RCA connectors and suited for musical playback?