Transparent Phono Cable

Mark, as I said, I didn't know if the Graham cable came with the arm. And I am well aware of all the obstacles to auditioning cables -- but it's no excuse for grabbing the first thing and running with it. If there's a will, there's a way -- especially when one is planning a (retail) expenditure from $800 up to $2000 or more.

Three of the excellent cables we discussed are all in the $800 +/- range (four, if you include the Cardas GR) so even avoiding the pricey stuff, if you just "go with" the first thing that comes up (for whatever reason) then you are automatically "unchoosing" all the other candidates. You wouldn't by a car or a computer that way?

BTW, I don't go by price alone, and for a very good reason, I can't afford the most expensive products. If I hadn't been offered a Venustas phono cable for 1/3 retail, I probably would have wound up with one of the $800 choices, but only after first listening to at least three of them.

I don't know from personal experience that Siltech is the best, but I talk with a very dispassionate guy who sells Siltech, Purist, Transparent, Argento and has heard the rest. He wants me to hear the Siltechs in my system, but I courteously declined.
.

Dear Ed: Congratulations for your XV-1 ( wonderful performer ) and your up-grade analog system!!!

I never had the opportunity to heard the phono cable by Transparent but I heard ( in my own system ) several ones: Cardas, Siltech, Nordost, Analysis Plus, Harmonic Technologies, Wireworld, Kimber kable, Purist, Van denHul, Silversmith, etc, etc.

From all those I keep it : Analysis Plus and Harmonic Technologies, both are superb and for less money than almost all those cables ( including Transparent )that don't justify its very high prices, at least in my system.

Now, the cable selection is a very subjective one and system dependent, to be sure that you have the best one means that you have to test several ones till you find the right one

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Nsgarsh,just for the record,I and any of my fellow hobbyist pals have never "automatically" chosen any product.Be it cabling or any other.That would be "diluting" the possible potential of a given product.If I gave the impression that the IC-70 was added,only as in this case,I appologize!Also,as I am lucky enough to have a few pals who have similar stuff,it becomes easy to use their experience with multiple choices,to make a final decision.BTW,I have had other cables in my 2.2 set-up.
Also,to be fair,I would LOVE to try to "hitch up" a quality Siltech to my own rig.What I usually get away with,is talking a well off pal,into making the "move",and going from there.-:)A bit under the table,but I always recommend good stuff,so my pal usually comes out on top.

Best
Mark

Ed, please come back with your impressions of the XV-1s in regards to all of the music genres that you listen to. I've heard this cartridge with some classic rock and jazz, which is not supposed to be it's best application if you listen to some. I'm curious to hear from you if your impressions come close to my own in this regard.

I'm guessing that the IC-70 does not come with the Phantom since that has not been the packaging model used by Graham in the past. It's a very good cable, but I agree with the suggestion of getting as many cables as you can to listen for yourself. It would be even better if all of the samples have enough hours on them so that you're hearing what they sound like after breaking in. For example, I know that Venustas (and the Ic-70 for that matter) don't sound all that great until they get several hundred hours on them and I'm betting that is true for all cables.

Have fun!

Dan

Dan,

Please say it ain't so! Several hundred hours? That's like 500 to 700 hours. By the time I break in and listen to half a dozen cables it will be time to retip the cartridge!!!

BTW, my two SRA Craz Reference isoRACKS arrived today. I ordered them 31/2 months ago. I was very excited until I discovered that we cannot get them out of the crates. In the heat and humidity, the crates apparently swelled and the Craz will not budge no matter how we tug on it. We even turned the crate upside down with the top lid off and shook and shook it (it weighs 200 lbs so this is not child's play) The Craz did not budge a millimeter!!

So I moved one of them into the house and I'll have to let it sit in the A/C long enough for the swelling to do down.

Ed