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Reference level cables that are 10-years old? buy?

Would you buy 10-year old cables? I just found at a local audio store on consignment some old Synergistic Research cables. Upon some research online, they look like the referenre cables reviewed in 1998 in Stereophile. These were originally retailed at something like $6k, $7k each back then. I can have them at 80% off, so somewhere in the $1,200 range. Still expensive for cables, but what the heck.

I am intending to bring them home later today to audition in my system. My current cables include 10-year old MIT MI-330 Pro XLR, Transparent Ultra. The newest cables in my system are a pair of Cardas Golden Ref & Pure Note Paragon Enhanced.

These Synergistic Research cables would replace the MIT, Transparent, and Pure Note.

FrankC
gundam91
cmcdaniel5
21 posts
 
Go by your ears. Good sounds good. If the older cables make you happy get'em/ If there is a difference between old and new models, is there 3 -4K difference? Seems to me you can by a lot of tickets to live events for the price difference, and no new “reference” product is going to sound as good as that!
gundam91 OP
506 posts
 
I've only had time to listen to the cheapest cable in the bunch, the Resolution speaker cable. Compares to the Transparent Ultra that I am currently using, I would say the following:

1/ It has darker background (I guess that's what that actie shielding is supposed to do);
2/ Better definition of instruments;
3/ Better timber;
4/ Much more layering in the soundstage;
5/ Better control of the bass;
6/ More detail;
7/ But more polite in presentation. The Transparent seem to have more "impact". So more "wild"/"raw" as oppose to "polite", I guess.

As always, changing one thing will lead to another. I figure by changing out some of the upstream interconnects like the Cardas Golden Reference will more likely remove some of that "politeness".

I was supposed to return these by 3pm this afternoon. But I think I will just purchase them. The deal is way too good and I can sell my old cables to recoup some cost. That's my right brain talking. My left brain is still trying to accept the idea of spending this kind of dough on cables.

Thanks all for your inputs and listening to me rant.

FrankC
ckoffend
684 posts
 
Frank, if you haven't returned these cables yet, you should do so immediately and get your money back. Just let me know as soon as you return them so I can protect everybody else by making sure nobody else can buy them and get ripped of like this!

I am sure you have grown fond of this purchase, these are very good cables and just as good as many of the "newest" cables you can buy.
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