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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!

ocinn
213runnin
914 posts
 
I think the VH Audio would be more expensive, at any rate.  Stager makes the cables in a .75 meter length which is what I picked up.  If your system is in a vertical rack you rarely need a full meter.  The .75 length was $125.

The thing is, I'm sure you can get more sound quality out of cables, but you'll have to spend considerably more.
dgarretson
2,617 posts
 

@ocinn

I agree with Erik_Squires about the high quality of DIY Connex/DH Labs bulk IC cabling. I’ve migrated from some very high-priced commercial cables(PAD, Audioquest, Synergistics, Goertz, Fono Acustica) to all-Connex BL-Ag DIY silver ICs for a mere $16 per stereo foot plus terminations(Neutric XLRs or KLEI silver RCAs.) If you must purchase commercial cables, at least consider building one pair of BL-Ag for comparison. Constructing them is simpler than the VH and other DIY recipes. Forget about resale value, as the investment is minimal.

electroslacker
375 posts
 
@ocinn, I haven't tried the Vh.  I was thinking of buying a new tube amp and decided to first try tweaking everything from cables, to contacts, to fuses, to outlets.  I was intrigued by the Stagers construction, cost, and reviews, so i tried them.  I tend to judge audio gizmos by watching my behavior more than my thoughts.  What I thought was that they removed congestion. Instruments and voices seemed more separated.  My behavior was to never remove them or even A/B them with the previous cable. But I didn't try a bunch of cables.  Sorry I can't be more help.
ocinn's avatar
ocinn OP
17 posts
 
@dgarretson 

They are marked down to $7.95 a foot right now. Insane. Paired with WBT 0144s for $25 for a set of 4. That's a pretty great deal.
noromance's avatar
noromance
10,181 posts
 
Try the Belkin PureAV RCA Audio Cable for $10 a pair on Amazon first.
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