Cable thoughts

Maybe i will try to Audition them somehow. There's no NBS dealers in the Chicagoland area, at least that I've found. I tried the Monitor IV's yesterday from Ayre DAC to preamp and did not like it at all. Maybe I want used to it? My soundstage narrowed considerably. The sound was much brighter, almost to bright. S's had an sssssssssssss which drive me crazy. Their definitely burned in. They're 15 years old. I ended up putting my older Ultras back in their place swapping between then and the loaned TA gen5 m2 BMLP. At the end of the day, I have the old Ultra's from DAC to Pre because I noticed a much better soundstage and more detail over the BMLP. I'm still going to keep playing because this is fun to me and it's what idiots like myself enjoy doing lol!!

OK I think the Monitor series is leaner sounding than the Classic series. The Classic series is great because they are linear and coherent throughout but still maintain body and fullness throughout.

Ayre is reputedly lean sounding although the Codex uses the double diamond stage which is meant to be fuller sounding. Ayre gear works well with Transparent or MIT which both give a fuller sound - I prefer MIT as I find Transparent can sound thick. Ayre themselves recommend Cardas cabling - so maybe try those perhaps from the older range as opposed to the current Clear range.

Did you try the NBS in the pre to amp position? I am guessing that if you use the Transparent Ultra's you have from Ayre Codex to pre and the NBS Classic series (if not the Monitor you have) from pre to power amp (what power amp do you use?), you will be happy. Try that and see how it works out.

That's exactly what I did. Tried the NBS from the Codex to my pre and didn't like it. The Ultra's are now in their place. My main power amp is a Mark Levinson 23.5. I have an email into NBS requesting to audition some cables. I'm tired of buying cables and deciding I don't like them after I start using them. I want to audition them first.

As an update, I just received an email back from NBS trilling me there is no way to audition their cables. To bad for that, I thought I would audition 2 pairs and possibly bought them if I liked them. Oh well, still in my quest.

luvrockin,

I feel your pain. Consider contacting Albert Porter (long standing member here) and see if he can help. He is brutally honest, remarkably experienced, and beyond all, a pleasure to know.

Dave