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Entry Level Interconnect Reccomendations

Hello all,

I wanted to come here to ask you guys’ advice on some interconnects. This is my system:

Spica TC50 speakers
2x M&K VX-7 II subwoofers
Emotiva XDA-2 digital preamp
Adcom GFA-545 amplifier
Harrison Labs PFMod crossover (soon to be replaced by MiniDSP)

I connect my Emotiva to my crossover via RCA male>male adapter, for the best quality. This means I have only 1 interconnect in my entire system (crossover to the amplifier). I have been using these basic Acoustic Research RCA cables. A friend lent me his Aural Thrills and Tara Labs interconnects and I heard a pretty significant difference when replacing my AR cables with them.

So I now plan to buy my own interconnects, and I wanted to come here for your suggestions. Here are some options I’ve come up with, but feel free to add more:

Cardas Crosslink
Audioquest Diamondback
Audioquest King Cobra (same price as Diamondback right now)
Audioquest Colorado (under $175 right now)
Nordost White Lighting (slightly out of budget, but I can pull it off)
DIY DH Labs Pro Studio
DIY VH Audio Silver Interconnects
Edit: Wireworld Equinox 7


I’d like to keep it under $150USD for 1.0M pair.

Again, if there are any other suitable options, feel free to add them. The above list is just some un-educated guesses I threw out there.

Thanks so much!

128x128ocinn
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Ocinn 11-25-2016
Harrison Labs PFMod crossover (soon to be replaced by MiniDSP)
I took a look at the descriptions of the Harrison Labs crossovers. Although detailed information such as a schematic doesn’t seem to be available, it is clear that the PFMod is a passive device, and one that is particularly load sensitive. For example, for the FMod the high pass corner frequency is indicated as varying from +25% relative to its nominal value for a 10K load to -15% for a 47K load. While in itself that might not have a great deal of significance it would seem to indicate that sensitivity to cable differences, such as capacitance, is likely to be both greater in degree and different in character than for most other applications. Probably including the applications and experiences upon which the suggestions made by the others have been based.

So my suggestion is to do nothing until you replace the PFMod with the MiniDSP, which of course is an active device, and depending on model may have an output impedance of 560 ohms. Then see if your friend’s cables make a difference relative to the ones you are using.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al

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ocinn OP
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So my suggestion is to do nothing until you replace the PFMod with the MiniDSP, which of course is an active device, and depending on model may have an output impedance of 560 ohms. Then see if your friend’s cables make a difference relative to the ones you are using.


I want to point out that when I was doing the cable testing, I was using a "Pointe Series HTX-V2" which is an active two way. I still have it and might bring it out to do an a/b with the Harrison Labs one. I've never done it before. Might play better with new cables.
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ocinn OP
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@fourwnds 

@electroslacker 

You were the people (along with others, who I couldn't tag for some reason?) who recommended the Stager Silver Solid. How do you think they would compare to another pure silver interconnect, the VH Audio DIY Silver?

Thanks!
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