speaker cable for exemplar system


Hey guys... hopefully this will start a hot discussion. I've got a reasonably top-end system.. Exemplar Audio everything, Music server, XD-1 Dac, eXception II preamp, and custom eXemplar 2A3 amps powering eXemplar horns. All but the music server are plugged into a Balanced Power Technologies BPT Jr.

I've got Live v5 interconnects, and BPT powercords for the pre and dac, stock cords for the amps.

Until recently, I was using 18 gauge magnet wire as my speaker cable. I found some old Vampire ST-II continuous cast speaker cable and swapped it in for the magnet wire.

Frankly, I was embarrassed at how much it improved the sound, especially the midrange. The highs seemed to roll off a tad, but overall it literally sounded louder AND quieter.

My question is this. Now that I've been woken up to what kind of difference speaker cable can make, what's the best bang for my buck for the system I've got?

thanks in advance.

-fliz
fliz
Fiz, you're in trouble now! It's too late for me but run while you still can! I must warn you to stay away from the slippery slope of seeking a speaker cables for your systems. I'm going crazy and I hope not broke in the search for a cable. It is truly remarkable how different speaker cables will make your system sound. Even my wife who is not really into audio can tell the difference between cables and what sounds good and what doesn't. In my system it's almost like adding a new component the difference is so great between speaker cables. I guess having a nice system isn't always a good thing :)

Unfortunetly I let her listen to some expensive cables and we both heard a huge difference. I did a blind A/B listening test for her using 4 different cables. She was able to identify every one of of them and what she liked and didn't like about each one. Further we each took separate notes and didn't let the other see what we had written and our comments were almost identical regarding each cable. Aiiiii I don't want to spend this much money on speaker cables.

Who would have thunk that cables would have make this much difference. It's too late for me but save yourself, don't do it.