Recommendation for an audiophile speaker cord that is not "bright"?


A friend has loaned me the Nordost Valhalla I and II as well as Nordost Frey 2 cables. They are wonderful speaker cables but do emphasize the "brightness" of my system including my Wilson audio Sahsa 2 speakers.

Any suggestions? Would used Transparent cables provide a richer bottom end? What about Audience Reference?

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. - Thank you - Gerry
128x128ruraltraumasurgeon
Stereo5, w.r.t. flat response:   This is one of the major goals of room acoustics ... to achieve a flat frequency response. Audiophile eschew tone controls, but then place speakers in a somewhat or poorly treated room ... and that room is tone control, complete with phase (almost like an electronic one).

Issues with fidelity aside, most people do prefer the results of the amplitude correction applied by AV processors and receivers. Why? ... because it achieves a somewhat flat response. Even better is to accomplish it at the speaker and with room tuning (while correcting other maladies).

Sorry to derail a bit ruraltraumsurgeon.  It sounds like you are on the right path, but I would caution you not to confuse high frequency emphasis from amplifier stability with "detail". There are better controlled ways of emphasizing high frequencies if that is what you prefer. Amplifier instability would not be my preferred method.


Oldhvymec: I am not offended Oldhvymec, but I also don't agree with unfairlane either with his suggestions, his conclusions, or his statement that somehow he has the "truth" and we should be blessed to have that truth shared with us. The problem with that "truth" is it is appears based on a limited experience set, with conclusions made based on correlation, and not necessarily causation. People often say "well I figured this out from 25 years in the hobby" and that is great. Would it come as as shock to know that people who design this equipment will often test more variation in a week or month that a hobbyist, even an active one, over their whole life? Their knowledge set also allows them to better determine causation as well, not simply correlation.
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oldhvymec-

The Mcintosh C22 is a new version of an old model: https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/preamplifiers/C22

Online, others have been critical of the combination of this McIntosh preamp with an ARC power amplifier. It may be that a solid-state power amplifier is better (avoiding the controversy of A, versus AB, versus D, versus tubes). 
I had my McIntosh C2500 tube preamp mated to a Conrad-Johnson MF2550 solid state amp.  Sounded horrible unless you like the sound slow and syrupy.  The McIntosh MC152 and now the MC302 sound incredible with the C2500 preamp.  
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