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Audioquest vs. Others

   I realize that this post will probably open a landslide of responses but my question is focused on the comparison of Audioquest vs other manufacturers. This is not aimed to address power cables or speaker wire but only interconnect cables. Like Audioquest, many brands offer cables in a range of prices....low, medium, high, and super high. My interest is not to compare a lower price/quality cable to one that is far superior but to ask if comparisons have been done within equal price ranges of different brands.

   Yes, some systems are capable of distinguishing minute changes in a cable makeup. Some manufacturers even offer a free trial and return policy. I know that. But, in a moderately priced system, are there any opinions that would deter one from using the Audioquest brand vs another brand? Remember....staying in a comparable price range.

jrpnde
jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,620 posts
 
Back in the early ninetys I had Audioquest  cables.My dealer let me borrow any I wanted to try.Each interconnect I tried sounded completely different from the one before it.Radically different.I actually wish they still made them like that,really fun to experiment with.The ics were all named after jewels-ruby,emerald,diamond,etc.
Their entry level cables now are well built and sturdy but not very resolving,very bland.We all have to start somewhere though,so they would be a decent baseline to start with.Down the road you try something new.
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,514 posts
 
AudioQuest makes excellent cables and if you are just starting out, they would be a logical cable choice.  I used their cables for years before moving on to other brands.  You really can’t go wrong. 
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
I am a big fan of certain Audioquest products because they are one of the only manufactures who make pure copper solid-core cabling.  Most everyone else (including super expensive items) are typically stranded.  The speaker wire is excellent at the Rocket 44/88 and above level.  The downside is the terminations being silver plated (why doesn't anyone use rhodium?!).

The power cords are excellent too, but still suffer from silver plated plugs.

I would avoid their digital and HDMI cables.  Not sure about the interconnects.
dustsailor
28 posts
 
AQ is fast, detailed, and a bit forward in the upper mids which helps give it a more front-row perspective. It wasn't my cup of tea since I prefer a more laid back, harmonically rich type of sound.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
@dustsailor - that's the silver-plated terminations at work that pushes the upper mids/highs more than anything else.
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