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Kill Top End Extension - All Silver Ribbon Cables

Hi Guys,

I have a system were ALL the Interconnects and Speaker cables are all Pure Silver Based Ribbons from PSC Audio. http://www.pscaudio.com/ Would any of you know, whether this would be a BAD idea, if my current system is a tube based setup. I guess I'm wondering if this whats killing the top end extension in the music. ie. the nice shimmer on the cymbals. I've changed all the tubes on the pre-amp and the Amp is only about 2 weeks old. Furthermore, the pencil valves on the CD player have also just been replaced.

System Configuration
Amp: 13E1 Tube Monoblocks
Pre-Amp - Supratek Sauvignon
CD Player - Audio Aero Capitole MKII
Interconnect: CD to Pre - PSC Custom Pure Silver Ribbons (1 mtr)
Interconnect: Pre to Power PSC Custom Pure Silver Ribbons (2 mtr)
Speaker Cables: PSC Custom Pure Silver Ribbons (2 Mtrs)

Many Thanks to all that reply...
clipsal
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
In addition to all the foregoing comments, it seems to me that silver (and silver alloy) cabling tends to accentuate the high frequencies. So if anything, your cables are adding to the HF extension, not detracting from it. Must be something else.

Essentially, it sounds like you have new (or newly replaced) tubes throughout your system. Give them a 35 hour week of regular daily play (that means at least 5 hours a day) and if beginning the second week, things don't start to sparkle, then it's tube rolling time!
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rhljazz
1,253 posts
 
I just went through the same thing. The interconnects were not the problem but the speaker cables caused a roll off at the top. My VAC PA100 did not have any problem with the silver ribbon (Audio Magic brand) speaker cables but the VAC PHI 110 did not match well at all with these cables. I replaced them with a hybrid silver and copper MAS Reference speaker cable which is a non ribbon design low inductance cable. That solved the high frequency roll off problem for me.
chriskeating
189 posts
 
Your new amp needs to break in. If the transformers are new, you should not really expect any magic for a few hundred hours. That's a lot of wire to break in, plus all the caps. I'll bet if you just wait it out, you will be pleased. I can't imagine your silver ribbons REDUCING the high end. It sounds like typical "new amp" syndrome.
musicslug
430 posts
 
you didn't tell us what speakers you have....
sean
6,231 posts
 
It wouldn't matter if the speaker cables were copper, silver, gold, platinum or unobtanium. It isn't the type of conductor so much as it is the geometry of the conductors. Given that most tubed amps are already lacking in high frequency extension, using such a design can only compound the problem. Sean
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