@OP, though they don't seem to have a big market presence in the US, Van den Hul cables are quite resolving and definitely not bright. The mountain interconnects and cloud speaker cables are excellent. Some people find them too soft sounding but one person's soft is another's natural/uncoloured so, as always, people's preferences and perceptions differ.
Choosing new cables
I am looking to upgrade my current cables. This should be my last system as I retired a few years ago and most of my components have been seriously updated in the last couple of years. I have been in this audio hobby for about 50 years and have always have great sounding musical systems.
My current cables all work and sound great but are 15 - 20 years old. So updating is what I need. I am budgeting around $10k - $15k for all new cables.
I have always felt the i/c's were the most important cable followed by the speaker cables and the power cords. However I am now leaning towards spending more on the power cords followed by the speaker cables and last the i/c.
I know all cables are very important but how would you prioritize the cables? Any suggestions on any brands would also be appreciated!
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@bobheinatz I have the Boulder 866 in a simple system with the Project RS2 CD Box transport and Joseph Perspective2s. I just initiated a cable upgrade with a similar budget. I have tried a number of different power cables with the 866, including an older Elrod (my favorite with my previous amp), Core Power Diamond Extreme (a relative bargain), Audio Envy Whale, and a few others. Two weeks ago, I ordered a Hijiri Takumi power cable. It is still settling in, but was a substantial improvement from the get go (which, given the price, was a relief). My investment in the Takumi followed a review of the various threads, talking with Colin, and also a back and forth with another Audiogon member who had tried the Takumi on his 866, with great effect (as he told me, "Believe me, there was a big part of me that kind of hoped it would just be another overhyped cord, but its impact was just undeniable." I concur). For speaker cables, I have been using the Silversmith Fidelium. I love them, especially at the price, but they may be a bit light on the bottom end. I am currently in the market for an upgrade. I just started an audition of a set of Argentpur cables made by Ernie Meunier (https://argentpur.audio). I think they may be what I'm looking for, but I haven't had time to assess them yet. Another cable I was looking at is the Inakustic 4004. I use an AES/EBU from the Project to the DAC in the 866. I don't know if you need a digital cable. If so, I've had great experiences with both the Hijiri Million, and also Bob Grost's Cerious Lumnsicate cable. I hope this helps. Good luck in the search! |
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