Double your pleasure with same cable throughout?

Thanks Doug.

Given you made one change in a power cord, and the result was significantly noticeable, I’d say the MIT speaker wires you have did their job. They allowed the impact of the change to become apparent. I’d say that’s a good thing. I’ve never heard of the tice cables you mentioned… but that don’t mean much. I’m somewhat myopic in regard to cables and gear, and to a good degree pretty conservative. Although I do try to steer clear of those with too much ‘unobtainium’ in their construct. MIT is not alone in the amounts of unobtainium they employ in the construct of their interfaces. So far as I’m concerned the end result is the ticket.

As my system is an excellent sounding one, and given personal prefs, I seek only to tweak it to my liking. My one great issue is the speakers. Although the JR’s do well, and extremely so for the price, they do not possess the traits in performance that I would most enjoy. Not knocking the JR’s per se, just pointing to the facts of preference. What I want in a speaker is going to become quite the issue as ones with high recommendations also come with high prices. Homage, Sophia, Utopia, Totem’s upper end, etc. A sweeter reproduction of the mids and highs using some wiring chages are the focus.

Regarding the thrust of the thread, and having decided as one poster mentioned, replacing a most integral part of the IC chain, there’s lots of ways to go. Another MIT and I’ve seen that synergy with two different MIT wires. Both added to the overall enhancement of system sound. Still another cable, whose power cords I use has made changes as well…. And I’ve found with those I’ve recently integrated that similar technologies, does add some extra quotient to the mix. With the MITs in the sys, there were two IC’s involved: Source to pre, and pre to amp. Two out of the three were the same brand. Good to great results were achieved... albeit with a slight reservation in regard to the degree of resolution. As smooth as my electronics are, exposing every last detail on a CD along with many times the fashion it was recorded & produced, just ain’t what I’m about.

Just now with the addition of a Synergistic Resolution Reference active xlr on the amp… which coincides with the Signature 10 speaker wires I have on the JR’s, there seems another bit of synergy going on. I’m not thrilled with having to plug in wires to the power outlet if they ain’t power cords though… but ever how SAR came up with this notion of active networks for their cables… it sure is surprising what the benefits are. Amazing actually. Turn off the power to the cables and they simply aren’t the same. Nowhere near it. Plugged in though, and they are fairly remarkable. The additional benefit of less worry about crossing over other wires is diminished to just an afterthought, but for me, a good afterthought given I’m a bit ‘hard of seeing’ these days. But this is about the sound. And thus far the sound is quite good. Smoother than the MIT with near the same presence in the mid. Tight bass but not as abundant as the MITs. A silkyness in the top ranges yet with great detail. Symbols are as natural as I’ve yet heard. . . and air. Heavy on the air. They aren’t quite run in thus far and I’m splitting duty in that respect with an Ultra linear from VooDoo which has as much resolution as did the MIT Mag3 I previously tried briefly. The Ultralinear seems a mix of the MIT MAG3 & the Synergistic Res Ref. Lots of air, plenty of resolution, great balance, and very musical. I suspect that without another Ultralinear or VooDoo offering upstream or down, the resultant integration of a ‘stand alone’ IC at least in this instance, bears out to some degree, cable synergy. As my findings are not based on tons of different combinations of similar or dissimilar cables I can only go on what I’ve seen first hand…. No pun intended.

I have indeed realized the marked improvements when the same brand of cable either follows or precedes itself in the signal path. Of that I have no doubt. IN so far as MIT & Synergistic Audio are concerned. This ‘likewise cabling’ affectation or support of the signal does make sense. It would seem what is perceived as hype from cable manufacturers is not hype at all. It appears as simple justification. The cable makers ain’t using other cables when they are testing and developing their own lines. I’m satisfied with that bit of first hand knowledge. I found it true with having the same brand preamp & amp. Same brand ICs. Same brand IC & spkr wires. Same brand power cords at amp & AC line cond. Though I’ll still not dispute another’s experience with using different cables on components, be they likewise or not. I’ve one pair more to prevue and at that point I should be settled enough to make an informed choice as to which cable for the preamp to amp connection.

For me, it’s about the reproduction of music in such a fashion that it is involving, musical, and satisfying. I find it satisfying when it draws me in. When I’m swaying in my seat, slapping the chair arms, or openly remarking that the musicians I’ve just heard might well make a good living doing this professionally. That’s musical enjoyment in my opinion. Regardless the name on the components’ outside…. It’s how I feel on the inside. Getting there for me ain’t fun. Being there is. And ya gotta get there…. You want to see Mickey Duck, you gotta go to Disney. How ya get there is a whole different ball game.

“Same – same” does have the upper hand presently. IMHO. stay tuned.

I have always been of the opinion that one high-end cable or an other is good enough as one can get really crazy experimenting and this can be expensive. The above comments might make me reconsider.

Unclejeff
...I'm with you. I've been a doubting thomas for some time in terms of wires. Extensive electrical background plays a part there for me. But ove the last few years I've found far too many examples of different cable makers offerings that have convinced me there is definitely something to all this... ... see above... and now the 'same brand' scenario sets me on another path from the 'all different' avenue. As the results speak for themselves. ...and yeah it can be expensive. IF you let it. I won't try those items whose price I can't justify. I get pretty hinky when the costs get up around 1500 or more (new)... but it's most difficult for me to justify spending thousands on devices and then not spending a fair amount to allow them to perform as well. I've found the interconnects and cables, as well as power cords and conditioning gear, are all complimentary, and conducivbe to the experience as much as is the components. Quite honestly, as has been regaled here ad infinitum, the costs vs. return don't seem to be justified much of the time anyhow.... and sometimes not hearing the differences by trying a higher level of gear ain't an altogether bad thing. Back to the "Ignorance is bliss", THING.... Finding out how much money for how much gain, is a tassk in and of itself.

Blindjim, you have great insight; outersight may be a bit rough, as based on your moniker and comments, but good insight! :)

I must say, I AM thoroughly enjoying the MIT speaker cables. I am actually using a run of the Tice for the subwoofers, which seems to sound marvelous along with the MIT's on the mains. I am hanging on to the Tice second set since when the new speakers arrive, they will be quite different sounding, and a new test will be in order.

I found that "synergy" with cables all being one brand is a double edged sword. Both with Audioquest and even more so with Harmonic Technology, the characteristic sound that their wires gives was pleasantly increased by addition of more of their proudct into the rig. However, at some point, it seemed to me the scale was tipped and I found myself thinking "that's too much" of their characteristic sound. Audioquest, I found had nice detail, but the soundstage was not all that large. Harmonic Technology was expansive sounding, shockingly "open" but when multiple cables were used it actually began to sound distorted to me, like it was losing focus.
It seemed a case of "too much of a good thing" where at first, the novelty of the change seemed superior, but with time, I found I was still fidgeting to try and eliminate the negative aspects of the "full system" wiring. Only using a mix and match method has yielded the results I was listening for.

The Tice cables are the only ones I have owned where I could live with it wiring the entire system, but even there, I ended up moving in two Xindak FP-Gold power cords on the Pathos amps, and WALA a new world opened up! I was SOOOO glad I didn't stop where I was.

I hear a very dramatic change in the sound just by swapping power cords! If I were to reverse the setup, and put one Xindak on the cdp, and two Tice on the Pathos Classic One's, the sound would easily be noticeably different (I actually did that, but the Xindaks were far better on the amps).
When one changes speakers, as well, the cable "merry go round" starts all over again...
It really has been a headache at times to get to the point of high quality throughout the cabling in the system, but once done, oh so well worth it! I can tell I'm at a VERY good place in the system which is almost perfectly pleasing to my ears, since I have several power cords, IC's and speaker wire laying about and yet I have no compulsion to be swapping them out. To me, that says, the system is sounding very musical/fulfilling to my ears. I agree that the ultimate test is if the head bobs and the feet twitch when the sound is pleasing. A very good indicator of things going right.

thanks Doug... if you say so... I appreciate it.

ON the "two much of a good thing"... given the very limited trials I've been able to perform in my IC hunt... there definitely is that possibility. As with the MIT M3 + M3 exercise, I agree... curretnly with the Nirvanas SX + Sl, (SX on the source, SL on the amp), again I agree. those are only two instances one with dissimilar models, one with the same models... each case proved out as 'two much'.

A finer balance of the tweaking of the signal seems more the way to go. Finding that balance at odds with different brands did appear the problem... IMO. Likewise brands yet different models does seem far better the idea. though balancing the sonic signature of one with another is quite the task. Which led me to figure 'same + same' as the slam dunk in adding IC's. Not necessarily so. the recipe can become bland, gooey, or simply to spicy, and the spice can overcome the main ingredients.

given all the notes I've taken along the way with all the units I've tried I'll not go at lenght here to indicate their diffs... but will add it to the 'reviews' list some sort of way.. either as individual reviews of the IC's or as a shootout sort of thing.... as several were on hand at some point along the way and an A/B/C deal did transpire.

the favored item however at this point is the Synergistic Res Ref x2 active xlr.... (I thought only royalty had names that long)... and oh by the way as is the case with SR, I was informed today an "Resolution Ref 2" ??? is now out or soon will be very very shortly... A week? Two? Reportedly, this itteration has all the characteristics of the current RR X2 active unit yet with more detail. I found this out by inquiring about which sorce IC they would recommend given I were to buy the curretn RR... the 'new' RR2 came up... given my parameters for sound.

Also in requesting info on the Bel Canto DAC 2 a week or two ago, along with a request for info from another (yet considerably more expensive line), DAC manufacturer whose name won't be made mention of, as numerous emails and phone callls went without response, Bel Canto made mention of a new DAC3 that will also double as a preamp with loads of different type ins & outs, including USB, XLR, xlr digital in, remote control volume, ETC. Due out in about June I think... could have been July, I'm betting on June though... Priced somewhere in the neighborhood of $2K ... give or take... no price was given 'cause no price had been determined.

thought I'd jump in here and say thanks, give the update of what's what with which cable... and drop the other news too. I should have a final answer in two weeks as to whcih 'pairing' of IC's by then.. no more than three. For sure.

perhaps others have found that using the 'same + same' notion in IC's is a good thing... or a bad thing and will say so here and which 'same/same brand they used... to a good end, or not.

Thanks much.